was a one-time thing. Wrong place, wrong crowd, and a lousy year pushed me to say, “Why not.”
It was one of the best and worst nights of my life. For a minute, I felt like nothing could ever hurt me. I was invincible. After the effect was gone, I wanted to die. It’s an experience I never want to repeat. I could bet my life that if I stay for the entire night, it’s going to take me a long time to recover, or I’ll come back for more.
He steps closer to me. I take a step backward, and suddenly my back is touching the wall. His big hands take mine, and one of them clamps on my wrists. He lifts my hands over my head, pinning them to the wall. His body is pressed against mine, and his mouth captures mine.
I don’t know what I like the most, that he’s taking charge, his body’s weight, or how he devours me. This is a bad idea. I should stop him, but I can't reason over the heart drumming, stomach leaping, and knees weakening that he’s causing.
He pulls back slowly, letting my hands go. He looks at me and whispers, “I could give you a million reasons for you to stay, but I won’t force you. The door is open. The offer is for you to stay because this is too good to waste. It is there for you to grab.”
The cocky voice is gone, replaced by his boyish grin.
He places his palms against the wall. The space between us is just the length of his arms, but it feels too far away. This is what I’m talking about. I’m going to get used to him, and when he’s gone…
“Is this kind of sex normal for you?” he asks. “Intense, charged with passion, and out of this world.”
“Like almost fairy-tale magical?” I ask, trying to find a better, more mature way to describe it, but honestly, I can’t.
“Yeah, let’s go with that,” he concedes. “It’s a first for me, and I owe it to myself to explore further. Just let this happen. This isn’t anything more than…strangers with benefits.”
I swallow hard, hypnotized by his gaze. “So, no friends. Just a booty call.”
He chuckles. “Well, soon it’ll change to friends. I just met you, so I can’t just call you that, can I?”
“What does this entail?” I ask curiously, not listening to reason.
“Unlimited hookups, a good time, and I might even have your car washed during the winter.” He winks at me.
“Tempting,” I mumble. “What if one of us wants out of the arrangement?”
“We’re adults, Leyla,” he says. “We discuss it. If we’re doing this, we won’t add any complications. We speak the truth. If you need more, you come to me and request it. If I can’t give it to you, we call it quits.”
“What if it is the other way around?” I ask. “If you want more and I refuse to give it to you?”
“Good point,” he responds. “I doubt that’ll happen, but the same rules apply.”
“Do you have this kind of arrangement with other women?”
He shakes his head.
“If I accept but ask you that we are exclusive?”
“Exclusive sounds fair. Any other rules?”
I stare at him wondering if I should just leave, but he says, “Stop overthinking this. It feels right. I always lead with my head. For once, I’m allowing myself to explore. Do it with me.”
“Okay,” I mumble. “Don’t make me regret this.”
With a kiss, we seal what might be the most magical adventure of my life, or… I don’t allow myself to think about what might go wrong.
Not tonight.
Chapter Five
Pierce
Things I have never done during my adult life:
1. Had a woman sleep in my bed.
2. Spent my Sunday with said woman.
3. Puppy proofed my condo.
4. Thought about how I’m going to convince said woman to stay for dinner.
5. Planned on a long-lasting monogamous hookup. Or should I call it a relationship?
I’m still unsure how the last one will work, but I’m willing to try it.
“Thank you for helping me set up the house so Buster can be safe,” I say.
“I looked at my schedule, and I can come by a couple of days if you want me to watch him,” she offers.
“If that works for you. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the company,” I state. “There might be a couple of days when I won’t be able to come home to check on him until late at night.”
“What do you do for a living?”
I’m one of the best