by Jamie Knight
She moans with each thrust. I love the way she says my name. It's dark in the room, our bodies wrapped together glistening in the moonlight. She lets out a howl of pleasure and I feel her pussy tighten around my shaft as she shudders in release. I start to lose myself, thrusting faster and faster.
I keep thrusting until I explode, pleasure crashing over me in waves. When I come down from the high, she gives me a happy smile, still bathed in her own afterglow.
I get up and excuse myself to the bathroom. When I come back she’s lying on her side facing away, still and breathing slowly.
Is she ok? Facing the wall like that, I wonder if maybe she’s upset about what we’ve just done. I walk around to check on her, however, and her eyes are closed. She's sound asleep. I stand there wondering what to do.
I’ve never had an auction girl say the night before. But, I remind myself, I’ve also never come home from an auction with a virgin. I stand there watching her sleep. Even now, I can't bring myself to disturb her. I don't know why, but she just looks so sweet and peaceful, and it stirs feelings in me that I don’t know how to handle.
So I decide not to handle them at all right now. I walk to the other side of the bed and lie behind her, pulling the blankets over the both of us. I tell myself that it would be rude to wake her and that it would ruin her night. I know this is just a lame excuse, but it’s all I can think of to justify my actions right now. This is all such a new experience for me. I spend a while just thinking about it, but eventually I drift off to sleep as well.
Chapter 14 - Juliette
The next morning I'm slow to wake up. It must be about 9 or 10 in the morning. I'm naked. I know I'm in the bed alone, but this isn't my bed. I sit up and look quickly around the room, wondering where I am. After a moment it all comes back to me.
I'm in Dominic's room. This is his house.
I blush, remembering our night together. What a crazy and unexpected night that I enjoyed so much. I can't believe I'm admitting it to myself. But in spite of a rocky start, last night had been amazing.
The minutes tick by. The room is silent. I wonder where he is, straining to hear the sounds of the shower, or even a toilet flush, but there’s nothing. The whole house is silent.
I pull the blankets up over my chest and sigh. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do now. I look around the room once more. There's a piece of paper on the night stand that catches my attention.
I reach over and pick it up hesitantly. There’s a hastily written note scrawled on it. I frown at it and start to read.
"Needed to leave and handle some things at work. My driver will take you home whenever you are ready."
No signature, no greeting. Cold, transactional. Like a note for his secretary or something. I put it down on the bed, puzzled. After our night together, why the sudden shutoff? He seemed so open, and we connected so well. The things he shared and that we talked about… I just don't know what to think. I guess I misread everything. How is that possible?
I sigh. I’m reading too much into it. Yes, we had a nice night, but that was all we agreed to. One night. It happened, I just need to get over it and get out of here as fast as possible. I get out of bed and look around for all of my clothes and put them on. It doesn't hit me until after I'm dressed.
I’m about to do my first-ever “walk of shame” after a one-night-stand. And it hurts more than it should. I can't believe I got myself into a situation like this. I suppose I should have prepared myself for this kind of thing. I was silly to think it was going to end any other way.
I take a deep breath and walk out of the room. I go downstairs to the living room. The driver is standing patiently by the front door waiting for me, reading a newspaper. He glances up when he sees me. "Good morning, ma’am. Are you ready for me to take you home?” he asks pleasantly.
Sad that I’m getting a friendlier morning greeting from Dom’s driver than from Dom himself, but I swallow my pride and hurt and shake my head. “Actually, can you take me here?” I ask, passing him a business card from the store with the address on it, “I need to pick up my car.”
He takes the card and looks down at it. "Of course, ma’am, that’s no problem at all, " he says cheerfully, opening the front door for me.
Once I’m settled in the backseat, I lean back on the leather seats with my purse resting in my lap. It's a quiet ride. The driver seems to know the way already, fortunately, and he seems to sense my mood and avoids any small talk.
I manage to keep it together during the whole ride. I look out the window at the city scenery rolling past. Soon we’re pulling into the lot of the strip mall.
Fortunately today, my shop is closed. I never thought I’d be so happy about my day off, as much as I love what I do, but today it’s actually a welcome relief. At least I don't have to worry about being late to work this morning on top of everything else that is going on.
And despite my roiling emotions, I try to remind myself that whatever happened last night, I saved the shop, and that was what I set out to do.
The driver parks, but leaves the engine running while he gets out and opens my door for me. "Thank you," I tell him, my voice wavering.
I’m about at the end of my emotional rope. "You're welcome, ma’am,” he replies with a polite smile as I get out of his car and walk around my own to the driver’s side.
"Have a nice day,” he tells me.
“You, too,” I say absently, then rummage in my purse for my keys.
He gets in the town car and drives off, and I unlock my car and get in. I close the door quietly. I put my purse in the passenger seat and look around. There are a few scattered cars in the parking lot, but no one is around. I'm alone. I grip the steering wheel and finally break, bursting into tears. I can't control my emotions anymore.
I can't believe I got my hopes up like that. It was supposed to be one night, no strings attached, but somehow I had gotten my feelings hurt. It was foolish to let that happen. Now look, I'm an emotional wreck because of it.
I don't know how long I sit there. Eventually my sobs turn to quiet hiccups. My eyes burn from all the tears. Eventually I’m able to stop crying, and finally I turn on the ignition and drive home. Even though I'm not crying anymore, it didn't change the turmoil raging in my chest.
I can't believe I let my guard down like that. I assumed it would be ok because of the way he was opening up to me. I mean, I met him at an auction, I should have expected him to do this type of thing. But last night just seemed like…more.
When I get home, I walk inside and make my way to the bathroom. I turn the water on and leave it to heat up while I go into my bedroom to put my purse and shoes down. I strip off my dress and find myself staring at it for a long moment before I put it into the hamper.
All those happy memories attached to it, but now every time I look at this dress, I know last night will be the only memory that comes to the surface, and part of me hates him a little bit for ruining it for me.
I strip down the rest of the way and head back into the bathroom. Once the water is steamy hot I step inside, pulling the curtain closed behind me.
I just want to relax and feel better. It can be a real pain having emotions at times, but that's what makes us people, I guess. But I’m just so sick of hurting. I stay in the shower as long as possible, soaking up all the steam and warmth until my fingers and toes are pruny and wrinkled. Afterwards, I pull on a robe and settle on the couch, putting on an old favorite movie of my grandfather’s.
I did what I set out to do. Now I just have to figure out how to deal with the aftermath.
Chapter 15 - Dominic
It has been a few days since the auction and I still feel like shit. I can't believe I just ghosted Juliette like that. She probably thinks I'm such a dick for running out on her like that. Not that I’d made such a great impression before that.
I sigh and stare out the window of my office. It looks like I'm daydreaming, maybe I am. Ever sinc
e that night I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, my raven-haired beauty. It's almost like she turned my whole world upside down.
Our night together was great, but when I woke up the next morning and saw her laying there splayed across my bed with the morning sun glowing lovely against her pale skin, I felt a stirring of feelings that I never felt before. I didn't think it was possible to feel those things.
I spent all my life without anything like that happening. I thought I was one of those people that was so well guarded, I was practically immune to stuff like this. I guess I was wrong. I feel like I'm going to go crazy trying to figure it out.
I will admit now that it honestly scared me shitless, to feel like that. so like a little coward I ran off and hid from them instead of dealing with everything. I have tried so hard these past few days to forget everything. I've thrown myself into my work, never leaving my office.
I can't even eat because everything tastes like dirt. I can't sleep, think or concentrate. Its maddening. It's like my entire life has come to a complete standstill and I can't do anything about it. How could one night have turned into something like this? It's crazy. It just came out of nowhere and hit me like a fucking freight train.
The phone rings pulling me from my reverie. I grab it and answer it. "Yeah?" I try to control my emotions.
"Hey, Dom…." Kevin says. "I was wondering if you have seen these files I need for work? I think I left them in your office, but-" He starts to ask, but I interrupt him by snapping at him.
"No, I haven't seen your damn files. Keep better track of your stuff and maybe this wouldn't happen."
My words shock Kevin into silence for a moment. "What the hell is your problem? I thought you'd be better by now, ditch the giant pole up your ass. Didn't you go home with that brunette chick from the auction?"
I sigh, I can confide in him because he's my friend. "Yes. We had a great night,” I admit, “Amazing. But I did something horrible and now I feel like a dick."
I tell him the whole story about our night together, including how nice Juliette had been and just how much she’d gotten to me. "And then the next morning I ghosted her. Just up and left,” I finish.
Kevin is silent as he processes and tries to understand the whole story. I look out the window again as we talk. "Okay, here's what I think…" he finally says.
I wait with curiosity. "You should go apologize to her." He says bluntly.
His answer is so simple I don't believe it. "Apologize? That's really all you came up with?" I ask in disbelief.
"Yes, just hear me out." He pleads, so I stow my annoyance and listen again
"Okay, she’s a nice girl, that you had a great night with. You're used to the auction thing. She's not. Maybe that's why you feel so bad about this. You have a guilty conscience because this was her first time. You probably thought you should have at least told her goodbye or prepared her for something like this." He explains.
I'm sure in his mind this sounds like a reasonable explanation. I wish this whole situation was as easy as he thought it was. But how can I tell him just how deeply she’s gotten under my skin? Won’t I sound insane if I tell him the truth?
"Maybe you’re right. I'll try it," I reply.
"Okay. Call me and let me know what happens. " he says, then we hang up.
I sit in my office and stare out the window. I don't know if this is going to work, but maybe it's a start. At any rate, it will give me an opportunity to see her again. My stomach does somersaults at that thought. I work hard to calm myself.
I still don't know if it's the right decision but I have to make some sort of an effort. My life will never go back to normal if I don't make some kind of an effort to deal with this. I sigh and check the time, it's almost lunch. An hour until. But I know I'm not going to be able to concentrate on work.
I grab my phone and keys and leave the office. Knowing what I'm about to do, the elevator ride seems longer than usual. I hurry through the lobby and out to my car, looking up the address online to her record store. I punch it into my GPS and start to drive there.
I know I’ve been before, but in my current distracted state, I’m likely to miss a turn and end up in another state or something.
The whole drive there I'm actually nervous and worried. How is she going to react when she sees me? She doesn't seem like the dramatic type, but after the way that I left things, I should be prepared for anything including a scene.
As I get closer to my destination, I start rehearsing things in my head. I want my apology to be perfect. I don't want to upset her any more than I already have. Even now I can't believe I’m acting this way. In the past I never would have cared about leaving a girl from the auction like that before.
But, none of them would have cared, either. Juliette is different. I can't figure out why. I just feel so different around her. It's scary and frustrating because I have never had to deal with anything like this before.
But then suddenly I realize something even more frightening than the prospect that I’ve upset her. What if she doesn’t care at all? What if she just took it in stride and moved on and I’m the only one in knots over this? Am I about to make a huge ass out of myself?
I arrive at the strip mall. I park my car in the lot and just sit there for a few minutes, trying to mentally prepare myself. I don't know if I'll be ready for this, but I have no choice now. After a deep breath, I get out of the car and walk inside.
Chapter 16 - Juliette
I’m feeling better today, and I'm doing my best to forget about everything that happened the other night. It’s another work day. Nothing could keep me away from my shop. I went about my usual routine once I arrived at the shop, and the normalcy helped me keep things off my mind.
After opening up I spent a good portion of the morning rearranging the shop to try and draw in more customers. It hasn't worked yet, but I'm not giving up hope. I have to keep this place going at all costs, and now, there’s hope. I have a list of gimmicks and things at home I can still try, it's just a matter of putting them into action.
I need to call Mr. Stevens and make an offer, too, but the wound is still so raw, I just need a little bit of time to work up the courage. Maybe this afternoon.
After that, I went to the backroom and disinfect and clean the whole area, erasing any trace of my tryst in there with Dom. I also organize my desk. I didn't want to spend more time in there than necessary, after the memories of losing my virginity, so I come back out to the front and put some music on.
Nothing that I liked all that well, but something that the customers might enjoy. I’ve just taken my place behind the register when Dom walks in.
I can't believe my eyes. Why is he here? Why do I feel butterflies in my stomach at the sight of him? My first impulse is to run to him and throw my arms around him. I squash those feelings down by reminding myself of how he left me, that cold, brusque note. I need to be strong. But it is so good to see him again that I can't help but feel a little hopeful at the sight of him.
Instead I remain standing behind the register and greet him with a bright and cheery: "Hello, how can I help you today?" in a robotic parody of a “customer service” tone that I honestly wouldn’t even use on a customer.
There is no warmth or familiarity in my tone, and I see him visibly wince at my greeting. "Ok, I deserved that," he admits aloud.
He walks across the store until he is standing across the register from me. I stare at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Juliette, I'm not here to argue. I came because I wanted to apologize for running out on you the way that I did. That was…it was a dick move, and I'm sorry."
Once again, I can hear the sincerity in his tone, and there’s a pleading undercurrent to his words. I start to soften a little and uncross my arms. An apology is a good sign, after all. I just want to understand. Maybe it was something I did or said?
I look down at the ground then at him. "Why didn't you just wake me up and te
ll me you had to leave? I'm an adult, hell, I’m a business owner, if you had to go handle work matters, I would have understood.”
He taps his fingers nervously on the counter before answering. "I didn't want to wake or disturb you. You were sleeping so peacefully." He confesses.
I stare at him in shock, not having expected that answer, and he continues, "In all honesty, you’re the first woman from the auctions that I have ever had stay the night. Hell, the first woman to stay the night with me at all. Ever.”
I’m shocked, but also touched by his confession. I look down at the ground, suddenly feeling shy. "What is it?" He asks.
I'm embarrassed but I will still share it with him. I feel like I owe it to him, vulnerability in exchange for his.
Timidly, I admit, "This is… actually a relief to hear. This whole time I’ve been worried that maybe I was bad at it or something, since this was my first time having sex."
In shame, I bury my face in my hands, sure that I’m sure color of a tomato. Slowly, I peer out between my fingers and after a second of understanding he laughs. "Trust me, that is definitely not the case. You were incredible," he assures me.
I giggle and blush at his words, but after, there are a few tense moments of silence. We both look at each other and finally share a shy smile. I try to memorize every angle of his handsome face. I still can't believe he is here with me right now. It's almost too good to be true. Especially after everything that’s happened.
He looks so handsome, his eyes filled with kindness as he looks at me. I don't think I’ve ever seen him look at me like that before. I definitely would have remembered a gaze like that. I want to lean over and kiss him so bad. I almost do, but I chicken out and look away from him.
He clears his throat softly. I look back at him. He gives me another smile and to my surprise, he starts to walk away. My heart catches in my chest. I try to think of something to say, or a reason to get him to stay, at least a few minutes longer. "Wait!” I call finally, “Is that… really all you came for?" I ask, trying not to sound disappointed, but I know it’s evident in my voice as well as my gaze.