“Well, we were drinking a lot, Mac. Shots and cocktails. And dancing.”
“Was I dancing with someone?” I asked, pulling his shirt over my head to change.
“Yeah, I think so. There was definitely a hottie sizing you up.”
“And you didn’t say anything to me? And just let me leave with him?” I hissed, although it really wasn’t her fault.
“We were all together, Mac, and then suddenly you were gone. You texted me and said you were heading out and to not worry about you.”
“I did?” I asked, trying to rack my brain as I changed into pants.
“Yeah, I figured you took a cab home.”
“Shit.”
“But you’re okay?” she asked sincerely.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just my damn memory isn’t giving me much. I’ve had a short flash, but it was like in slow motion. I don’t know, but it was weird. I could, like, feel what I was feeling at the time and now it’s just replaying over and over in my head, trying to probe anything new out of it.” I dug through the bag and grabbed the shades she brought me. There were also some flats, an oversized sweater, and a Fedora hat.
If I was going to be leaving a random guy’s hotel suite, I was going to do it with as much dignity as possible.
“All right. I think I’m ready.”
“Is he here?” she asked a bit too excitedly, looking around.
“Yeah, he was giving me some privacy though. It’s kind of awkward. He just came out here and dressed in front of me after his shower. Like, he was naked!” I whispered loudly.
“That’s so hot,” she mocked. I snarled at her and she laughed. “C’mon, let’s get you out of here before someone sees you.”
“Okay, I’m just going to…say bye, I guess? I don’t know,” I said, stumbling over my thoughts.
She laughed. “New to the one-night stand morning after, are you?” she teased. “Just make it quick.” I nodded in response, just wanting to get this over with.
She went into the hall as I searched the other room. I was surprised to find him behind a desk in reading glasses with his tablet in hand. He went from sexy-as-sin man candy to something else completely. He looked edible. He was fine as hell as he simply worked on something.
I inhaled deeply as I stepped in, smiling weakly as his head tilted up. Our eyes locked, and the energy between us was palpable and electric. I needed to get out of here as fast as possible or I’d end up making another wrong decision.
“I’m on my way out…” I began slowly, unsure of what else to say. “Thanks for breakfast.”
He laughed easily as he stood up. His easy-going nature was evident in his body language as he walked toward me. “You’re welcome, Mac. I don’t normally ravish women and then leave them to starve.” He stopped and stood right in front of me. Butterflies took over my stomach at the nearness of his body. I could feel my cheeks heating, or perhaps it was my entire body. My body’s response to him was uncanny. The tension was so thick, I was afraid to move.
I tried to stay focused on his chest, but as soon as he spoke again, they slowly moved up to meet his intense stare. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mac.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb on the smoothness of my cheek. My body relaxed into his hand as his voice serenaded me. “Any chance we can meet up again?” I could see the hopefulness in his eyes. His pleading eyes were now warm, begging me to say what he wanted to hear. “No alcohol though. I’d like you to remember it next time.” He winked playfully.
But I couldn’t.
This could never happen again.
I swallowed, standing up straighter so his hand was no longer touching me. I needed to focus, and I couldn’t with his hand on me.
“I’m sorry, Alex,” was all I said, backing up toward the hall and shaking my head. I pursed my lips together and looked down at the ground as I walked out of his view.
I walked toward the door where Staci was anxiously waiting for me. She widened her eyes at me, silently asking me if I was ready. I nodded back in response, needing to get the hell out of there. Staci opened the door, walked out, and looked both ways to make sure no one else was around. “It’s clear.”
I gripped the door to exit just as I heard my name from behind me. “Mac…”
I instinctively whirled around to Alex making his way toward me. Before I could move, or even respond, he had both of his hands on my face pressing his lips to mine. My body gave in, syncing my lips with his, moving in rhythm as we let the kiss say what we were thinking.
I sunk into him, gripping his shirt in my fists, pushing him even closer to me. A moan escaped my lips as he slowed the pace, but he pressed lingering kisses on my mouth just before releasing completely. I swallowed, keeping my eyes sealed shut. I could feel him hot against my skin. We panted in sync as we caught our breath.
He removed his hands and backed up slightly. I opened my eyes and licked my lips, already missing the taste of him, which was a really, really bad thing to be missing.
He took my hand and pushed something into it, squeezing it once before letting go. He brushed a hand through his hair, keeping his eyes locked on mine as he walked backward and finally turned away, walking back to the room where I had found him.
“Holy fuck…” Staci gasped from behind me.
I spun around, my eyes wide and shocked at what had just happened. “We have to go,” I said rushed. I grabbed the shades from my shirt and put them over my eyes as we walked to the elevator.
My hand was still clutching with whatever he had handed me. Once we were secure in the elevator, I opened up my hand and found a small ripped piece of paper.
In case you change your mind… 555-1026.
Written underneath was I’m really hoping you do, Mac. Give me a chance to remind you…
Fuck.
“Looks like lover boy wants another night.” I could hear the amusement in her voice. Shit. This was so bad. So, so bad.
“Okay…” I pressed the emergency stop on the panel and turned toward her. “You have ten seconds. Let it all out.” I stood with my arms crossed, urging her to get it out of her system.
“Mac…I love you. I’m just messing with you.”
“No, c’mon. I deserve it. Yell at me. Tease me. Make fun of me. Something!” I released my arms and threw them up. “Someone needs to yell at me.”
“Mac, you aren’t a child. You’re fully capable of making your own decisions and mistakes. Why would I yell at you?” she asked sincerely. I was falling apart. Tears surfaced and fell down my cheeks like a sudden rainstorm.
“Because I’m a bad person, Staci! I had a one-night stand! And I feel guilty as hell…for more than one reason.” My voice trembled, my body shaking as I fully allowed myself to come to terms with what I had done. “I can’t believe I did that…” My voice went flat.
“You aren’t a bad person. You made a drunken mistake. Trust me…you aren’t the first to do so. We all do shit we regret.”
“Yes…I know that, Stace,” I retorted sharply. “But my mistake could really hurt people. If the press finds out…”
“They won’t…he doesn’t know who you are, right?”
“No, I don’t think so. He didn’t seem to.”
“Well, there ya go. No one is going to find out,” she reassured me.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply, needing to calm my nerves. “All right…” I nodded, motioning for her to release the emergency button as I put the hat on. “I’m ready.”
We exited the elevator without a second glance. I bowed my head down, concealing my face as much as I could and grabbed her hand as she led me out into the back of her car. Once we took off, I took the sunglasses and hat off, relieved I was finally out of there.
“You’re going to be okay.” She flashed a comforting smile at me. “Do you want me to go inside with you?”
“No, I’ll be fine. I’m just going to take a shower and pretend this whole weekend never happened.”
She nodded.
I looked down at my hands as they
nervously fidgeted in my lap. Almost home. Once inside, I knew I’d be safe.
I had shoved Alex’s note in my back pocket, but I didn’t even realize it until just now. “Oh my god!” I squealed at Staci. My eyes narrowed in on my left hand…my thumb rubbing over the empty ring finger indentation.
“What is it?”
“My ring! It’s gone!” I shrieked. I became frantic as I realized my engagement ring was missing. It could only be in one place…
Chapter Three
Shit, shit, shit.
William was going to be home in a couple of days, and I couldn’t risk him seeing me without it. He’d ask me about it, and I’d have to make up some stupid lie, which would just add to the stack of lies I would already be carrying around.
I swallowed. I was going to have to call Alex.
After taking a shower and scrubbing my entire sinful body off, I dressed and grabbed the slip of paper with Alex’s number on it.
I tapped my foot anxiously as I sat on the edge of my bed, taking deep, shallow breaths. I just needed to do it. Get it over with. Call him.
My fingers nervously hovered over the digits of my phone. I felt oddly eager to hear his voice again, but also scared as hell. His voice did things to my body my mind couldn’t control.
Before I dialed his number, a glimpse of our night together surfaced…
“What is it you want from me?” I asked bluntly. I needed to know because I was not about to lead this guy on. He seemed almost too good to be true, and the last thing I wanted to do was send out the wrong message.
“Well, if I were honest, which I almost always am…I want you. I want your sweaty body underneath me, against me. I want your eyes to look up into mine as I lay above you, fucking you hard and fast.” My body quivered, jerking at his blunt response. “I want to feel how tight your pussy is, how wet you are for me. I want to suck on your tits as I hear you scream my name because, holy hell, it’s so damn sexy.” I swallowed hard as I wrapped my brain around his words—words I hadn’t heard in so long. “I told you I was honest,” he whispered into my ear again.
I wasn’t sure how to respond, but as soon as I cleared my mind, the alcohol took over for me.
I spun around and locked my arms around his neck. He looked at me, took me in. His mouth was firm, tense. I analyzed his facial features and how delicious he looked. My body felt on fire, burning and aching between my legs as I repeated his words in my mind.
Why did his words have an effect on me? I wasn’t supposed to let someone else say those things to me, touch me, and beg me. I craved it—his words, the look he was giving me—my body was craving it all, and it didn’t make any sense to me.
“Stop,” he said firmly, gaining my attention back. “Stop overthinking, Mac. What’s your body telling you?”
I sucked in a breath, too embarrassed to tell him. “I don’t know.”
His lips curved up into a devilish smirk. “You’re a horrible liar, Mac.” He pulled me in closer, our chests colliding. The top of my head reached just under his chin, making our eyes disconnect.
“How do you know?” I asked. I was only vaguely aware that we were in fact not alone. The music and dancing bodies surrounded us, but it didn’t feel that way. I was on high alert for every word he said and every movement his body made.
He grabbed my chin and tilted it so we were eye-level again. He brushed the pad of his thumb over my jaw as he said, “Because I’m good at reading body language. Your body’s hot. You haven’t stopped blushing since you’ve met me, and I can smell your arousal from way up here. Your nipples are hard and pressing through this thin material you call a dress. Your eyes are tense, as is your mouth. Your body can’t stop trembling, and every time you speak, small moans escape your throat. Your body is fucking begging for it, Mac.”
I swallowed again, shocked and embarrassed. He read me like a damn book, feeling everything I was trying to hide.
I needed to find out for myself.
“Kiss me,” I said. “Kiss me right now.”
Both of his hands cupped my face, nearly covering it completely with the size of them. My breath hitched as he covered my mouth with his, pressing his lips to mine. They were soft, warm like honey. I grabbed a hold of his wrists, clenching to him as his kiss sparked my entire body. I felt high as if this feeling wasn’t natural, yet it was overtaking my entire body.
His tongue met mine, dancing in rhythm as we stood in the middle of the dance floor. His kiss consumed me, his mouth taking charge of me. He increased his pace, deepening his desire as I held on for everything he was giving me.
I felt a jolt of energy strike through me as our mouths collided, both panting with heavy breaths and heated air.
He tasted like bourbon, oaky and sweet. His cologne wasn’t overbearing, but being this close, I could smell the musky scent mixed with the alcohol and the clean smell of his soap. Our bodies were meshed into one big body of hands and mouths.
And now I couldn’t stop. One taste and I wanted it. Wanted him.
I felt humiliated and a little hot at the memory. I hadn’t pushed him away, in fact, I insisted.
It didn’t matter though. It could never turn into anything and now I just needed to get this over with.
I finally dialed his number and tried to stay calm as I heard it ring.
“Hello?” His voice was deep, causing a slight thrill to run down my body.
I froze. I couldn’t make the words come out, and my throat was suddenly dry and incapable of forming words.
“Hellooooo?” he asked again, a slight annoyance in his tone.
“H-hi…” I squeaked, tightly closing my eyes as a rush of embarrassment shot through me. “Hi,” I said again, more clearly and stable. “It’s Mac.”
“Mac?” he asked surprised, his voice laced with happy amusement. “What a surprise.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry to bother you, I—”
“Oh, sweetheart, you’d never bother me.” I could hear the smirk in his tone. “What can I do for you?”
“I, um…is there any chance I left anything in your suite? I’m missing something and it’s the only place I can think of I would’ve have lost it.” I bit my lip, nervously, hoping he’d already found it, and I wouldn’t have to be specific.
“What exactly did you lose, babe? Panties? Bra? I was hoping that was a parting gift.”
“Oh my god…” I blushed although he couldn’t see me. “No, it was a ring actually.”
“A ring? Could you…describe this ring?” His voice was thick with amusement. He was torturing me and he knew it.
“It was a white gold band. Diamond. A rather…large diamond,” I said, cringing as he probably knew exactly what type of ring it was.
“An engagement ring?”
I exhaled, hating that I had to even have this conversation. “Yes.”
He responded quickly with no emotion in his voice. “Sorry, babe. I’ve not seen your engagement ring. However, I’ll look around and call you if I find it.”
“Great, thank you,” I replied, feeling self-conscious. I felt the need to explain, but what do you say to your one-night stand that never should’ve happened in the first place. “Alex…I’m sorry,” was the only thing I could think of.
“Mac, you have nothing to be sorry for.” He sounded genuine, but I still felt bad.
“I do. I shouldn’t have drunk that much and lead you to believe…”
“Mac…stop. You don’t have to apologize. Trust me. Last night…” He paused. I could hear his heavy breaths as if it pained him to hear the words. “I don’t want you to apologize.”
“You’re a really great guy, Alex. And I’m not just saying that. I wish things were different. But since they aren’t, this has to end here. I mean, of course, unless you find my ring,” I rambled, hoping he’d hear my lame humor.
He laughed lightly, making my body relax at the sound of his laughter. It was deep, gravely, and so sexy. “Goodbye, Mac.”
I sighed. E
ven his goodbye sounded sweet. “Bye, Alex.”
WILLIAM CALLED TO let me know he’d be arriving home soon. It’d only been a couple of days since waking up in a stranger’s hotel room, but I was ready to forget it and move on. It was a mistake. One fucking hot mistake.
I looked in the mirror again, making sure I didn’t have the word ‘guilty’ written all over my forehead or anything—because it’s all I’ve been feeling since arriving back home.
I stood anxiously in the foyer, repositioning the antique glass vase that’s centered on the five-thousand-dollar cherry table—for the tenth time. I was growing accustomed to all of William’s high-priced furniture, but it still made me uneasy. I was always afraid I’d trip and break something that’d cost more than my entire life savings.
William’s penthouse apartment was on the Upper East Side and was a drastic change from where I lived before. An even bigger change from my childhood lifestyle.
I heard his footsteps through the hall, announcing his arrival. The door opened and my stomach somersaulted at the first glance of him. He was wearing his usual business attire, but he was wearing my favorite one—a Dolce & Gabbana ‘Martini’ Grey Wolf & Silk three-piece suit. I smiled as I recalled the memory of picking it out for him just a few months ago.
“Welcome home!” I walked toward him and wrapped my arms around him. I sunk my face into his chest that smelled of his Dolce & Gabbana cologne—cedar and spice. It was comforting. Just like he was.
“Thank you, darling.” He kissed the top of my head. “I missed you.”
I tilted my head to look up at him. He was a good ten inches taller than my five-foot-three size, which always made me feel small and precious around him. “I missed you, too.” It was true. He’d only been gone for four days, but William worked a lot. He was gone more than he was home, so I made sure to soak up all the time we could spend together.
“Everything go smoothly?” he asked, backing away slightly. I let go of my grip as he began to walk through the apartment.
I followed behind and answered, “Yes, great.” I tried to hide the anxiety in my voice. I’d never tell him what happened. It was a mistake, and I’d never put myself in that position again. And no matter how many times I replayed Alex’s last kiss in my head, my heart raced with betrayal and desire. It was wrong, but my body disagreed.
Dangerous Temptations Page 3