One Night Stand: An Erotic Serial
Episode Three
Sarah Robinson
Contents
Author Note
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
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Author Note
This is the third episode in a four-part erotic serial romance. Please make sure you have read the first two episodes before starting this episode!
Chapter One
Emma
I’m completely screwed.
Having just entered the reception hall after the wedding, I surveyed the seating placards that indicated what table we were all sitting at. I was at table three, along with several other bridesmaids, groomsmen...and their plus ones.
Normally, this would be fine. I wasn’t picky about where I sat or who I sat near. I could get along with damn near anyone. However, my cousin Sandy--also a bridesmaid--had shown up at the wedding on the arm of my ex-boyfriend, Blake. And one of the groomsmen at my table would be the best man, Dylan. Did I mention that I’d been sleeping with him for the last few days?
Me, a cousin I hate, the ex-boyfriend who broke my heart, and the man I had been exploring my sex bucket list with for the last three days all at one table for the next four hours.
Yep. I’m completely screwed.
Grabbing my placard, I slowly made my way over to table three. Thankfully, I was the first one there. I placed my name down on a plate and then quickly scurried away. I needed to find the bar--and fast.
“White wine, please,” I said to the bartender, leaning my elbows against the bar.
He glanced up at me, his eyes squinting slightly. “We have hard liquor, you know.”
The man was good at his job.
“Good call,” I replied. “I’ll actually do a vodka cranberry.”
The bartender poured me the drink fairly quickly and handed it over to me.
“Thank you,” I told him before heading back into the crowd while sipping on the beverage.
“Emma!” My mother waved to me from across the room and I made my way over to her.
“Hey, mom,” I greeted her. We exchanged quick hugs.
“Wasn’t the wedding absolutely beautiful? Downright magical, actually.”
I nodded my head in agreement. As much as I was in a complete funk due to the situation I’d found myself in over the course of the evening, I could still appreciate how happy my sister had been walking down the aisle and how radiant she had looked in her dress.
“When do you think you’ll finally settle down and meet someone?” My mother wasted no time reminding me that my little sister had jumped the broom before me. “You’re not getting any younger, you know.”
I tried my best to keep my eyes from rolling back in my head, and was able to plaster on an entirely fake smile. “I’m sure my time will come soon, Mom.”
“That’s the attitude, darling.” My mother patted my arm, then walked away to greet another guest behind me.
I quickly downed the rest of my vodka cranberry and headed for the exit. Maybe someone had left their car running and I could escape all of this. Hell, maybe I could just break into a car and hotwire it. I’m sure in my desperation I could figure it out.
“Where are you going?” Dylan stepped in my way, a small smile on his lips. “You’re not trying to duck out early, are you? The reception hasn’t even started yet. I was hoping to get in a dance.”
My eyes lifted to his and I found myself losing my words. That tended to happen every time I ran into him. The man was chiseled from stone and the way his jaw set when he looked at me--determined and on the prowl--made my knees weak. “Uh…”
His lips twitched and his handsome eyes shone with excitement. “Come on. Let’s go grab a drink and take our seats.”
He offered me his arm and I took it. He was so warm, so perfectly fitted to my side that I couldn’t help but melt slightly into him and take a deep breath of his cologne. Memories of the night before, tangled between the sheets together, triggered in my mind and I felt a tingling in my core at the reminder.
We headed back over to the bar where the bartender had seen me coming and already poured me a second vodka cranberry.
“For the lady,” he said, handing me the glass.
“Thank you.”
Dylan lifted one brow as he looked at me, smiling slightly as he placed his own drink order. “Bourbon, neat, please.”
“Coming right up,” the bartender replied.
“So, I noticed that we’re seated at the same table,” Dylan commented, taking the glass from the bartender when he finished. “I placed my placard next to yours.”
I glanced down at my drink, stirring it slowly with the tiny straw provided by the bartender. It was more of a nervous fidget than anything else.
“Emma?” Dylan touched my hand. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I quickly replied, though I struggled to force myself to make eye contact with him.
“Did you...did you change your mind about this week? Is this too much?”
When I looked up at his face, there was a flash of sadness that crossed his expression. It darkened his incredibly handsome features, and I immediately felt guilty for being the one to make him feel that way.
I shook my head and forced myself to smile, which actually wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be because Dylan made me feel...lighter, happier, desired. “No. Not at all. I haven’t changed my mind.”
Before the wedding, Dylan had revealed to me that he wanted to change his flight from tomorrow morning so that he could stay here longer...to be with me. At the time, I’d been over the moon and confirmed that, yes, that was exactly what I wanted to. Sure, he and I had started off as a weekend fling meeting for a hookup off of Tinder, but I was fast discovering that that wasn’t really who I am. I couldn’t have meaningless sex without getting attached and my attempts at having a one night stand had seriously backfired. Dylan was sweet and kind, and he made me laugh in a way that I hadn’t felt in a long time. The way he cared for my body, worshipping every part of me--it made me feel feminine and strong.
No one had ever made me feel as many things in so little of a time before.
But the news of Dylan staying had also preceded my finding out that the man I’d loved for years was also in attendance at this wedding...and, per his own admission, was here to win me back.
Blake wanted me back.
Dylan wanted me now.
I was so completely screwed.
“Good,” Dylan replied, then reached out his hand. “Come on. Let’s go get seated. They’re going to start the first dance soon.”
I could see my sister, Elise, and her new husband, Mark, making their way toward the dance floor.
“Yeah, I don’t want to miss that,” I confirmed, following him back to our table.
Jackson, one of the other groomsmen and the only one who knew about Dylan and I smirked at me from across the table. “Great wedding, huh?”
I nodded. “It’s been beautiful so far.”
We took our seats and the lights dimmed as the music began to play. Elise and Mark walked hand-in-hand to the middle of the dance floor and began moving to the music.
“Sorry we’re late,” a voice whispered in my ear.
I turned to see Blake pulling up the chair next to me with my cousin, Sandy, beside him. They quickly took their seats and focused their gaze on the happy c
ouple. Well, Sandy focused on them. Blake, however, was staring straight at me.
I swallowed hard. “Hi.”
“You look beautiful tonight,” he whispered, leaning closer.
“Thank you,” I replied softly, trying not to trip over my words. Blake had left me months ago telling me that he needed to find himself. He needed to focus on his needs and who he wanted to become. Of course, that had not stopped him from posting pictures with random women non-stop afterwards. I guess he was “finding himself” with them.
Being that he had been my first major relationship and my first love, the separation had hit me hard. I’d spent weeks crying in bed and lamenting every possible thing I could have done wrong to drive him away. Slowly, however, I’d been getting to the point where I was taking steps toward getting over him.
Of course, one of those steps had been to invite a random Tinder date over to my house for meaningless sex.
And of course, that date was now seated on the other side of me watching the bride and groom dance, completely oblivious to the conversation happening behind him.
Clearly, I had figured things out so well with both men.
“Emma,” Blake whispered in my ear again, this time his hand ran up the back of my arm. “Can we talk later? Just you and I?”
I glanced over at him, trying to gauge his sincerity by the puppy dog look in his eyes. He was pleading with me, and I couldn’t find it in myself to say no. After all, I’d been in love with this man for years...hell, maybe a part of me still was.
“Sure,” I whispered back to him, then turned my attention back to the married couple.
“Hey, Emma.” Dylan turned back to look at me, smiling wide in a teasing grin. “Think you’ll catch the bouquet?”
My eyes grew to the size of hockey pucks. “Uh…”
He reached a hand over and placed it on my knee. “I’m just teasing. Lord, you look like you just saw a ghost.”
I felt like I had.
Nodding slowly, I tried to force a smile on my lips. “You’re so funny.”
Blake cleared his throat behind me and I glanced back at him. His eyes were trained on my knee and Dylan’s hand. He looked...furious.
God, I am so screwed.
Chapter Two
Dylan
I wasn’t one to throw around superlatives very often, but, so far, this had been one of the best nights of my life. After some dancing, we had taken a break to eat and the meal was beyond delicious. I, however, couldn’t wait to get Emma back onto the dance floor and have my arms around her again.
She’d left the table for a few moments to go grab herself another drink. I’d offered to get it for her, but she’d insisted on getting it herself. I hadn’t really questioned it, but she did seem a bit off to me tonight. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I had decided not to address it. Honestly, I’d only known the woman for three days. I wasn’t an expert on her in any way, and it wasn’t my place to interrogate her about what she was feeling and thinking. She would come to me when she felt ready, and I was okay with that.
It didn’t in any way change how I was beginning to feel about her, however. Sitting next to her all evening had been the perfect excuse to touch her under the table when no one was looking. I’d kept things innocent, only slightly creeping up her thigh once. She’d blushed and pushed my hand back down to her knee. I was disappointed, but I couldn’t blame her for not wanting to get frisky in front of her entire family. Later, though, I definitely had plans to corner her in the bathroom again and repeat our evening last night at the rehearsal dinner.
Things weren’t just physical between us, though. Last night, we’d spent so much of the night curled up around each other in bed and just talking about our lives. We’d shared our inner thoughts and feelings with one another, and with every minute we spent together I found myself more and more entangled in feelings I hadn’t really wanted.
I had just been named partner at my law firm...in an entirely different state. I’d left a relationship about a year ago, and in the time since, I’d vowed to focus on my career--not women.
But meeting Emma? That had been unexpected.
I had just been looking for some company for the evening while I was out of town, but I’d bitten off more than I planned. Emma was a firecracker in bed, and in life. She was vibrant and excitable and the way she responded to my touch made my entire body ache.
Which was why it was odd that tonight she was so...muted.
“Hey, you’re Dylan, right?” A man a few seats over from me at the table waved to get my attention.
I turned to look at him, smiling politely. “I am, yes.” I reached a hand over to shake his. “And you’re Sandy’s date?”
He nodded. “Blake.”
Something about that name was familiar, but I passed the thought without hesitation.
“Want to go grab some fresh air? I noticed that they were heading to the bride and groom’s car to decorate it. We can go help.”
That actually did sound pretty fun. “Yeah. Great idea. Let’s go.”
We both stood from the table and headed for the exit. He held open the door for me and we stepped out onto the front patio of the reception hall.
I glanced around, looking for the car and the ensuing traditional vandalism. “I don’t see anyone out here.”
“Hmm, I guess they haven’t started yet,” Blake said. He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to face me. “While we’re out here, let’s talk.”
I furrowed my brow, slightly confused as to where this was going. I certainly didn’t know this man, nor did we have anything to talk about. Or so I thought.
“Uh, okay?” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared back at him. “What’s going on?”
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it. I was definitely behind the eight ball on whatever was happening right now, but I found myself becoming guarded. Blake’s stance was...aggressive. Was he trying to start a fist fight?
I had been in a few scuffles in my day, but it had been a long time since I’d gone full caveman on someone.
“Should I?” I responded to his question, changing my stance to appear as intimidating as I could.
“Emma and I dated.” He stared at me, waiting for that to sink in.
I frowned. “Aren’t you here with her cousin?”
He waved a hand like that was inconsequential. Somehow, I didn’t think that would be as meaningless to Emma. Nor could I understand right now why she hadn’t said anything to me about the fact that her ex-boyfriend had been seated right next to her for the last two hours.
Suddenly her demeanor made sense. How incredibly awkward that must have been for her.
“Sandy and I are just friends,” Blake informed me.
That certainly wasn’t what I’d heard from Jackson, who’d been chatting earlier about the fact that Sandy and her date had been getting it on every time anyone turned around.
“Great. Well, thanks for the information,” I replied. “I’m going to head back inside now and enjoy the wedding.”
Blake reached out and grabbed my arm.
I glanced down at my arm, his fingers pressing into my skin. “I strongly suggest you let go,” I warned him.
“I’m not leaving this wedding without her,” Blake said through gritted teeth.
“Well, Sandy came with you so I would hope you wouldn’t leave without her.” I was being purposefully obtuse now, because fuck it all if this idiot thought he was going anywhere with Emma.
“I’m not talking about Sandy,” Blake repeated, his nostrils flaring in frustration now. “I’m talking about Emma. I’m here for her. I’m going to win her back and I strongly suggest that you get the fuck out of my way.”
I grabbed his wrist and peeled his hand from my arm. “I’m only going to say this one more time. Let go.”
He stepped back, squaring his shoulders. “You don’t stand a fucking chance.”
&nb
sp; I shrugged and then made a point of raking my eyes across him, obviously surveying my competition. “Frankly, I’m not even remotely worried.”
Blake squinted his eyes and opened his mouth like he was about to respond, but I cut him off.
“Have fun at the wedding, Blake,” I said, turning back toward the door. “And don’t come near me--or Emma--ever again.”
With that, I headed back inside and closed the door firmly behind me.
I needed to find Emma.
Fast.
Chapter Three
Emma
Holy shit, I’m going to throw up.
My mouth fell open as I stared across the room at the table I had just been sitting at. Dylan and Blake were both still there and they were talking. Oh God, they weren’t just talking. They were now standing and walking toward the exit together.
I turned back to face the bar and lifted my hand to the bartender. “Can I have a shot?”
He shrugged. “Sure. What would you like?”
“The strongest thing you have,” I replied, though the nauseous feeling was still hitting me full force. I glanced back toward the exit, and, sure enough, Blake and Dylan had just walked out together.
“That’s bad news.”
I turned to find Jackson standing beside me. I followed his gaze back to the exit that Dylan and Blake had just walked through. “What?” I croaked out.
“Dylan and that guy. Bad news,” Jackson repeated. “I don’t like the vibe going on there.”
The bartender placed a shot down in front of me and I immediately grabbed it and tossed it back.
Jackson lifted one brow. “Thirsty?”
I put a hand to my chest, trying to still the burning in my throat. “Yep,” I replied, but my voice was scratchy and hoarse after the shot.
One Night Stand: An Erotic Serial: Episode Three Page 1