I’d entertained the idea of keeping Emily in my life because of her connections I admit, but that was because of what I thought was just an attraction to her. This did not feel like a mere attraction. Even now, miles away, when I was trying to put her out of my mind, she’s all I can think about.
EMILY
“He’s gone.”
“What? Who’s gone where?”
“Storm, look.” I held out my phone for her to read. I’d awakened this morning after the best night’s sleep since my dad died with lots of questions milling around in my head.
Last night had been… I still have no words to describe the tumultuous evening we’d shared. I was a lot more confused by my own actions than his, not least of all the fact that I hadn’t freaked when he came inside me. I knew I was safe; I’ve always been regular so there was no worry there. But I couldn’t explain the look on his face when I told him, or the slight pang of regret I felt. If I didn’t know better I would’ve thought he felt the same if only for a fleeting moment in time.
He couldn’t have been disappointed, why would he be? I’m sure I misunderstood that look that had flashed across his face. Sure the evening hadn’t ended on the warmest note, but I was so accustomed to his cool reserve that I hadn’t thought too much of it. I’d gotten carried away whenever he put his hands on me, but so what? I know many people who have done worse on first acquaintance. And though I don’t live my life that way, I wasn’t such a prude that I can’t admit that I liked everything he did to me.
So I’d slept and dreamt of him, spinning fanciful dreams of what-ifs in my head, only to awaken to his terse text. Simone was here bright and early hounding me for information about the night, before I had a chance to put things in perspective. There were so many firsts to tackle and dissect that I hardly knew where to begin. Add the fact that I was still reeling from all the newly awakened feelings and I was quite frankly a mess. And now this.
“Okay, tell me exactly what happened between you two last night.” I swallowed hard and looked from her to the phone. “What difference does it make? He’s gone and from the sounds of it, I guess whatever agreement we had is over.” Did my willingness to let him do whatever he wanted turn him off? The one time I let myself go with a man and this happens.
“I wouldn’t be so hasty, now tell me what happened.” I don’t see what she’s missing; she’d just read the same terse note I had. ‘Ms. Bronson, sorry, something came up, wouldn’t be needing you for the rest of this week. Will get in touch when I return to town.’ Sounds like a brush off to me.
I sat on the edge of my bed a little dazed and I must admit, more than a little hurt. I gave her a rough rundown of the previous night leaving out the more salacious parts of course, but I did tell her that things got a little hot and heavy without going into too much detail. I knew once I told her the name of the restaurant we’d gone to that she’d get some idea of what had transpired and she did.
“Oh, so things did get a little heavy. Okay let’s think, let’s put together all the pieces and we’ll figure out what has our boy running scared.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Running scared? More like he got what he wanted…”
“But he didn’t, you would’ve told me if you’d gone all the way, or I would’ve guessed. So something else happened and I’m thinking things got a little too intense for our boy. Oh he’s too cute.” She’s nuts.
“Listen, I don’t know what you read on that screen, but what I saw does not support anything you’re saying.”
“Listen, I know people. I know what I saw yesterday when he came to pick you up. And then there’s this.” She threw the morning paper at me. “Page six.”
I snatched the paper up and turned to the page she mentioned and got the shock of my life. “Oh my…” The picture was of me and Storm in the dark corner of the club. I was looking up at him with a look of hungry need. His face was in profile, but there was something so sexual, so heated about the shot. And I well remembered what we were doing.