Madison
I felt my stomach churn as Abigail pressed herself against Alexander, her curves molding to his body in what could only be described as an obscene display of public affection. My fingers gripped my phone tighter, knuckles turning white.
The sight brought back memories of our heated moments in his office, the way his hands had roamed over my body. But watching him with Abigail now made me question everything. Was I just another conquest? Another notch in his expensive leather belt?
I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat as memories of his touch flooded my mind – his fingers trailing up my thigh, his hot breath on my neck, the way he’d pressed me against his desk. But seeing him with Abigail made those moments feel cheap and meaningless.
“It was lovely seeing you tonight,” Abigail purred, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness.
“Always a pleasure, Abigail.” Alexander’s tone was smooth, his hand resting lightly on her back.
1 stared intently at my phone, pretending to be fascinated by the endless “No cars available” message. Act like you don’t care, Madison. You don’t care. Not one bit. But my traitorous heart hammered against my ribs every time I heard their voices.
Abigail’s laughter tinkled through the air like annoying wind chimes, grating on my nerves as she slid into her sleek black car. The vehicle purred to life, and she drove off.
The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water. Why had Alexander dismissed me early if Abigail was leaving in her own car? Was he planning to follow her in his car? Meet her somewhere more private?
My stomach churned at the thought of them together. The way he’d touched her back was so casual yet intimate. The
memory of his hands on my body felt tainted now like I was just a temporary distraction until something better came along.
I refreshed the ride–sharing app again, desperate for any excuse to avoid looking in his direction. The screen mocked me with
its emptiness, much like this whole arrangement was starting to feel.
“I thought you’d left already.”
My heart jumped at his voice. I turned to find Alexander standing there, his presence commanding as always. The streetlight caught the angles of his face, making him look like some kind of Greek statue come to life.
I bit my lip, wondering why he wasn’t chasing after Abigail’s car. Hadn’t he dismissed me early to spend time with her? So why was he here now?
“My cab should be here any minute, Mr. Knight.” The lie slipped out easier than I expected, my eyes fixed on my useless
phone screen
“Alright then His voice held that rich, dark quality that made my toes curl. “I’ll see you later, Madison. Good night.”
I watched as he strode to his sleek car, his movements fluid and confident. The engine roared to life, and he disappeared into
the night traffic within seconds
What the actual hell? My brain struggled to process the evening’s events. Hadn’t he practically whispered in my ear earlier about taking me back to his place? About showing me exactly what he’d do to me once we were alone? The memory of his words sent heat coursing through my body
And now I was, standing alone on the sidewalk like an idiot while he drove off to God knows where. Maybe to that party.
Abigail mentioned Or worse – maybe to meet her somewhere private.
The image of them together made my stomach twist. I glanced down at my phone again no cars were still available Great- just great.
I started walking, my heels clicking against the pavement as I refreshed the ride sharing app every few steps. The streets
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were oddly quiet for downtown, with barely any cabs in sight. My feet were already protesting the impromptu exercise in these torture devices masquerading as shoes.
“Come on, come on,” I muttered, tapping the refresh button for the hundredth time. The app seemed to mock me with its
endless “No cars available” message.
My mind wandered to what could have been happening right now if Abigail hadn’t shown up. Instead of walking these empty streets, I’d probably be pressed against the floor–to–ceiling windows of his penthouse, my breath fogging the glass while his
hands…
I shook my head, trying to dispel the image. But my treacherous mind kept conjuring scenarios of what he might be doing to me right now. The way he’d whispered in my ear at dinner about taking me home, about making me scream his name…
“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” I muttered, kicking a small pebble with my aching foot. Fifteen minutes of walking in these heels, and still no cab in sight. My phone battery dipped to 20%, adding insult to injury.
If I hadn’t been so proud, I could’ve accepted his offer of a ride home. But no, I had to play it cool after that mess with Abigail. Now, here I was, trudging down the street like some rejected prom date while imagining all the deliciously wicked things Alexander could be doing to me in his penthouse.
–
A car horn blared behind me, making me jump and nearly twist my ankle. Great, just what I needed a sprained ankle to complete this disaster of an evening. I turned around, ready to glare at whatever idiot was honking at this hour.
My heart stopped.
The sleek car that had just passed me minutes ago was now idling at the curb, its tinted windows reflecting the streetlights. I swallowed hard, my pulse racing as the back window rolled down with a soft whir.
Alexander leaned forward, moonlight catching the sharp angles of his jaw. “Still waiting for that cab, Ms. Harper?”
Heat crept up my neck as I remembered my earlier lie. “Yes,” I managed, shifting my weight from one aching foot to the other.
His eyes traveled down my body, lingering on my legs before meeting my gaze again. “Good luck with that.” His voice held that familiar teasing tone that made my insides melt.
1 bit my lip, remembering how those lips had whispered promises in my ear just hours ago. How his hands had traced patterns on my thigh under the table, making it impossible to focus on anything but his touch.
The window started rolling up, and I caught his smirk in the reflection. The bastard was enjoying this.
Just before the window was sealed completely, it reversed direction with a soft whir. “Get in the car, Ms. Harper.”
My feet screamed in protest at the mere thought of walking another step, but my pride wouldn’t let me give in so easily. “I
can wait for a cab, Mr. Knight.”
The car door opened, and he stepped out in one fluid motion. His cologne hit me first- that intoxicating mix of leather and spice that made my knees weak. He moved closer, his breath hot against my ear.
“Either you get in the car willingly,” his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, “or I’ll carry you in. Your choice ”
Images of him lifung me flashed through my mind – his strong arms around me, my body pressed against his chest. The thought alone made heat pool in my belly
“That won’t be necessary,” I mumbled, trying to maintain dignity as I slid into the backseat. He slipped in beside me, his thigh pressing against mine
The car door clicked shut, and suddenly, the hackseat felt impossibly small. His cologne wrapped around me, making it hard
to think straight
I pressed myself against the door, trying to maintain some distance, but the confined space made it impossible to ignore his
presence
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John pulled away from the curb, and my mind raced with questions. Where were we going? Was he just being polite by offering me a ride home? The memory of Abigail’s perfectly manicured hands on his chest made my stomach twist.
I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past. The way she’d laughed at his jokes, touched his arm, pressed herself against him it was all so calculated. And he’d smiled back and played along with her flirtations like it was second nature. Knowing his reputation, it probably was.
–
My fingers twisted in my lap. This was just business, I reminded myself. A contract. An arrangement. I was just a fake girlfriend to him, nothing more.
But why did the thought of him with Abigail make me feel so uneasy? This was supposed to be simple and transactional. So why was my heart pounding so hard in my chest?
Why had he asked me to leave early if he wasn’t planning to spend the evening with Abigail? And now I was in his car, heading God knows where. The man was impossible to read.
The sound of his breathing next to me, the occasional brush of his thigh against mine when the car turned, was driving me crazy. I shifted in my seat, trying to focus on anything else–the streetlights, the traffic, the way his hand rested on his knee, so close to mine.
I realized how much my legs ached from all the walking earlier. Slowly, the pain ebbed away, and the warmth from his body seeped into my muscles, providing unexpected comfort.
I tried to relax, but every time his thigh brushed against mine, a fresh wave of heat surged through me. How could something so simple be so maddening?
G
Gregory Ellington author
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