The Night Before

Lorraine was lost in a train of thoughts, confused about her husband's actions. She had believed their relationship was supposed to be strictly contractual, but when he kissed her, she felt those damn butterflies, but it felt different this time. She had never felt desire like this before or been so wholly vulnerable and lost all self-control around someone. Those thoughts exhumed her, and she shook her head, hoping they would go away. But when she stared at his delicate chiselled face, she realized she might already be failing the dare from the billionaire.

His kiss was swift and sensual, although it felt like an eternity of longing before his lips met hers. She remembered the passionate sparkle in his eyes. It was one that you only had for a deep love or a lost one; she could understand those looks. It was the same kind she once shared with Shawn, and as she studied Clay's features more closely, she wondered which category she fell into - was she a deep love or a lost one? She believed she was the latter, even though it seemed absurd as they had never crossed paths before. And with that thought, Lorraine realized she wasn't the one he thought he was kissing.

One question dominated her mind over others, "who was the girl I reminded him of?" She questioned herself, trying to piece together the puzzle as she pondered who it could be. Her initial thoughts were on the picture she found in the lobby, but it couldn't be; the lady in the picture seemed significantly older than Clay.

The more she dwelled on these thoughts, the more she realized she was derailing.

"Pull yourself together, Lorraine. It was just one kiss. Don't let it fool you into getting your heart broken again," she encouraged herself, but when Clay's hazel eyes opened, she lost all composure and sunk deeper into her emotions.

It was 4 a.m., and the moon softly illuminated the room through the glass doors, creating a soft ambiance that Lorraine wished she could capture on her canvas. She had been experiencing a creative block since the night she walked in on Shawn, but her past few days of being here had opened her eyes to different views and perspectives and inspired her artistic mind.

As the moonlight reflected in Clay's eyes, he was unconsciously lost in her radiance. Staring up at her, he wondered if she had been there the whole night with him, nursing him through it. It took him a few seconds to realize that his head was resting gracefully on her thighs, grazing the silk fabric of her night gown, and suddenly he jerked up, a little too fast, and then slowly fell back down. Feeling a sharp pain in his head, he realized what had put him in this uncomfortable situation, but without giving thought to his own poor decisions, he thought it was best to scold Lorraine

"I thought I told you not to wear skimpy outfits in the house!" He said authoritatively, massaging the space between his forehead, and Lorraine heaved in exhaustion. What was she thinking, treating him like he was a delicate flower that needed attention and care. Her initial impressions about him returned as she realized there was no way Clay could win this dare. The guy was an arrogant jerk, and there was no way he could win a girl's heart, that's if he even knew anything about it. With that thought, she felt reassured that she was still in control of her heart and let out a slight smile.

She turned and looked at him with his tousled hair and smirked. She allowed herself briefly to believe she could feel something for someone again, and staring at him now; the thought amused her.

"You're welcome," she said, stood up and began to walk away. Clay was confused by her choice of words. What was there to thank her for in his comment? He thought as he searched his mind trying to remember the events of last night, but failed ultimately. Alcohol had drowned his memories, which was the last thing he could remember - going to the bar after work.

Instantly his mind jumped to the things he might have done or said while he was drunk. He quickly got up and hurried towards Lorraine. She was heading towards the kitchen, opening the freezer and pouring a glass of milk, which she handed him. She still considered him a jerk, but she knew the after-effects of alcohol, being an active user herself during her breakup. She knew milk would relieve the sharp headaches.

As Lorraine pushed the glass cup to him, Clay felt apologetic over his sudden outburst; noticing the bags under her eyes, he surmised she had watched him through the night and thought he owed her at least a thank you if his ego was too inflated for him to apologize.

"Thank you," Clay said softly, and Lorraine smiled. She saw a chance, and she took it

"You're welcome," she said and headed towards her room, and Clay smiled. He appreciated her wits. As she walked away, she thought about asking him about his comment from last night but decided against it. If he were too drunk to remember he was drunk, he certainly wouldn't remember kissing a girl; for all she knew, it could've been anyone; she just happened to be there. But still, she couldn't help but wonder who the mysterious girl he mentioned was but ultimately decided to let it go. It was clear whoever it was; it had caused a strong imprint, deeply tucked away in the farthest corners of his mind. There was no need to stir up old hurtful memories, especially when they were starting to develop some understanding of each other’s boundaries.

Lorraine headed back to her room. The upside of being fired was that she could take a day off from work and sleep. Besides, it was their company's two-day holiday, and she needed all the rest she could get. But as she settled down to rest her head, suddenly, her phone beeped, and she groaned in frustration. It was a text from her best friend.

She realized she had not received a call back from Maia the previous night and wondered what had happened to her. As she read the text, a smile spread across her face, and she quickly rushed down the stairs. Suddenly the day was looking up, Maia had surprised her with a visit, and even more intriguing, she mentioned that she had some exciting news.