LAURA
No, no, no.
Please no.
I jumped back to avoid the bouquet falling in my direction, but it still ended up right at my feet. My heart slammed against my ribcage as I stared at the bouquet lying by my feet like it was a ticking time bomb, ready to go off any second.
This could not be happening to me right now.
Why couldn’t it have landed next to one of the other bridesmaids who looked more than happy to catch it? Why did it have to land on me out of all of them?
Maybe because my best friend, the bride of the day, had thrown it right at me and even though I’d stepped out of the way, it still somehow managed to hit its target.
Shit.
My eyes darted around and I took in the number of eyes on me, watching me strangely, probably wondering what the hell was wrong with me. Well, they could judge me if they wanted. They weren’t the ones that had gotten their fates sealed by a fucking bouquet of all things.
Grudgingly, just to get their eyes off me, I bent and picked it up, holding it stiffly and far away from my body like it could bite, and walked away without a particular destination in mind.
I ended up stopping at a table of pastries, the flower still clasped in a death-grip in my fist. With my free hand, I snagged a drink off the tray of a passing waiter and downed the whole thing in one go, slamming the empty glass on the table I was leaning on.
“This is a sign, Laura. You’re next.”
The words were whispered into my ear.
I turned and glared at my best friend, Balery, aka the bride of the day.
“Fuck you.” I whispered harshly. “You did that on purpose.”
“I did no such thing,” She argued, a playful grin on her lips that contradicted her words. “You caught it because you were destined to.”
“What? You’re a soothsayer now on top of everything else?”
She laughed, happy and melodious, and I couldn’t even stay mad at her anymore. I wasn’t really mad at her to begin with. It was just the situation I was angry at, and that was the crazy part.
Catching the flower didn’t necessarily mean that I was up next on the marriage list, but that was what a lot of people believed and a tiny part of me might have believed it too, at least before today.
And that was what terrified me.
Balery’s eyes landed on a spot over my shoulder, but I didn’t turn to see what she was looking at. I still didn’t turn even when she walked away, telling me that she’d be back shortly.
Today had turned out to be a really great day—asides from the whole bouquet thing. Her husband, Jack Summerland, CEO of Summerland and Co Enterprises, a multi-million dollar company, had been unable to keep his eyes off her all through the ceremony—and every other day, to be honest. He was completely smitten with her, and I couldn’t be happier that my best friend had found a man who worshipped the ground she walked on.
She’d worked for him as his assistant for two years, and interest had sparked between them over time. Since his company didn’t have a no-fraternisation policy, there had been no reason for them to not hit things off. It turned out to get pretty serious, they dated for a year before they got engaged and now, they were married.
Speak of the devil. I caught her a few feet away, talking to a man. I could only see his body in profile, so I couldn’t tell what he looked like, but he was tall and dark-haired, that much I could tell.
As if she’d somehow known that I was looking at her, her eyes snapped to mine and I saw a small smile touch her lips. Her eyes stayed on mine even as she said something to the man and it didn’t take a genius to put two and two together.
She was about to play match-maker.
“Excuse me,” I mumbled to no one in particular as I hurried through the crowd, abandoning the flowers on the table. Deliberately.
I hated commitment more than I hated waxing.
A body blocked my path, stopping my progress, and I attempted to side-step, but they only followed, standing in front of me. Annoyed, I looked up and saw that the obstruction was a fairly good-looking man with a head full of curly brown hair and bright blue eyes.
I took a subtle step back. “You’re standing in my way.”
“I know,” He said simply, “You look like you need saving, and I think I can help.”
When you come to think of it, I really did need saving, didn’t I?
Sighing, I said, “Yeah, I do actually.” I found myself admitting. “My best friend’s about to play match-maker and I hate when she does that. What do you have in mind? We pretend we’re locked in serious conversation? Marriage plans?” I joked.
“How about you give me your number instead?”
I laughed, thinking that he was joking too. When I realised that I was the only one laughing, I stopped. “You’re… serious?”
“Giving me your number is a good start, isn’t it?”
Wow. Guys were such assholes.
And here I’d thought he’d simply decided to help he out of the goodness of his heart. I should have known better.
“Your idea of helping me is to ask for my number?”
“Well,” He grinned, sleazy and so fucking disgusting, I took another step back. “Yes. You’re a pretty thing. You loo—”
“Get out of my way.”
When he didn’t budge, I thought; You know what? Screw this.
I walked around him and stormed through the crowd, intent on getting the hell out of here. I just needed to go up to my room, change out of my gown and have a long sleep.
I fished out my phone from my purse and shot Balery a text, letting her know that I was leaving early. She wouldn’t see it right now because she was busy, but she would see it later. I just didn’t want her to worry.
I was keeping my phone back in my purse when I slammed into a rock hard body and suddenly, felt cold liquid running down the front of my dress.
“What the hell is your problem?” I snapped, totally fed up and too pissed to look at the person, so instead, I stared at the mess they’d made of my dress.
The wet spot wasn’t that visible, but I felt it anyway.
I didn’t wait for an apology—not that it looked like I was getting one—before I hurried over to the elevator. The moment I got in, I pushed the button for my floor and leaned back on the wall, exhausted.
My eyes flicked to the elevator panel, to the numbers increasing as it went up. It felt like the ride was going on forever and the fact that I had claustrophobia wasn't helping at all.
Think of something else, Laura.
But what?
My eyes landed on the numbers again.
25.
Just as I was about to give a sigh of relief that I was finally nearing my floor—I was on floor 15—the elevator stopped moving and the doors slid open, revealing the most beautiful man I had ever seen in all my life.
LAURAWell, one thing was for sure; My night just got better. He glanced at me, took one step into the elevator, then did a double take almost as if he couldn’t help himself. After a second, he seemed to realise that he was staring and that he was holding back the elevators, stopping it from moving. Giving his head a sharp shake, he stepped in and the doors finally slid shut. Not only was I glad that I wasn’t alone in here anymore, but I was also glad that the person who joined me, had to be the most gorgeous man I had ever met in my life. And here, I thought Balery’s husband was the most handsome man in existence. This man gave him a run for his looks—and money, judging by the expensive as hell tux he wore and the Rolex watch on his hand. As the doors slid shut, his presence filled the room, making it seem smaller in size, but somehow not cranking my claustrophobia, and his scent filled my nostrils. He smelled of pure male and something expensive. His cologne.I allowed myself to
LAURAHe led the way out of the elevator with his hand on my waist. His room was on the same floor as mine. Looking at the outcome of things now, I shouldn’t have booked the hotel room. But it was not like I had any way of knowing that I was going to meet the hottest man in existence and that he was going to ask me to spend the night with him. Plus, if I hadn’t come to the hotel in the first place, then I wouldn’t have seen him. So, no regrets were allowed. Just that the room wouldn’t be occupied. We walked down the corridor, then he stopped when we reached a room, number 56, on the left side of the hallway. Mine was number 60, which meant that it was still down the hallway, not that far from his. What would have been the odds of us seeing each other? If I had actually slept in my room, then I wouldn’t have come out until tomorrow when I wanted to leave. I usually ordered food and everything I needed up to my room, unless it was a necessity that I had to go down. I didn’t have one
LAURANow that my heels were gone, the height difference between us became even more pronounced.He gripped my shoulders and turned me around until we were facing a huge mirror on the wall. One that I hadn’t known was there before, until now. Staring into the mirror, I took in our differences. Jesus. He was so tall and big, and I was so small and short in comparison. He was standing behind me, his hands on my shoulders as he, too, stared at us in the mirror. “Look at yourself.” He commanded, his voice caressing my hair and senses. And I did. Which, again, took me by surprise, because I didn’t react well to being ordered. The image we produced in the mirror was nothing short of erotic and it didn’t do anything to help the wetness that had pooled between my legs. If anything, it made it worse. Some of the pins holding my hair had given out, but a few still held strong. It gave my hair a somewhat disheveled and arranged look that was sexy. My nipples pointed skyward, demanding atten
LAURA“Look at you,” He murmured, his eyes roving over me. “So fucking beautiful.”I squeezed my eyes shut as I moaned. His voice did such crazy things to me. My thong was now sticking into my folds uncomfortably, and almost as if he could read my thoughts, his fingers wedged into both sides of mt thong on my hips and rolled them down my legs, leaving me completely bare to his hungry eyes. “Have to taste you.” He grunted, his eyes fixated on the flesh between my legs, and that was the only warning I got before he dove in. I jerked from the impact of his tongue on my centre, and his hands flew to my hips, holding me steady. My mouth fell open in shock, pleasure and agony. He shoved his tongue into me, fucking me with it with at a shockingly fast pace that pushed my already torteured body swiftly towards release. He played with my clit for a bit, sucking on it hard and that was when an orgasm hit me. Hard, and fast and so bloody intense that my eyes fell shut and I screamed loud enoug
LAURA Sunlight from the window trickled into the room, resting directly on my face. I dragged the covers over my face, deciding to ignore it, then after a while, it clicked in my head that sunlight meant it was morning. Morning, which meant that I had to get to work.Groaning, I pushed the sheets off and sat up on the bed, which sent a sharp ache up my centre. If I needed any reminder of what happened yesterday night, then that was it.I was naked. I needed to have my bath and change into clothes suitable for work. A quick search in the room told me that my bag wasn’t in here. Then, I remembered that I had dropped it in the living room, along with my gown from yesterday night.Sighing, I got up and walked out into the living room, dreading seeing the man that put my body in this state. What was his name again? Right, Alex.I always hated the morning after a one night stand. It was uncomfortable and could easily be avoided if one person between the both of us had just left immediately
LAURABefore I knew it, he hoisted me up onto the kitchen island and wedged his body into the space between my legs. His head dipped, leaving kisses on a straight line down my body—one that undoubtedly would lead to my core—and just as I predicted, his mouth latched onto my pussy lips. A moan escaped my lips, so embarrassingly loud, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. This man had one incredibly talented mouth. Thank fuck that I had washed up over the night when I got up to pee, else I would have been grossed out that he was eating me out. Just like last night, when the orgasm hit me, it was full-bodied and earth shattering. It felt like I had absolutely no control over my body, like I didn’t know who I was anymore. Like I was on the outside, watching what was happening to my body, but was incapable of doing anything, but watch.Sex was good, but I was never so abandoned, the way that I was now, when I had it. It was just so different with him. Maybe because I was actually
LAURAIt had been exactly a week since Balery got married. Exactly a week into their honeymoon. A week since I had sex with Alex. That last bit wasn’t important. I don’t know why I added it. I mean, it sort of was because it was the best sex I’d ever had in my entire life. Plus, it was the truth—it had been exactly a week and even though it killed me to admit it, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since.Sometimes, I still thought about the things he did to my body and got wet. It didn’t matter if I was in public or alone on my bed. The reaction was always the same.It was insane. Like now, I was at work, sitting in my office chair, holding a pen and staring blankly at the sketchbook in front of me. Thirty minutes ago, a really great idea for a two piece had popped into my head and in a hurry to put it down, I dove for my sketchbook. I’d sketched it halfway but now, I couldn’t focus well enough to complete the drawing. And it was all because of him. My phone rang, lou
LAURA I dragged my bag behind me as I walked towards the jet waiting on the terrace. Could it even be called a bag? With how huge and heavy it was, one would think I had stuffed a dead body in there. When Balery told me that the vacation was going to last a month, I’d been left with no choice but to roll out my biggest box and shove in as much clothes as I could. Suffice to say, I was regretting that decision now that my hand was starting to feel like it was two seconds away from pulling out of my body. As I drew closer to the jet, two men dressed in uniform spotted me and hastily dove for the two bags I carried. One of them carried the heavy bag—even though he tried to hide it well, I could see that he was definitely surprised by the weight—and the other reached for the bag containing my cosmetics that was slung over my shoulder but I stepped back before he could swipe it. “I’m good with this one. Thanks.” I beamed at them. I wasn’t going to allow the extra time I had spent arra