Sarah walked out of the office, her head raised high and her feet on a straight march out of the building. She needed to get away so fast, to cry tears that were threatening to pour down.
When she got into a cab, she let out a choked sob that had the driver glancing back at her with concern etched in every line of his face.
"I'm fine, just drive please." She said to him, while trying to compose herself and not cause more embarrassment to her already embarrassed self. Not that the driver looked disgusted though, because he looked into his glove compartment and handed her a box of tissues.
He must see blubbering females with swollen eyes and trembling lips like me every day, she silently mused.
How could she had gotten herself into this mess? And what was it about Handel that shook her to the very core? She had been with other men before him, flings and short term relationships that had ended mutually. Most times, she had remained good friends with them and their new partners.
Why was it that she could not bear to cut things off with Handel even when she caught him cheating on her? And to make things worse, she had gone to his office and tried to beg him to stay with her and forgive her for lashing out at him.
Thank goodness he had told his secretary after she had waited for an hour to give her his apologies that he would not be able to see her today. She would have bet her whole life savings that she would have pleaded so hard, her remaining dignity would be shreds by now. She had to be grateful for small mercies.
She stepped off the cab and turned to go when the cab driver called out to her.
"Miss"
She looked at him, impatience clearly written in her eyes. All she wanted to do was go in, take out her comfort food, curl in front of the TV and watch a romcom, tears pouring down her eyes as she silently cursed the day she had met Handel.
''He does not deserve you, miss". The driver said "Any man who would make a lady cry so hard doesn't deserve her. So, try to forget about him". He concluded and drove off.
Inside her house, Sarah thought about the cab driver's words. But how do you forget a man who made you feel all the right things in all the right places? Handel had taken her to depths she had never known existed before, he had schooled her in various things she fell short and brought her up to par. How do you forget or let go of the only person you've ever loved? How does one do something like that?
All her former relationships had been based on a need for companionship, average sex and well, similar interests. But with Handel, she had experienced this thrill, this intensity and they weren't even alike! Handel had a cool exterior and a persona that made most people cower. Yet, deep within was a volcano that most people never saw but she had seen it. In the past one year of their relationship she had seen it, and oh, how much she loved it when the lava burned her.
She, wasn't a social person but she smiled a lot and talked a lot sometimes. She could blend in, be invisible or stand out. But Handel stood out wherever they went like a rose among wilting sunflowers. He was so confident and strong while she was a blubbering mess in need of validation. How then did they last a year together? And why did her heart break at the thought of never sleeping beside him again? How would she face her friends and tell them that they were right? That when they told her to enjoy it while it lasts, she should have believed them?
Oh, how she wished she had never met him, she thought and cried into her pillow as she laid curled up on a sofa. How she wished she had never gone for that art exhibition.
Her friend was an artist who was involved in erotica arts. She painted nude and nearly nude bodies either in the act of copulation, mere seduction, submission or exhibitionism. Her friend, Julia was also a sex therapist. It had been Julia's first art show and she hadn't wanted to disappoint her so she accepted the invitation and had also worn the slinky, fitting, red gown Julia had begged her to wear.
She had been standing at a corner, trying to avoid the crowd while looking at one of the paintings. It was named, the sinful seductress, and it showed a woman wearing a red gown that had been hiked up far above her thighs as she laid down on a four poster bed, hands spread, hair tousled and a round, sinfully red mouth slightly open that seemed to beckon on to her lover.
It was in that same place that Handel's gaze had wandered and landed on her. One look at her and his breath had caught in his throat. God, she was stunning. Her mouth was slightly parted and he had the sudden urge to run his finger across her bottom lip. When she drew that lip into her mouth he had to bite back a groan.
How could she not know that standing in front of an erotic painting wearing sinful red that hugged her in all the right places did wicked things to warm, primitive blooded men like him? By Jove, all he wanted to do in that moment was explore all the hidden places beneath her gown.
But he schooled himself and walked up to her with a champagne flute in his hand.
"A penny for your wondering thoughts" he asked with a smile.
She turned to him and he had to stifle another groan. Her eyes had widened as thought she was a deer caught by the headlights of his car. How those eyes would look when he finally slipped into... he shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Now was not the time, he had to be a gentleman first even if the tiger within him leaped in bounds.
"I should hope my thoughts are far more expensive" she replied when she had composed herself and he slightly chuckled. So, beauty had wits too, he mused.
He stretched out his hand. "I'm Handel"
When she did not shake his hand, he was slightly confused. Was beauty averse to personal contact? And then she murmured a brief "I'm sorry, I have to go" without so much of a name leaving him even more confused than he had ever been.
Who was she and why had she captivated him so? He watched her make her exit to the balcony in a hurry but he noticed one thing that made his blood stir even more. She had no partner or man with her which meant she was either single or the man in her life wasn't important.
If that was the case, he thought with a smug smile, then his sheets had better be ready for some rumpling.
She was his for the night.Sarah walked into the office she shared with three other people the next day, with sunglasses on her face. She was trying to hide her puffy eyes as she had cried throughout the night. She didn't want to have to explain to her overbearing boss how she had been dumped days before and had proceeded to cry her eyes out the previous night.Her boss Juan Carlos, would never understand. He was a man that abhorred female weakness with a firm distaste. One couldn't blame him though, not considering the nasty divorce he had gone through and the outrageous child support he had to pay each month despite the fact he hadn't gotten any child privileges with his son.So, if she had to wear the sun glasses to avoid a potential wash down even though she hated it, she would. She had barely gotten into the seat behind her desk when someone banged his fist on her desk."Oh, tell me all about it" he drawled.Sarah looked up and
Handel walked into his office with a frown on his face and shut the door firmly behind him. He walked up to his massive oak desk and sat in the large chair behind it. His intercom buzzed and he angrily answered it."Yes?" he bellowed out"I'm really sorry Mr. Donovan, but your mother says she needs to see you. She says she won't leave until she does.Handel sighed. Of all days to come and see his, his overbearing mother chose today. No doubt she was here on behalf of her husband. The head of the Donovan Empire wouldn't stoop so low as to come to his son's office so he sent his wife."Send her in, Ellen and cancel all my appointments for today."His door opened and his mother walked in. She sat on a sofa at the far end of his office close to the window that overlooked the city and primly crossed her legs."How are you, Handel?" she asked, quietly."I'm really busy mo
Sarah walked into the office and sat on her chair with a plop. She laid the file she had gotten from her boss on her desk and proceeded to read it. Her boss had given her information on the next celebrity she had to interview and it was the daughter of one of the biggest manufacturing companies in the city, Annabel Evans.The good part was that Annabel was a social media sweetheart. Maybe that would make the interview way easier for both of them. Anyways, she had to read more about Annabel before she went to meet her and all the information she needed was in the file before her.Her thoughts suddenly veered to the night before and the conversation she had with the friendly bartender. He had told her that it was perfectly fine to be hurt and cry out or even lash out. He also told her that all of it was a part of a healing process that might take either a short period or a long while. And he had made a lot of sense to her, because she had gotten to he
"What do you mean by Annabel is here?" Handel barked into his receiver."She says she has been here for the past three days and you have refused to see her. She also said that she wouldn't leave without seeing you today" his secretary replied."Let her through. It wouldn't hurt to hear whatever it is she has to say" he replied.The door slammed open as Annabel walked in."What on earth is wrong with you, Handel? Why would you order your secretary to send me away?" Annabel said, venom oozing from each word." I needed space. Not even my mother would have interrupted me." He replied, calmly.Annabel threw her hands up in the air. "I am your fiancée for goodness sake. I should be able to walk into this office anytime...""You forget your place, Anna." Handel interjected. "This is my company, my office, my space and you are very well not my fiancée. So, if I want my doo
It's nice to see you dad. Happy anniversary." Sarah said as she hugged her dad.Her mom stood in the sitting room with an unreadable expression on her face. "Did you bring us any gifts?" her mom asked.Sarah held out the bag with her to her mom. "I wouldn't forget mom. Of course I got you a gift, extra special too"."hi" Pierce said tentatively from outside the door."Uhm...mom, dad. You remember Pierce, right?" Sarah said.Her mom frowned. The last time she had brought Pierce to her parents' home, her mom had sent him out of her house. Apparently, he wasn't like-minded and had views that were way opposite those of hers. She had to apologize on his behalf and make up the excuse that he was going some stuff and wasn't always like that. Her mom hadn't completely bought that lie then, she thought. Judging from the looks her mom was sending his way, Pierce had to be on guard for the evening to go
..."Are you going out tonight for drinks today or for random hook ups? So, I'll know what to do when I don't find you any more" Juan asked."Just drinks. I need to get my mind off a lot of things." Handel replied."Then all you need is a club and couple of Hennessey shots"The week had been so crazy, Handel mused. He had switched off his phone throughout the week and had declined his mother's invitation to the small party she had thrown. Going to the party would have been tantamount to going to a cougar's lair and offering himself up as brunch, and he was way smarter than that."If I get shitfaced, please get me out of there okay? I'm not about to make headlines tomorrow" he said.Juan let out a chuckle. "I can just picture it. Eligible bachelor gets shit faced after being dumped by Ex-girlfriend""'If I make the headlines, I'll have no other choice but to ma
Deft fingers teased and pinched her nipples as she let out a moan. Big palms gently squeezed her breasts and she felt a shiver run down her spine. Her nipples were at the mercy of teasing hands and she wished those hands would remove whatever barrier laid between the hands and her bare flesh.As the hand trailed lower, desire pooled deep in her belly as she arched into the hand, silently pleading for it to go lower and ease the maddening ache she felt."Be calm, sugar. I'll give you exactly what you want soon" a voice said.Sarah jerked and her eyes flew open. Looking behind her, she saw that she was laying on a bed that wasn't hers and even more terrifying, Handel lay beside with a smug smile on his face."Argh!" she screamed and jumped off the bed. "Why am I here in bed with you? Did we have sex? How did you get me here?"Handel laid back and crossed his arms. "One question at a time,
She curled up on her couch, stuffing food into her mouth. After leaving Handel’s place, she had come straight home to cry her eyes out.How dare he act like a saint when it clearly showed that he was the devil’s incarnate? To be honest, she had wanted him to throw her down on the bed and take her in ways that would have left her screaming in pleasure and clamoring for release. But the bastard had cheated on her then told her off, and there was no way, no matter how much her body betrayed her.Then he told her it was for her own good. How the hell was she supposed to believe that? Even if her heart ached to believe him and forgive him, her brain knew that he was going to have sex with her and then send her on her way. So, as from that moment when he gave her her clothes, he ceased to exist to her. Not that it was easy to put him out of her mind, but she would try her hardest.Which was why after crying, she settled down in fron