“Your pussy ruins me in the best way,” he says against my ear as he pulls out, taking a string of his cum with him. I try to catch it, I don’t know why. It just seems like such a waste.
My pussy stings from the sudden loss of him. Before I’ve even had a chance to stand up straight, he is back behind me with a warm cloth, gently pressing it against my core from behind.
“I can’t wait until we do that again later,” he says as he gently dabs at my swollen pussy lips. “Are you okay to get dressed?” he asks, dotting a kiss against my neck.
I stand up straight, no longer bracing myself against the table and test my legs. Wobbly, but they’ll get me to the bedroom at least.
I take my time washing and dressing. In the bathroom mirror, I take in my reflection. I’m glowing. The dark circles under my eyes have begun to fade. My hair is glossy from the posh shampoo I used last night.
Sleep and great sex obviously agree with me.
Once I get back out into the open living space of the suite, he stands to take my hand.
“Let’s go,” he says, pulling me towards the door. I don’t bother picking up anything I arrived here with. I’m dressed in new clothes he had sent up for me and my old stuff was old when I bought it two years ago.
“Wait,” I say, picking up the envelope on the small table by the door. “I don’t need this anymore.” I hand the envelope containing my winnings to him, and he takes it.
“You don’t need it,” he says, “but it’s still yours to do whatever you want with.” He hands it back to me, punctuating the action with a kiss on my forehead.
I think about it for a moment.
“There’s somewhere I need to go.”
Ten minutes later, we are walking into the diner where I sat nursing a mug of coffee last night. It already feels like a lifetime ago.
Janey-Ann is pouring coffee and turns to greet me with a smile, which falters when she sees Adrik.
“Hey,” I say.
“Hey hon, is everything okay?” She smoothes her hands over the orange apron. “Is this the guy who—”
I cut her off, “No. This is someone else entirely.”
“Right,” she says, casting her eyes over him again, obviously assessing him and not caring who knows.
“I just wanted to thank you, for last night, and give you this.” I hand her the envelope as she frowns and lifts the flap.
“I don’t understand,” she says, looking back at me. “Why would you give me this?”
I pull her into an awkward hug. “Because you were kind to me when I needed it the most.”
We pull apart and she swiftly wipes the tears from her eyes.
“This will help me so much, my daughter’s medication, my son’s school supplies. Are you sure?” she asks, searching my face as though she isn’t sure this is really happening.
“Absolutely,” I say and wave goodbye.
We leave the diner and climb back into Adrik’s car.
“Where to?” he asks.
“To the future,” I say, flashing my eyebrows and laughing at my own joke.
Epilogue
Adrik
The morning light spills across the kitchen tiles in pale gold, catching on the edges of stainless steel and the slow drift of steam rising from the coffee machine. This house is quiet at this hour, an impossibility I never imagined I’d value. A year ago, my mornings were a calculated ritual of meetings, security briefings, and surveillance reports.
