Before I can respond, she’s pushing at my chest, rolling me onto my back, and straddling my hips with a confidence that makes my cock twitch against her stomach.
She strokes me slowly as she watches my face, and she adjusts her grip based on my reactions. Tightens when I groan. Twists her wrist at the top in a way that makes my vision go white at the edges.
“You’re holding back,” she observes.
“If I don’t, this will be over embarrassingly fast.”
She grins, leans down, and brushes her lips against my ear. “Maybe I want to make you lose control.”
***
I wake up alone.
My bed is empty except for me. Her clothes are gone. No note. No number.
She left without waking me. Without saying goodbye. Without giving me any way to find her.
I should feel relieved. One-night stands are simpler when they stay simple.
But I don’t feel relieved. I feel cheated.
The next week passes in a haze of meetings and paperwork. The Vasiliev acquisition requires constant attention. Contracts need reviewing. Personnel decisions need making.
Through it all, I can’t stop thinking about her.
The curve of her smile. The quickness of her wit. The sounds she made when I touched her.
I return to O’Malley’s three times that week, sit in the same spot, and watch that fucking door.
She never comes back.
The truth is, I don’t understand it myself. I’ve had plenty of one-night stands. Never once have I felt the urge to track a woman down afterward.
This woman—whoever she is, wherever she went—has gotten under my skin.
And something tells me I haven’t seen the last of her.
Chapter 1 - Kirsten
The rumors started three weeks ago, and I’ve been losing sleep ever since.
“Did you hear?” My coworker Becca leans over the partition between our cubicle and keeps her voice pitched low, like she’s sharing state secrets. “Daniel from accounting said the deal closes this week. They’re bringing in the new leadership team on Monday.”
I keep my eyes on my computer screen. “Daniel also said the vending machine on the third floor was haunted.”
“That was one time, and he was going through a divorce.” She props her chin on her folded arms. “This is different. HR has been in meetings all week. You know what that means.”
I know exactly what it means. Layoffs. The inevitable bloodletting that follows every corporate merger like clockwork.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I insist, even though I’m not sure of anything anymore.
Becca gives me a look that says she doesn’t believe me. “You’ve only been here eight months, Kir. No offense, but when they start trimming the fat, the newbies go first.”
“Thanks for the pep talk.”
“I’m just saying.” She straightens and adds, “Maybe start updating your resume. Just in case.”
“Already done.” I finished it last Tuesday at two in the morning when sleep refused to come. “But I appreciate the vote of confidence.”
