WARNING: MATURE CONTENT
The night air was cool against my skin, a sharp contrast to the heat radiating from my body. My hand was in his, and I could feel the strength in his grip—firm, but not forceful. The kind of grip that made me feel like he wasn't just leading me somewhere, but that he would keep me steady, even if I stumbled.
I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my heart raced in my chest. This was happening. I was doing this. It wasn't some desperate plan with a married man like Noah Rodriguez. This was different.
It wasn't about money anymore. At least, I kept telling myself that. This was about me, about finding some small piece of control in all the chaos of my life.
And maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the way he'd looked at me back in the bar—like he wanted me, like he needed me—but I felt a rush of excitement mixed with a strange kind of fear. I wasn't sure which was stronger.
We didn't speak as we walked toward his car. The silence between us wasn't awkward, but it was heavy. Loaded. My heels clicked against the sidewalk, and I couldn't help but glance up at him every few seconds.
He was gorgeous, that was obvious. But there was something else about him, something that pulled me in even before I'd had too much to drink. He had a quiet confidence, a presence that made it impossible to look away.
When we reached the sleek, black car parked at the curb, he opened the door for me, and I slid into the passenger seat. The leather was cool under my bare thighs, and as he closed the door behind me and walked around to the driver's side, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
What was I doing?
I didn't know this man. I hadn't even asked for his name, and he hadn't asked for mine. But for some reason, none of that seemed to matter. What mattered was that I didn't have to go through with the plan I'd come here for.
I didn't have to give myself to Noah Rodriguez, and that was a relief so profound that it almost made me dizzy.
He slid into the driver's seat, his fingers brushing the steering wheel before turning the key. The engine purred to life, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
For a moment, he didn't move. He just sat there, his hands on the wheel, staring straight ahead. I wondered if he was second-guessing this, too. But then he glanced over at me, and the tension in my chest tightened.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low, but steady.
I blinked, surprised at the question. Was I sure? No. I wasn't sure of anything anymore. But I nodded, because at that moment, I didn't want to think. I didn't want to worry about what was right or wrong. I just wanted to feel something other than fear and desperation.
He nodded, as if my silent answer was enough, and then we were driving. The city lights blurred past us, but I barely noticed. I was too focused on the man next to me and the way my body seemed to hum with anticipation.
It didn't take long to reach his place. A high-rise apartment building in the heart of the city, the kind of place you'd expect someone with his kind of presence to live. Modern, sleek, expensive.
He parked in the underground garage, and before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt, he was at my door, opening it for me again.
I stepped out, my legs feeling a little shaky, but his hand was there again, steadying me. The feel of his fingers against my skin sent a shiver up my spine, and I quickly looked away, afraid he'd see how nervous I was.
He led me to the elevator, and we rode up in silence. The tension between us was almost unbearable, the air thick with unspoken words and unacknowledged desires. I could feel my pulse quicken with every passing second, my body both nervous and aching for what was about to happen.
When the elevator doors slid open, he guided me down the hall to his apartment. The door clicked open, and I stepped inside, my breath catching in my throat as I took in the space around me. It was as sleek and modern as I'd expected—clean lines, neutral colors, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city skyline. It was beautiful, but it felt cold, impersonal, like a place where someone lived, but didn't really live.
I stood there, unsure what to say, feeling strangely out of place in my tight red dress and silver heels. But then I felt him behind me, his body close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. He didn't touch me, not yet, but I could feel his presence, and it made my skin tingle.
"You can still say no," he murmured, his voice so close to my ear that it sent a shiver down my spine.
I closed my eyes, my breath coming in shallow bursts. He was giving me an out. One last chance to walk away from this before things went too far. And for a split second, I considered it. But then I remembered why I was here, why I'd chosen to come with him instead of going through with my original plan.
And the idea of leaving now, of walking away from this moment, felt even more unbearable than staying.
I turned to face him, my heart pounding in my chest. His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. I could see the hesitation in his face, the way his jaw tightened like he was holding himself back.
But I didn't want him to hold back.
"I'm sure," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Something shifted in his expression, and before I could second-guess myself, his lips were on mine. The kiss was slow at first, tentative, like he was still giving me a chance to pull away. But when I didn't, when I pressed myself closer to him, he deepened the kiss, his hands finding my waist and pulling me flush against his body.
I melted into him, my fingers threading through his hair as I kissed him back with everything I had. The world outside of this moment seemed to disappear, and all that existed was the feel of his lips on mine, the heat of his body against me, the way his hands roamed my back, my hips, as if he couldn't get enough of me.
He pulled away just long enough to whisper, "Let's take this slow."
Slow. I hadn't expected that from him. But there was something in his voice, something in the way he said it, that made me realize this wasn't just another hookup for him.
He wasn't treating me like some random woman he'd picked up at a bar. He was treating me like… like I mattered.
He led me to the bedroom, and my pulse quickened as we crossed the threshold. The room was as sleek and modern as the rest of his apartment, but I barely noticed the details. All I could focus on was him, on the way his hands moved to the zipper of my dress, slowly pulling it down, inch by inch.
The fabric slid off my shoulders, falling to the floor in a soft whisper. I stood there in nothing but my lace underwear and heels, feeling vulnerable but strangely safe. His eyes roamed over my body, and the heat in his gaze made my skin flush.
"You're beautiful," he murmured, his voice rough with desire.
I didn't know how to respond to that. No one had ever looked at me the way he was looking at me now. Like I was something precious. Something worth savoring.
Something worth loving. Tears pricked in my eyes but I refused to let them fall.
He undressed slowly, his movements deliberate, giving me time to take him in. His body was all lean muscle and smooth skin, and when he finally stood in front of me, completely bare, I felt my breath catch.
He stepped closer, his hands finding my waist again. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.
I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. I was more than okay. I was ready.
He kissed me again, his lips soft and warm against mine. He guided me to the bed, laying me down with a tenderness I hadn't expected. And when he moved over me, his body pressing against mine, I couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped my lips.
This was it. My first time.
I hadn't planned for it to happen like this. Not with a stranger. Not in a sleek apartment overlooking the city. But as he kissed his way down my neck, as his hands roamed my body with a gentleness that made my heart ache, I realized that maybe this was exactly how it was supposed to happen.
He was careful, slow. Every touch, every kiss felt deliberate, like he was savoring the moment as much as I was. And when he finally moved inside me, I gasped, the sensation both foreign and electric.
He paused, his eyes searching mine for any sign of discomfort. "Are you okay?" he asked again, his voice low and breathless.
I nodded, biting my lip as I adjusted to the feeling of him. It was strange, but not painful. Just… different.
He kissed me softly, his movements slow and careful, and as the minutes passed, the initial awkwardness faded away. My body began to respond to his, and soon, the room was filled with the sound of our soft gasps and whispered breaths.
We moved together, our bodies finding a rhythm that felt natural, instinctual. And as the pleasure built, as the tension in my body coiled tighter and tighter, I realized that this wasn't just sex. This was something more. Something deeper.
When I finally came, it was like a wave crashing over me, intense and all-consuming. I cried out, my fingers digging into his back as the pleasure washed over me. He followed soon after, his body trembling above mine as he groaned my name—though I hadn't given it to him yet.
When it was over, he collapsed beside me, pulling me into his arms. I rested my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as I tried to catch my breath.
I didn't know what this meant. I didn't know what would happen when the sun came up. But for now, at this moment, I didn't care.
For the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn't alone.