Total pages in book: 183
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
She arches a brow. “Shouldn’t we talk or something while I finish the wine?”
“I have an early flight,” I say. “No time. You’re beautiful. This isn’t personal nor is it a reflection on you. It’s me. Have a good night.”
She blanches. “What?”
I stand up, walk to the bar, sign the tab, and leave.
Lori
I exit to the street, and I can hardly breathe. I don’t know what made me stop by the bar where I’d met Cole tonight, but I’d had this strong compulsion to just go, sit, and drink wine, of all things. And he’d been there. Really been there. I’d stood there, trying to decide if I would go up to him when I watched him share a look with a beautiful brunette. And then I’d watched her get up and walk toward his table. I know where to find him tonight. In a hotel room with a woman over his knee that he’s convinced to let him spank her. My Prince Charming is no Prince Charming. That’s the problem with fairy tales. They’re never real.
Chapter thirteen
Cole
The next morning…
Ibuckle up on the plane with one thought: This is it. I’m in court for what could turn into six weeks. I won’t be back to New York. I have to win a man’s freedom and I have to get my head in the game, and out of some fantasy about a woman who might not have even given me her real name.
It’s done.
I have to let her go.
I sit there for thirty seconds and force that thought to become reality, but I fail.
Fuck.
I’m not going to let her go because I’m not done with her and I don’t believe she’s done with me.
Lori
I wake up and walk to the bathroom I share with my mother, who should be sound asleep in her room considering I heard her come home hours ago. I hope she is, because one look in the mirror, and it’s obvious I didn’t sleep. My eyes are puffy and bloodshot, and I hate, hate, hate, that I laid in bed replaying the night I spent with Cole, trying to figure out why I thought he was someone I should let spank me, of all things. He’s hot. He’s rich. He can have millions of women, and obviously does.
And I gave him something I liken to virginity in that spanking.
I shove off the sink with a jolt.
Virginity. Sex. Condoms. We used one but I haven’t had my period. I press my hand to my forehead. How can I have missed my period? How? I can’t be pregnant. No. No. No. I need to take a test. I need to take a test now. I exit the bathroom and head to my room, where I throw on sweats and a tee then sneakers, and rush to the door. I don’t even brush my hair. I enter the living room again to find my mother at the kitchen sink.
“Honey,” she greets. “Morning.” Her brows furrow. “Where are you going?”
“I forgot to drop something in the mail for my boss,” I say. “I have to take it now.” I don’t wait for her response. I exit the apartment and race down the stairs, and I don’t stop until I’m at the grocery that is closed. It’s closed! I want to scream. I run two blocks, and the corner store actually has a test. In a full, workout-worthy jog necessary because I’m going to be late to Cat’s place, I arrive back at the apartment.
My mother is still in the kitchen. “There’s coffee made,” she says.
“Thanks, Mom.” I give her a wave, but don’t look at her. “I’m late. I need to shower.”
Why did I say, I’m late? I hate those words. I enter the bathroom and shut the door, turning on the shower. My hand is shaking as I open the bag and pull out the box. I make fast work of undressing and peeing on the stick. I tell myself to just get in the shower while I wait for the results, but I don’t. I pace, naked, inside and out, right now.
Waiting for my future to be revealed while craziness goes on in my head. If I’m pregnant, will I tell Cole? I certainly have a lead on how to find him—at the bar, picking up women. I just might have to ask the other woman to give us privacy. The idea has me on my knees in front of the toilet, stomach rolling. What have I done? I look down at the test results, and it’s negative. Negative. I’m not pregnant. I’m just making myself sick. And this is why I should never have spent the night with a stranger. I have my mother to take care of right now. I take the second test from the box and repeat. Same results. So why haven’t I started my period?