Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 60131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
I exhaled before knocking on the door.
Three, two, one…
“Come in,” he answered.
I obliged and found him sitting behind his desk in a white button-down shirt. The top three buttons were undone, giving me a view of his chiseled chest, making me remember that I’d seen it completely bare before.
“How may I help you, Miss Hawthorne?”
“There’s an event I would like to attend next weekend, so I’m requesting the time off in advance.”
“I see,” he said. “Is this event for professional development?”
Hell no. “Yes, it is.”
“Is it something that will benefit you taking care of my children?”
I nodded.
“Can you speak aloud, Miss Hawthorne?” He leaned forward. “I’m afraid I don’t speak horse.”
Okay, fuck you. “It’s extremely beneficial to me taking care of your children, sir.”
“How so?”
“It’s about establishing a good life with boundaries and fun.”
He stared at me for a long while, as if he were waiting for me to elaborate, but I kept my mouth shut.
“Okay,” he said. “Since you’ve asked me so nicely this time, I approve your request.”
“Thank you.” I froze my eyeballs to their sockets to prevent them from rolling.
“You can leave my office now,” he said. “You staring at me like that only benefits yourself.”
TWENTY
HARLOW
The following weekend
The only thing I hated about Lounge 22 was the mandatory phone check. Since it hailed itself as “the perfect place to go missing,” everyone was required to lock away their cell phones at the door.
To enhance the “missing” vibes, they kept the dance floor dim so the partiers could dance as wild and free as they wanted. They also covered the red signs over the exits with caution tape.
I’d stayed up far too many nights watching “1000 Weird Ways to Die,” and since “Club Stampede” was number 51 on the list, I always danced near the closest door.
“Oh, wow!” Sasha high-fived me when I entered the powder room. “I love your outfit!”
“You don’t think it’s too tight?” I caught my reflection and second-guessed myself. The sleeveless pink dress was knee-length and practically shrink-wrapped to my body.
The matching shiny stilettos were gifts from a stripper I once served at Le Sacre Coeur.
“It’s perfect.” She clapped her hands. “You’re giving me beautiful, yet classy, with a hint of naughty thotty vibes.”
“Thotty?””
“Slutty.”
“Oh, thanks.” I smiled, and she handed me a drink.
“A guy in VIP wanted me to give that to you. He’s emitting some 'morally grey', but potentially 'cinnamon roll,’ with a hint of 'he could fall first' after 'just one night' type of aura.”
“Can you give me the non-romance-author translation, please?”
“He's a very nice businessman who wants to dance with you, and potentially take you home for a one night stand.”
“I’ll pass on everything except the dance.”
The only guy I wanted to have sex with was far across town with his children, and I knew that would never happen.
“Did I tell you that William is trying to crawl?” I asked. “He does this rocking thing on his knees like he’s tempted to go for it so it’s only a matter of time.”
“You told me that days ago.” She shot me a pointed look through the glass. “I believe it was after you sent me a picture of Charlotte bobbing her head to a song.”
“I think Olivia is being bullied at school.” I tapped my lip. “I was reading one of her homework assignments, and she was—”
“Stop. Stop this right now.” She placed her hands on my shoulders. “You’re not wasting your first and maybe last, off-weekend to talk about your job.”
“I’m worried about her,” I said. “She doesn’t have any friends.”
“Harlow, snap out of it before I slap you out of it!” She glared at me. “We came here because we want to forget about our problems. Your egomaniac boss, his sweet twins, and his little devil niece don’t exist tonight. Clear?”
“Clear.”
“We’re dancing with hot guys who will buy us drinks, and then we’ll do it again at another club, until we’re completely fucked up and feel like getting an Uber home. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
She looped her arm in mine and pulled me onto the packed dance floor.
The music blared so loudly that the walls shook.
I shut my eyes and swayed to the beat.
After ten songs without hearing a baby’s cries or getting an alarm about a task that needed to be done ASAP, I felt free.
Oh, I’ve missed this…
As the DJ shuffled to a bass-heavy mix, strong hands gripped my waist from behind.
He swayed along with me, matching me beat for beat. With every song transition, he adjusted his tempo, forcing me to follow his lead.
Grinding on him, I felt his cock hardening against me.
“Do you fuck as good as you dance?” I asked, but he didn’t answer.
He probably didn’t hear me.
Unbearably horny, I grabbed his left hand and pulled it toward the front of my dress.
I’d never let a stranger touch me here, but the way he was moving against me was compounding the urge. My body was begging me to let him.