His Five Night Stand (9 page)

“You need water,” Theo said, smiling at me. He took my hand, his thumb moving across the top of it as he walked me across the room to the futon. “You sit. And then you can tell me all your sad stories.”

“My kitchen is a mess,” I called, leaning back against the cushions. “And it’s not a sad story, it’s just something that happened. Something I let happen,” I muttered. “After years of letting things happen all around me.”

Theo was back standing right in front of me.

“Your water my dear.” He smiled holding a jam jar in his hand. “I couldn’t find a proper glass.”

I was suddenly very thirsty and getting sleepier by the minute. He sat down next to me and I leaned my head against his shoulder without even thinking.

“So, let me guess,” he said. “You told me earlier that you loved him for years. You thought it was the real thing. And he cheated on you?” He leaned me back to see if he was reading the situation right.

“Am I that obvious,” my cheeks burned. “Or did Odessa tell you?”

“No, but break ups usually include a betrayal of some sort.”

Betrayal, the word sat on my tongue. Was this a betrayal of Odessa? Was I some drunk, horrible girl making the moves on another woman’s boyfriend? I wasn’t making the moves was I? We were just talking but he was holding my hand. Holding my hand and caressing it with those long gorgeous fingers.

“Did Henry make you happy?” he asked. I broke out in chills as he stroked my skin.

“I thought he did.” I closed my eyes for a moment. “I like that. I like how you touch me.”

“I like touching you.”

My eyes snapped open. This was definitely flirting. “I don’t think this is okay. I mean you and Odessa . . . I have heard you . . .”

“You’ve heard us?”

“I mean the walls are thin.”

Theo laughed. “You heard someone else.”

“Isn’t Odessa . . . don’t the two of you?”

“No,” he said. “We tried to be lovers, a long time ago. It didn’t work out and I moved into the other bedroom. That was over a year ago.”

“Oh, so you aren’t the one . . .” I said, my cheeks burning.

“The one she’s been fucking lately,” he laughed. “No, Odessa and I have not thought about each other like that for a long time.”

“You did once, and you’re still friends? That works out?” I said, mystified that a transition like that was possible and reeling from the information that he wasn’t the one rocking Odessa’s world every night.

“Odessa and I tried and we didn’t work out. It’s actually not that complicated. I want her to be happy. She wants me to be happy. She wants you to be happy and she thought we would enjoy each other.” He shrugged. “So, here we are.”

“You are her former lover and she sent you to me.”

“Not her former lover and nobody sends me anywhere,” he said, softly. “You are a very compelling woman, Callie.”

“Compelling?” I laughed, snorting which slightly mortified me even in my drunken state. “I think you meant to say train wreck.”

“You are extremely honest, very intuitive, and achingly sexy. I am trying very hard to not take advantage of you right now,” he said, brushing my hair back. “You are very different from Odessa, but I can see why she thought we should spend time together.”

“You want to take advantage of me?” I said, my mind latching onto his confession. I was suddenly aware of breathing, the very act of inhaling and exhaling made me think of my body and the parts of me that wanted to feel him on the inside. Oh my God, I wanted him.

“Your heartbreak is so pure and so honest,” he said, tracing the line of my jaw with his fingers. “Odessa happens to know I have something that might help you.” He shrugged and actually looked a little embarrassed. It was adorable and incredibly hot at the same time.

“What kind of thing,” I asked, breathless, my mind spinning and not from the alcohol.

“Five nights,” he said, pulling me towards him. “I’m not what you’d call a commitment guy. But I love women and I love pleasing them.”

“You love pleasing us,” I said, unable to do more than parrot him. I wanted to say the words again and again.

“I’ve been told that five nights with me will heal a broken heart,” he shrugged again. “It’s not a guarantee, but it may be worth trying.”

“What do we do these five nights?” I whispered.

“Do you want to find out?” he said, pulling me closer.

His question hung in the air between us. I could almost see the words written in front of me. Do you want to find out what makes a woman moan? Do you want to know what it’s like to be impulsive and free? Do you want to take a chance with a beautiful stranger?

“Yes,” I said, taking a breath. I felt like I was being offered the keys to a hidden kingdom. “I want to find out. Yes, please.”

He leaned in and then ever so slowly he placed his lips against mine, softly at first his kisses fluttered against my mouth, his hands gripping me until he pressed harder and his tongue was inside me exploring.

I felt myself growing wet.

Then he pulled away from me and rested his forehead against mine. “There are a few rules,” he said. “Rules to protect you. And to protect me. Once we start this it’s only five nights.”

“Only five,” I whispered. His hands on my thighs he had raised my red skirt ever so slightly, his fingers moving up my legs.

“After that we move on. I don’t get attached, you don’t get attached. We just please each other and enjoy each other. These boundaries are for you and for me.”

“Uh huh,” I murmured.

“There is the business of being safe in this world we live in,” he said, his fingers tracing circles as he inched closer to my crotch. “I am tested regularly by my physician. I will show you the results and expect you will too.”

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” I giggled, resisting the urge to grab his hand and guide his fingers inside my panties.

“It isn’t the sexiest part of our arrangement, but it’s a requirement.”

Theo leaned in, his lips against my neck “You are so fucking beautiful,” he said, his voice husky. “Which is why I am going to go.” He stood, suddenly and brushed his hands on his legs. I could tell from the large bulge in his black jeans that I wasn’t the only one turned on.

“Where are you going?” I said, attempting to stand. I noticed that the room had started to spin a bit and I found myself suddenly sitting again.

“You need to sleep beautiful girl,” Theo said, smiling. He slipped off my heels and helped me to my feet as he pulled the futon down to my make shift bed. He turned me around. “Is this okay?” He asked, his hand on my zipper.

“Uh huh,” I said. He unzipped my dress. It wasn’t until the dress was almost off that I remembered I didn’t wear a bra. I grabbed my breasts self-consciously. Even my drunken mind recognized the irony in my bashfulness. I’d basically just agreed to get tested in preparation for some sort of five-night-filled sex fest, at least I thought that was what had happened. I was not entirely sure to be honest.

He laughed, “Do you have pajamas somewhere?”

“No, I mean yes.” I brushed a hair off my face. “I’ll sleep naked thank you.”

“Excellent,” he said. He laid down my comforter and raised it up as I slid under the covers wearing nothing but my panties. He turned away to give me privacy.

I must have looked hurt or embarrassed even though I was trying very hard to hide it. He was going to go home. Of course he should go home. I was a mess, but every time he touched me I felt a tremor deep inside. I wanted more. I wanted him.

“You know I want to stay,” he said, tucking me in.

“You do?”

“The only reason I’m not is you need to sleep and I make it a rule to not take advantage of women when they are . . .” he hesitated and smiled as if choosing his words carefully. “Under a spell.” His smile was so adorable and earnest I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him towards me. “I think it’s important if we do this that you are completely present. Completely in agreement. I need to know that you want me with every part of your mind.” He leaned in, his mouth against my ear and his voice low. “As much as I want you.”

Then without a word, he took my hand and rubbed it across the bulge in is pants. He inhaled sharply as my hand moved over his hardness. He was rock solid and I was certain if my hand lingered I would feel his pulse throbbing through his jeans.

“I’ll contact you tomorrow,” he said, his eyes locking on me as he moved my hand back and forth over his pants. “I’ll be back from the gallery around 6:00 p.m. Are you free in the evening?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

Then his lips brushed across mine and settled on my forehead.

“Goodnight beautiful girl,” he said. “I’ll lock the door behind me.”

And with that he stood, switched off the light, and left me almost naked in my bed. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. The steady thump of music next door suddenly seemed so loud. It appeared to me that talking to Theo I hadn’t been aware of anyone but him. He would be home from the gallery after 6:00 p.m. The Gallery? What did he do? What was his last name? I literally knew nothing about him except he had once loved Odessa and had some magical bedroom talents for making women get over broken hearts.

And he has a really big cock, a voice inside me whispered. He will make you moan.

But I wasn’t a moaner, I wasn’t like that.

But what if you ask for what you want, the voice continued.

“I’m losing my mind,” I said, closing my eyes. The sapphire blue cocktail overtaking me, I found myself drifting to sleep with the memory of Theo’s hardness just millimeters away from my skin and the taste of his kiss.

Five nights.

A five night stand.

Was I up for it? I’d never had a one night stand, let alone a five night one.

Would I give this man five nights?

Get over yourself, my inner voice said laughing. You’d give that man a hundred.

“Shut up,” I whispered out loud as the spinning in the room increased. “I’m not desperate, I’m not weird, maybe one, maybe I’ll start with one.”

And with that I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Sunlight stream
ed into the apartment. I hadn’t closed the curtains. I woke up late with cotton in my mouth and a throbbing headache. My phone vibrated on the floor beside the futon.

“Hello,” I answered, instantly wishing I’d had the good sense to let it go to voice mail.

“So, it’s like a thirty-minute wait, but I put our name in for a table already.”

It was Cara and she sounded very awake.

“A table? Where are you?” I could hear plates and dishes crashing in the background, and the hum of lively conversation.

“I’m at Boat Street for our girl’s brunch? I sent you an email confirming yesterday . . .”

Drat. I had a vague memory of a brunch email from Cara, but I had been so focused on the party invite, I had forgotten all about it.

“Didn’t forget. I just overslept.” I did not want to go to brunch. I wanted to slide back under the covers and daydream about the sensation of Theo’s hands flirting with the zipper of my dress

“You weren’t drinking alone, were you?” Cara said, her voice concerned. “You are not a drinker Callie and you sound hung over.”

“No, I ended up going to a party next door,” I said, standing. I felt better standing which seemed odd. I picked up a half full jam jar of water and sucked it down. “I had a cocktail. Okay maybe two, three if I count.”

“You are totally hung over. You aren’t bailing on me are you?”

I wanted to hide under the covers and pretend that my heart wasn’t broken. I wanted to figure out whether I’d truly been propositioned by the hottest man I’d ever met in my life, or if that had been a drunken fantasy.

“I’m just so tired,” I said, rubbing my temple.

“Come on, you know you want someone to feed you breakfast. You know it will be more fun than eating a sad piece of toast all alone in your apartment. Don’t bail. Don’t be that girl.”

I folded. Cara had been too good to me. She didn’t deserve to be stood up. “I’m in . . . I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” I said. “I’ll grab a cab.” I hopped across the floor pulling on a pair of yoga pants and grabbing a rumpled tee-shirt. I could sleep later. For now, something normal like brunch might do me some good.