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Once Upon A Time(17)

By:S.K. Hartley


Wait, why was I wanting to know more about him?

I should leave.

Um, what the hell did I say to him; Uh, hey, thanks for the amazing screw and all, but I've got to run. Catch you later?

“Your awkwardness is refreshing.”

Sorry, what? Oh, he was talking to me. My bad.

“Huh?” Yeah, I was about as smooth as sandpaper.

“You have no idea how awkward you look right now.” He chuckled, dropping his towel and sliding on what looked like a freshly pressed clean pair of dress pants. Where did they come from? And more importantly, Whoa, that ass! “It’s refreshing,” he repeated as he buckled his belt.

Again with no boxers.

Turning, his eyes quickly found mine. Then, he walked towards me. I couldn't move as I watched each sculptured muscle contract as his torso twisted deliciously. “I’m going to make this easy on you.” He smiled, placing one forearm against the wood frame just above my head, leaning in close, that autumn rain scent surrounding me. “I’m going to finish getting dressed, then I’m going to disappear for ten minutes and when I come back, my office will be empty.”

Without warning, his mouth pressed against mine. It was the briefest of touch, a sweetest kiss that was laced with so much sin it scalded. Before I could react, he pulled back. “How does that sound, princess?”

My mouth dropped.

My blood boiled.

Every nerve went on high alert.

“Excuse me?” I grounded out, my once relaxed and sated limbs were now tense and ready to take on King Kong himself.

“I said—”

I waved my hand.

“I heard what you said, you don’t have to say it again,” I muttered, moving past him and grabbing my purse from the floor by the door.

I was a fool. A stupid fool for ever thinking that maybe once I could just feel and not think. Ha! Quinn and Kylie were going to have a fucking field day with this one.

“Open the door,” I grumbled, my head bowed and my eyes staring at the stupid carpet. “Now.”

“Door open,” he said from somewhere behind me, curiosity in his voice.

The door opened and I rolled my eyes as his ridiculous panty dropping trick. I bet he showed all the girls his fancy door. What an idiot I was.

“Payton—”

My head whipped around so fast that I almost lost my footing. How fucking dare he! Turning, I steadied my gaze, locking hard onto those stupidly mesmerizing eyes.

“You.” I pointed, stepping into his personal space. I was so close I could feel his warm, minty breath caress my cheek. “Are a fucking toad.”

He smirked. “A toad? Princess, I’m more like a god.”

I lost it. My hand moved so fast that the only sound around the room was the echo of the slap against his skin. “God my ass.”

If he was shocked, he didn't show it. In fact, the smirk he was wearing only grew. Arrogant son-of-a-bitch. Turning on my heels, I marched out of his fancy office and back out to the bar. I kept my eyes down and my feet moving, finding myself outside drinking in gulps of air like it was water only a few minutes later.

Pulling out my cell, I fired a text to Kylie and Quinn, letting them know I had a headache and I was grabbing a cab home. I needed to get away from that stupid bar and wallow in my own self-pity for being so freaking idiotic. Getting myself together, I flagged down a cab.

Twenty minutes and three single tears later, I let myself into my apartment. Walking into the living room, I threw off my heels and stripped my body of the peach dress I’d decided never to wear again. Walking towards the bathroom, I threw my purse… somewhere in the room. I didn't’t care where it landed, to be honest. I just wanted to shower and rid myself of the thoughts of what happened merely thirty minutes ago.

I turned the shower up to scalding levels, ready to wash away my stupidity. Stepping in, I didn't’t once wince at the temperature as I scrubbed my hair and body. A couple of minutes later, I stepped out and wrapped a towel around my body. I could hear my cell alerting me to calls and text messages but I wasn't going to answer them; I just wanted to sleep and hope that tomorrow I wouldn't’t screw up the meeting like I screwed up my freaking non-existent love life.





BANG. BANG. BANG.

What the holy hell was that noise?

I groaned. Rolling over, I cuddled my pillow closer to my body.

BANG. Something falling over. SMASH.

Okay. I was awake. What in the hell was going on in my apartment? My eyes quickly flew open and my hand went to my head. Oh yeah, I was hungover alright. Ugh. I swallowed hard, noticing my throat resembled sandpaper and tiny little daggers impaled my tongue. Shaking my head, I tried and failed to get my bearings as I stood from the bed.

Whoa.

Throwing my arms out, I tried to balance against the gravitational pull that I could only assume would mean I’d face plant the floor. After a couple of seconds of closing my eyes and praying to the alcohol gods that I really didn't want to see last night’s mistakes in the bottom of the porcelain, my mind cleared enough to hear the sound of my best friend cussing like a drunken sailor.