She shook her head and put on her bra. Last night was supposed to have curbed her curiosity. Gotten him out of her system.
Instead, the need for him was now more ingrained in her than ever.
Pausing at the foot of his bed, she stared down at Darian. His hair was a tousled mess, though she had no doubt hers was equally tangled.
A slight smile touched his lips as though his dreams were sweet. Then again, after their sex-a-thon what man wouldn’t be pleased with himself?
She’d never thought to see him like this. And probably never would have if not for her imminent departure giving her the courage. What would happen when he woke? It might get awkward. Or maybe he’d high-five her on a job well done and offer her a protein smoothie for breakfast. Just because she wasn’t familiar with one-night-stand etiquette didn’t mean he was in the same boat.
A growl rose from her stomach. The night’s activities had more than burned off the cake dinner she’d consumed.
With a last look at her sleeping boss, she slipped from the room, in search of food.
And found her panties halfway down the stairs.
Heat stained her cheeks as she grabbed the underwear. Hastily she tugged them on. It appeared Darian had a talent for inciting her into actions she never would have done with someone else. Stair foreplay was definitely a first in her sex book.
Stepping off the last stair, she saw her blue shirt in a heap in the hall. At least now she was fully clothed, she mused as she tugged it over her head.
Allison was about to head for the kitchen when she paused. Who knew if she’d ever get the chance to see this house again? Curiosity tugged at her, demanding she explore the ground floor more thoroughly. Hadn’t she been wondering mere days ago what Darian’s home life was like?
She stepped back from the kitchen. No one could blame her for taking the scenic route, right?
Reversing direction, she walked into the sprawling living room. A wood-burning fireplace dominated the elegantly designed room. Luxury furniture had been carefully chosen to complement the space, and no one could fail to notice the state of the art entertainment system. There was more money represented in this room than she made in a year.
“Right,” she whispered, going back across the hall and into the next door. “Dining room.”
A massive mahogany table lay before her, and even her IKEA-trained eyes could tell it was an antique. Artwork lined the walls, and she somehow doubted Darian had merely bought prints of the paintings he liked.
After hurrying through the room, she pushed through a carved oak door to find herself in a sunny music room. A grand piano stood in the center, its cover propped up, and gleaming keys just waiting to be played.
This was a dream house. And as different from the way she lived as night was from day.
A pit opened in her chest.
Every inch of this home screamed wealth and success. Her apartment, by contrast, consisted of three rooms. Her furniture had all been bought on sale wherever she could find the best deal, which meant few of the pieces actually coordinated with each other. She certainly hadn’t hired an interior decorator, as Darian obviously had. Any extra money she made went into a savings account. Her goal was to put a down payment on a nice, modern condo, and every spare penny she had was hoarded toward that end.
Darian could probably have bought the entire damn high-rise.
She didn’t belong in a home like this. While they might have a wonderful working relationship, at the end of the day she and Darian were from different worlds. Last night had blurred those lines, but this house made it clear.
Darian wasn’t the settling down type, and if he ever was in the future, it wouldn’t be with a woman like her.
I should go. I don’t belong here.
As she retraced her steps she wondered just how many women had wandered through these same rooms. Last night being the latest in a long line hadn’t bothered her, but today…
Today things felt different.
Grabbing her bag, she slipped into her shoes and left without a backward glance. The magic of last night had disappeared with the dawn. It was time to go back to the real world.
The real world was overrated.
Allison banged her head on her desk. The week was packed with Sterling meetings, and the wedding still had more elements to take care of. Even if she slept only a handful of hours a night, she didn’t see how she’d get everything done.
“That’s not good for the brain cells.”
Rolling her head to the side, she saw Gillian staring down at her.
“Go away,” she groaned.
“Is that any way to treat a friend?” She tossed a folder onto Allison’s already cluttered desk. “I proofed the Moore contract for you.”
Pushing herself up, she reached for the file. “Thank you. I appreciate the help.”