by Sabrina York
Dean,
When I signed up for a 1Night Stand, I was looking for one last chance at a little intimacy with the opposite sex. Thank you so much for making my night more spectacular than I ever expected.
I will never forget you.
Sally
XOXO
He jumped for joy reading her words. He’d find her and woo her; his life wouldn’t be the same without her in it.
After throwing on his clothes and pocketing the pair of Sally’s panties he found tangled among his clothes as a memento, he headed down to the lobby, hoping he wasn’t too late.
Epilogue
“So what do you want to do tonight?” Jodie asked, pouring them both a glass of wine. Her best friend had suggested a girls’ night.
“I don’t know, maybe watch some TV or a movie. This was your idea. I figured you had a plan.”
“Ha, the only plan I had was to try and stop you from moping around.”
She had been on the mopey side since her night with Dean. Most days she wished she’d never signed up for her 1Night Stand. Perhaps ignorance truly was bliss. Yet, the knowledge of the ecstasy he could make her feel wasn’t something she’d trade for anything.
Well, maybe the rest of my life with him.
“I’m sorry.” She’d put Jodie through a lot over the years.
“Oh, babe, you don’t have to be sorry. I just want you to be happy.”
“I will be. It’s going to take some time. But I’ll find a balance between the old me and the new.”
“Okay,” Jodie said. “Let’s go see what’s on TV.” Grabbing the remote, she plonked down on the end of the couch opposite Sally. Flicking through the channels, she suddenly stopped. “Hey, there’s a Love My Family marathon on. Want to watch?”
The idea of spending hours watching the man of her dreams on the TV held no appeal. She’d been with the real thing, and she didn’t need the character any more. “Nah, let’s watch something else.”
“Excuse me! Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You and I both know you’d skip your own mother’s funeral to watch Love My Family. So you better spill and right the hell now.”
Sally wished she could tell her everything. But she didn’t want to betray Dean, and her story was farfetched at best, unbelievable at the worst.
Before she could deliver her usual spiel about wanting to keep her experience private, a knock sounded at the front door.
“That’s probably the pizza guy. I’ll get it.” Jodie jumped out of her seat.
A loud squeal from her best friend echoed through the house. Sally sprinted to her side.
“Mind telling me why Mark Martin is standing on your porch?” Jodie squeaked.
Sally ignored her question. “What are you doing here?”
“I had this amazing one-night stand.” He grinned. “With the most stunningly beautiful women I have ever met. And she ran away before I got to ask her if she’d like to spend more time with me.”
Did he say he wants to be with me? “But…that was two weeks ago. Why are you only coming to see me now?”
“Between work commitments and finding out where you lived, this was the soonest I could get here.”
“Holy fuck!” Her best friend swore.
Sally launched herself at the gorgeous man standing in her entryway, claiming his lips in a passion-filled kiss.
“I missed you,” she whispered. He responded with a quiet moan.
“Okay,” Jodie boomed. “I’m going to grab my stuff and get going.”
Cheeks flushed, Sally buried her head against his chest. Not normally one for public displays of affection, all her common sense fled when in his presence.
A couple of minutes later her friend returned, her overnight bag slung over her shoulder. She leaned in and gave Sally a kiss on the cheek. “You better believe you are going to be telling me all about this later.”
Sally nodded in return not able to find her voice.
Once they were alone, she leaned in, smashing her mouth against Dean’s. “So what do we do now?” she asked when they separated for air.
“I don’t know about you,” he replied. “But I’m hungry, and you are the only one who can satisfy my appetite. Why don’t you show me to your bedroom?
She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward her room. Whether things with Dean went the distance or not, he’d opened her eyes to the possibilities, and she looked forward to enjoying the ride.
~ About the Author ~
Melissa is a 37 year-old stay at home mum and part-time Software Support Consultant. She lives in Perth Western Australia the most isolated capital city in the world.
She’s always loved to read and write and spent most of her teens scribbling poetry and short stories on any scrap of paper she could get her hands on. Over the years as daily life pressures got in the way she lost the passion for it. After her son was born, she discovered online books and her interest in writing was rekindled. It has been a large part of her life ever since.
You can visit Melissa at:
http://www.melissakendall.net
Celestial Seduction
by
Jessica E. Subject
A 1 Night Stand Story
~DEDICATION~
To Rebecca who helped me add my SFR twist to the 1NS Series, to Lindsay for your constant encouragement, and especially to my understanding and supportive husband.
Chapter One
“What do you mean, you want to stay?”
Frey balled his fists and watched the Mission Commander’s face turn from blue to purple to red. But he refused to step onto the ship. “Exactly that. I don’t want to return to Ginnun. I’ve spent one rotation around the sun here, established myself in their culture, and lived like one of them. And I’ll continue to do so. This is my home now.”
“One rotation is hardly long enough to call this place home. Besides, you’ve sworn your life to the Space Service.” As his MC’s eyes hardened further, Frey noticed all the wrinkles in the man’s once again blue face. His white hair stood up straight on an oversized head. If he remained with the Space Service, the stress of the job would age him exactly the same way.
“This is my last mission. I’ll be discharged when I return.” Frey wouldn’t receive any compensation for this mission, but Space Service credits were of no use on Earth.
“The only way to get out of the Service is to apply for mating. Won’t Tandee be waiting for your return?”
His stomach clenched upon hearing her name. “On the day we left, she confessed to already mating with Brand, my supposed best friend.”
The Commander only raised his eyebrow. Frey didn’t expect any compassion from him. “Ouch! So that’s why you failed to keep your emotions in check on the trip to Earth.”
He looked away. Even after his time on this planet, the memory of that day still stung. She’d flaunted her admission without a hint of regret.
“There are many other females on Ginnun who would take you as a mate.”
Frey looked back to the Mission Commander and shook his head. “I don’t want an emotionless relationship. When I choose a mate, I need to want to be with her. I want a mate for more than just procreation. I want to love.”
“Emotions just get in the way of your life.” His MC slammed his fist against the ship. “You’re our best field informant! If you’re leaving the Service, you could easily find yourself on the High Council. You don’t want to throw away your future for the overly sensitive women here on Earth.”
“It’s not just the women. I have friends here, not just acquaintances, as everyone is to me on Ginnun.” Many people he’d trusted on Ginnun wound up stabbing him in the back, as in his best friend who slept with his intended without any guilt. Returning to a planet of long-dead emotions held no appeal after living on Earth. He refused to hide his feelings again, and there were so many more he wanted
to experience.
The Mission Commander signaled to the pilot to start the engines. “Stop this nonsense and get on the ship.”
“No.” He grabbed his sack and without remorse, turned his back on his Ginnunian heritage.
Chapter Two
Carrie searched the hotel bar one more time. After two hours, she had to assume her date stood her up. Heck, it wasn’t even a date. The arrangement with Madame Eve only included a one-night stand with no guarantees for anything afterward.
She left the bar. God, why did I agree to this? Am I that desperate?
The truth? Yes.
But her first date after her divorce failed, as did her marriage.
She’d married her high school sweetheart. When he left her, her heart shattered. It was bad enough to be told she could never have children, but when Peter asked for a divorce three years ago, her life crumbled. Learning of his remarriage and pregnant wife led Carrie to desperation. With no real dating experience, the only night she did go bar-hopping with friends, she heard the word cougar whispered over and over and she vowed never to go again. As a pediatric nurse, she didn’t have much opportunity to meet many available guys anyway. Her options were limited.
The night she found out her ex-husband had become a father, her best friend, Tamara, had come over to share a tub of Ben & Jerry’s Magic Brownies ice cream. “Carrie, you really need to go out and have some fun. Stop moping around.” She pointed her spoon at her. “Now, I’m going to set you up on a date. It’s through a very popular dating service that so many of my friends highly recommend. The owner, Madame Eve, thoroughly screens everyone before matching them up. Leah married her match a few months ago.”
Tamara helped her fill out all of the online forms, but she locked herself in the bathroom to write the letter as to why she wanted to use the dating service. Terrified with thoughts of what Tamara would have told Madame Eve if she waited, she hit send. It couldn’t do any harm to apply.
Two months later, she received an email revealing her perfect 1Night Stand.
“One-night stand?” she asked Tamara over the phone. “I thought I applied to a dating service, not a sex hookup.”
“Calm down, Care. It is a dating service. You’re guaranteed one night of fun, something you desperately need.”
“But, am I expected to have sex on the first date?” Before even agreeing to the date, her stomach twisted in knots. “I don’t think I can do that.”
“Yes! You’re wound up so tight, you need a good lay, but of course no one will make you do anything you don’t want to.” Static crackled over the phone. Had she lost reception? “Hold up, I’m coming over to help you arrange this.”
Before she could object, Tamara hung up.
She thought about sending a reject message back, but when she took a closer look at the profile on her computer, she decided to wait for Tamara.
Six foot one, her date owned a successful construction company, and the picture….he resembled every man she’d ever fantasized about. His dark brown, wavy hair looked perfect to run her fingers through and his eyes…bedroom didn’t even begin to describe how enticing they were. She got wet just looking at them in a picture. Oh, she needed to see them up close.
“God, he’s gorgeous,” Tamara said.
Carrie blinked. Since it took Tamara twenty minutes to get from her place to Carrie’s, she’d been staring at the picture all that time. She flushed, trying to shut her laptop, but Tamara held it open.
“Not so fast. I want deets. What’s his name? What does he do?”
“His name is Frey; weird, but I can live with it.” She read his impressive profile to Tamara.
“Wow, Madame Eve certainly worked her magic here. He’s perfect for you.” Tamara crossed her arms and pouted. “I only wish my match had been as perfect for me.”
“You used this dating service? Why didn’t you tell me?” She would have been less reluctant if Tamara had revealed that earlier.
“Because I didn’t want my experience to stop you from letting Madame Eve find your perfect match.”
“She didn’t find yours?”
“I thought she did. I mean, Josh and I enjoyed our first date and we kept seeing each other afterward, but two months later, we went our separate ways for work. Now dating is so much easier for me. You’ve seen how my self-confidence has improved.”
She had noticed the change in Tamara. “Yeah, I guess.” Can I really do this? She didn’t plan on playing the field like her best friend though. Carrie wanted to find her true love.
Clasping her shoulder, Tamara interrupted her thoughts. “So, let’s arrange this date. Perhaps you’ll meet your future husband or just have a good lay to get you out of the house and improve your mood.”
“Tamara!”
Her friend laughed as she sat down at the computer.
Chapter Three
After emails back and forth between Frey, Madame Eve and Carrie, they finally agreed to have the date at a Castillo Resort in Ottawa. Carrie would have preferred to meet at a coffee shop. Being alone with a strange man in a hotel room made her nervous, but she would have the room all to herself now since he hadn’t shown.
Frustrated, she took the stairs to the luxury suite, rather than the elevator, trying to delay the loneliness as she walked into the room.
Moving past the foyer, any feelings of dejection fled as she stared at the king-size bed, fireplace and whirlpool tub. Even without a hot date, she could enjoy staying in this room. She planned to have a long soak in the tub sitting in the corner of the room followed by a good night of sleep in a bed not previously shared with her ex-husband.
While the water ran, she stripped and searched her overnight bag for something to sleep in. Tamara insisted on packing the bag that morning and included some black lacey getup meant to cover her boobs and crotch, but there wasn’t enough material to cover anything. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t be wearing it anyway.
Disappointment clutched at her stomach. Her first date since high school and she’d been stood up. Maybe the man of her wildest fantasies thought her nothing more than the girl next door.
God! I have to stop thinking like this before I spend the night dwelling on this failed date and my failed marriage. No, I’m going to enjoy myself. She gave up on the search for clothes to wear to bed. Then she poured a glass of complimentary wine she’d found in the kitchenette and placed it on the side of the tub along with a bowl of strawberries from the fridge. She slid into the tub, turned off the water and switched the jets on. Total relaxation.
Chapter Four
“Frey, I insist you return at once.”
He fixed on his former Mission Commander’s fierce eyes. “You had to abduct me to say this? Even after two years, the answer is still no.”
“If I leave now, you will have no choice.”
He heard the threat in the older Ginnunian words and reigned in his anger. “And if you do, I will hijack the ship and return to Earth. You know I can do it.”
“But the Chancellor….”
“….can kiss my ass.” All control slid away. The MC found his sore spot. “The Chancellor’s daughter left me first. I don’t care if Brand died and now he has no one to give him an heir. Tandee can find someone else to fuck her.”
His former MC flinched. “You do not belong here. You can do things the people on Earth can’t. You don’t even look like them. This human image that you’re hiding under is just that—an image.” His face became red. “You’re not one of them. Take it off! If they find out….”
“They won’t. This is where I belong, now let me off this ship.” Frey didn’t once regret his decision to stay on Earth. He’d had enough of the ship, his former Commander and the conversation. With more pressing matters, he needed to leave. “I’m late for a meeting.”
The MC’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of meeting?”
For a second, he hesitated. “A date.” That kind of fraternization was expressly forbidden by the Space Service, but they
no longer held any control over him.
The MC stumbled backward. He pushed a hand against the wall to regain his balance. “You’ve chosen an Earthling as a mate?” He clearly understood the implication.
“I have.” He’d yet to meet the woman, but the picture he’d seen of her caused his heart to thump faster, his blood to flow to places only used in mating. He examined the ship for possible exits so he could get to her.
The ship lurched as it dropped in elevation. Within minutes it landed and the ramp door opened.
“Get out!” His former Mission Commander all but shoved him out of the ship. “You don’t deserve Tandee. I will inform the Chancellor you are dead.”
Although the old Ginnunian meant his words to hurt, Frey smiled as he stepped off the ramp. Staring across the recently harvested cornfield, he spotted his car parked on the side of the road. He rushed across the frosted dirt and corn stalks toward it, with the light reflected from the moon illuminating his path. He’d finally ensured no one from Ginnun would return for him.
Chapter Five
The door handle to the hotel room rattled. Carrie stopped reading and waited. She hadn’t ordered room service; they would knock anyway.
She shot upright as Frey, the man she recognized from his profile, burst into the room. “Sorry I’m late. I would have called you, but I couldn’t get any reception.” With eyes wide, he stared at her, a slight grin on his lips as she stood naked in front of him. She threw towels from the edge of the tub at him. “Turn around!” Trying to cover herself with her hands, warmth spread from her cheeks to her ears and down her neck.
He turned around and picked up something from the floor. As he sidestepped toward her, she cringed. “I’m just going to hand you a bathrobe. You might be more comfortable wearing that for now.”
