Tears threatened to pour down my cheeks, but I forced them to stay inside. I refused to cry until I was in the privacy of my own home – not over that wanker. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.
I heard Anna’s footsteps closely behind me, but I refused to look at her.
“It’s you, you know?” I heard her say behind me, but I stubbornly continued to look everywhere else. “It’s always been you, he’s just too afraid to say so. He’s scared of hurting me, and making a scary leap of faith. I know that might not be enough for you, but I just wanted you to know.” My breaths became labored, but I still didn’t speak. “Anyway, I’m sorry for everything. This situation has made me act a little crazy. I hope you get it sorted out in the end.”
And with that, I heard her footsteps fade away as we unhappily left one another’s lives forever.
*****
Epilogue
Anna
One year later…
“Kevin?” I called across the hallway of my brand new apartment – a tiny place, but one that I loved with all my heart. “Are you ready to go out?”
I’d been with Kevin for five months now, and my feelings showed no signs of fading. He was just so different to what I was used to. He was calm, considerate, honest, and dependable – everything I’d ever needed, even if I’d never known it. He was easy to be with, which was the main thing for me, after all I’d been through. There was nothing standing in our way – no brothers, no love triangle, no cheating, no lying .We could just be. That freedom felt so new, and good.
It had taken me a long time to recover from what had happened with Brad and Logan – especially since that final argument, where I’d worked out that I was the bad guy, the one standing in the way of happiness – but we were all in a good place now.
In hindsight, I could see that I’d brought all the upset from my time with Mike into the complication of us, which was why I’d allowed Logan’s hurt to get under my skin. It was why I had allowed myself to get into a pointless competition with him over a guy who – although very gorgeous – was completely wrong for me. He would never have been anything more than a fling, no matter who else had been in the picture. Even without the worry of Harry and the stress of Logan, we wouldn’t have made it long term. He was a rebound, a distraction, and now he was a great friend – so it really all worked out the way that it was supposed to.
A few months after it had all happened, we’d decided to meet up, to go over things now that we’d all cooled down. I was happy to discover that Brad and Logan were now a fully-fledged couple, and still going strong – they were always meant to be. They were perfect for one another, and seeing them so in love had made me want that for myself once more.
I could look back on that night now with a happy feeling. It was a good memory, in among all the bad stuff that had happened, and I enjoyed thinking about it. It was probably the only time I would ever act so crazily, and I was grateful that I’d had that experience. It was certainly something that I would never forget.
“I’m ready, what time are we meeting the guys?” Kevin knew all about what had happened, and he was surprisingly okay with it. It was hard not to be, seeing how adorably in love they were. They were definitely no threat to us anyway, just as I wasn’t to them.
We occasionally hung out as a foursome, and it was great. It may have been a long complex road to get there, but we were all happy now and that was all that mattered.
As Kevin stepped into the room in a dashing blue suit, I felt my heart melt all over again for him. He was the most handsome man I’d ever laid my eyes upon – sandy blond hair, deep brown warm eyes, and a smile that made me weak at the knees. And on top of that, he supported my new fitness studio wholeheartedly, even though he was a banker who’d never even been for a run. We had a lot in common, but it was our differences that made us exciting. It gave us something to banter over.
I was already pretty certain that Kevin would be the guy I would marry. Although, I hadn’t told him that yet…
THE END
Bonus Story 45 of 50
One Night Stand
Blair
The train journey home was long, tiring, and arduous, but I was glad to be getting back. I’d spent the weekend at a work conference, but unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on how you wanted to look at it – the final speaker had fallen ill, meaning the event had been cut short.
I was disappointed, because she was the only person I’d been really interested in seeing, but I was excited to surprise Gary. It felt like ages since I’d seen him last and I couldn’t wait for some much needed one on one time with him. Things had felt a little off recently because I’d been so busy, and I was glad for the opportunity to make that up to him.
We’d been together for years by this point, and I was becoming increasingly convinced that he was slowly heading towards proposing to me – finally! He was being secretive and a little shady, which could only mean that we were finally going to take the next step. One I’d been waiting for forever.
I was certain that once we were engaged, he’d want to move in together too – something else I’d been angling for, dreaming about for a very long time. It wasn’t that we didn’t love one another, it was just that he had a slight commitment phobia – one that I’d been chipping away at.
As I finally staggered off the train carriage, I made the decision to go to Gary’s before even making a quick trip home. Sure, I could use a shower and a change of clothes, but I feared if I went back there I’d end up crawling into bed, too shattered to do anything else, and I really didn’t want to. I felt like that would be a waste of a free evening, so I hopped in the nearest cab, and gave the driver Gary’s address.
My heart began to pound as we grew nearer to his home; I was excited, needing to be with him once more. Luckily I’d thought to take his house key with me before I left because it meant I could really shock him.
He was going to love it; I was certain of that!
I opened the door quietly, and snuck inside. As I peeked at my watch, I noticed that it was just after ten pm, which meant he was probably watching television in bed, wanting to be ready for work the next day – he was obsessed with his job – so I tiptoed silently, trying not to giggle, and I flung open his bedroom door, yelling “Surprise!” as I did.
Silence. The silence hit me like a smack in the face. I’d expected him to yell with joy at my arrival. What the hell was going on?
Then it hit me what I was actually seeing. Gary, in bed, having sex with someone else.
“What the fuck Blair?” he finally cried out in shock and annoyance, pointlessly trying to cover himself up. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Who?” I panted, stepping backwards, trying to fit the jigsaw pieces together. It wasn’t quite making sense to me. “What?”
“Who’s that Gary?” the red haired vixen next to him called out, looking about as stunned as I felt.
“It’s my ex-girlfriend.” He turned to face her, exasperation filling his face.
“Ex?!” I shrieked. “Ex? When the fuck did I become your ex? Why didn’t you tell me?” I turned to face the woman. “We’ve been together for nearly four years. If we aren’t together anymore, then he didn’t have the decency to tell me.”
“Don’t listen to her Sandra,” he looked at this stranger pleadingly, caring more about her opinion than mine. “She’s crazy.”
Sandra.
His secretary. I remembered him talking about her nonstop for a period, but for some reason I’d trusted him too much not to be worried. What an idiot! And what a fucking cliché – she was probably the reason that he liked his job so much.
I didn’t want to stay and fight what was so clearly going to be a losing battle. Gary wasn’t even acknowledging me, and I had far too much pride to force him to, so I spun on my heels with tears racing down my face, and I raced from Gary’s house, gagging for some fresh air.
“What a fucking prick,” I muttered under my breath, as
the cold air hit me, while I tried to decide on my next move.
What the hell was I going to do now?
Not only had I just lost my boyfriend, I’d lost the future that I’d been depending on for years.
This was absolutely gutting, and I had no idea how I was ever going to recover…
*****
Jason
I’d only been in this new city for a few hours, and I already liked it a whole lot. I could sense opportunity pouring out of every orifice, and with the amount of money I had at my disposal, anything was possible.
I’d already purchased a new business venture here, before even setting foot on its grounds, and I was certain that I’d do well no matter what. If there was one thing that I understood well, it was how to make money, and that was what I fully intended to do here!
I decided that the only way to get to know a new place was to go out drinking there. Trawling through the bars, I’d get to know the city, the people, and what people did for fun. It would give me an idea of what the vibe of my new home was.
So that’s why I headed to the nearest drinking hole almost the second that I stepped off of the plane, and I’d been exploring ever since.
By the time I spotted the crying woman sitting in the trashiest bar I’d come across, I was well and truly buzzed. I didn’t normally go out of my way to speak to strangers, because I always found that they were after something once they learned my identity and about my riches, but there was something about this one that drew me in. She intrigued me, and in my tipsy state, I decided to find out more.
“Can I buy you a drink?” I asked, sidling up next to her, acting totally out of character for me.
“Piss off,” she shot back glumly, not even looking up to see me. As I examined her appearance, it was clear that she was hurting, and that made it feel safe for me to continue. I wasn’t about to be used by someone who had their own problems in mind.
Was I?
“I’m sorry,” I sighed deeply, suddenly wishing that I could find the right words. “I just… you look so sad; I wanted to make you smile.”
With that, she finally looked up at me, distain filling her entire expression. “Well then, can you go back in time and stop me from wasting four years of my life on a fuckwit?” As she spoke, it was obvious that she’d been drinking, but that the pain was keeping her sober. In that moment, I wished I was less tipsy too. I wasn’t wasted, but this felt like a serious, somber moment that should be treated as such.
“Oh dear,” I shook my head sadly. “What happened?”
She eyed me suspiciously for a few moments, trying to assess my motives. I tried to keep my expression as straight as my intentions were. There was no denying that this woman was gorgeous, but I had no desire to take advantage of her vulnerability! I’d spent too much of my life worrying about people doing that to me, I certainly wasn’t about to do the same.
“I found my boyfriend in bed with his secretary,” she sneered at me, clearly realizing that I could be trusted. “A while ago. And even worse, he told her that I’m his ex-girlfriend. Sure, things have been a bit shitty for a while, I suppose, but he never broke up with me.”
All the things I wanted to say about this man started to bubble to the surface, but I forced myself to keep them inside. Things were often said in the heat of the moment, then retracted later on, and I didn’t know enough about the situation to intervene, to give an opinion.
So instead, I decided on a different tactic. “Come on,” I held my hand out to her, standing up. “Let’s go and get rip roaring drunk.”
“Why?” She looked at me through narrow eyes, her guards flying back up.
“Because you need cheering up,” I shrugged. That was honestly all that I cared about, and I hoped that she could see that.
“But you don’t even know me.”
She was rightly suspicious, but I wasn’t going to let that put me off.
“So? We can still have a laugh, right?”
With that she smiled, finally accepting my offer, took my hand and followed behind me.
*****
Blair
Somehow, the stranger had taken me from heartbroken to elated in the space of a couple of hours.
He insisted on taking me dancing, despite my terrible appearance and suitcase – which he paid someone to look after – and he forced me into some random nightclub.
At first, I was extremely dubious, but after a few drinks, when I’d managed to let my hair down a bit, I began to really seriously enjoy myself – something I hadn’t expected at all. Moving to the beat and acting mad on the dance floor with this crazy fun loving guy, was the absolute best remedy for my horrible situation.
I certainly wasn’t thinking about Gary and Sandra at any rate…
And as the night wore on, it was safe to say that while he was being honorable, keeping to his word; my mind kept wandering into dirtier territory. I hadn’t expected to feel anything about this guy, but somehow through my alcohol addled mind, seeing him naked was all that I could think about.
Jason – as I now knew he was called – was easily one of the most gorgeous men that I’d ever laid eyes on. He had sandy blond hair, sparkling green eyes and the kind of muscular body that he’d clearly worked hard for. He was totally the opposite to Gary’s dark, thinner appearance, and that was enough to have me feeling incredibly turned on.
But it wasn’t just his appearance that I was attracted to. I really enjoyed his personality too. He was exciting, funny and really sweet. Sure, it seemed like he had a lot of money too, but I really didn’t care about that. I liked Jason for him, and considering what had happened in the last few hours, that was something of a revelation.
I knew it wasn’t a wise move to lose myself in this stranger when I was hurting so badly, but logic had well and truly gone from my mind by this point, and as I watched him swinging his body, goofing around on the dance floor, trying to make me laugh, all I could focus on was lust.
I could feel a clear, strong connection between us, and I needed to act upon it now before I changed my mind, before I allowed myself to think rationally. I just felt like I’d regret it if I let this opportunity slip past me, so without giving myself another second to think, I leant across to kiss him, internally praying desperately that he wouldn’t reject me.
He didn’t.
Instead, he pulled me in closer, wrapping his arms tightly around me, kissing me gently and passionately all at once.
When we eventually pulled apart, I stared into his desire filled eyes, and I bit my lip in anticipation. I didn’t care how stupid it was, I wanted this guy badly, and I hoped that he could see that.
“Come on,” he finally whispered against my lips. “Let’s go. My car is waiting outside.”
I nodded numbly as a reply, no longer trusting myself to speak.
As soon as we stepped into his limousine, he told the driver to take us to his home, and closed the partition to give us some privacy.
Then, he put his hands on my cheeks, filling me with an intense warmth, and he rested his forehead against mine, just staring into my eyes.
In that moment, it became far more than just lust to me. It felt romantic, and I was actually enjoying that. It made it feel that much more special.
I didn’t even look at Jason’s home as we pulled up outside it. I was too busy staring at him, and wondering what was going to happen next. I was aware that the building was huge, that it was practically a mansion, but that was about it.
All I wanted to do was get my hands on him, to feel him all over me. I wanted to forget everything else, and just remember him.
As we eventually made it through the door, Jason instantly turned to face me, pulling me in for the horniest kiss ever. I almost crumbled under that touch alone.
Then, he pushed me back against the wall, allowing me to feel how much he wanted me, which made me feel excited and amazing.
We didn’t make it out of that hallway; we didn’t even make it out of our clothes t
he first time around. We simply stayed where we were, pushed up against his hallway wall, up against his mirror, and quickly pushed our underwear to one side – too desperate to feel one another to wait.
As he pushed inside of me, I felt myself gasp loudly at how well he filled me up. This was frantic, passionate, exciting, nothing like what I was used to, and that was enough to send waves of passion quickly crashing right through me.
One time wasn’t enough for Jason. It wasn’t enough for me either, so not long after we’d finished, he lay me back on the stairs and teased me with his fingers until I almost burst, then he took me hard and fast once more.
By the time we actually made it to his bed, we were both ready to slow things down, but not to stop. So we took things at a much calmer pace, really exploring one another’s bodies. He seemed really turned on by my curves which made me feel like a sexy goddess, and it was safe to say that he was driving me crazy too.
By the time we actually fell to sleep, I did so with a big smile on my face – the opposite to what I was expecting!
*****
Jason
As morning rolled around, I woke up with a massive smile on my face. Sure, I hadn’t meant to sleep with Blair, but I was over the moon that it had happened. I never gave myself so wholly to someone so quickly, I was normally much more careful, but as soon as she’d kissed me, an intense desire had sparked inside of me, and there was no way I could have held back.
Thankfully, because it had been one of the best nights of my whole damn life.
But then, that all vanished when I turned around to find myself alone.
I sat up quickly, that familiar feeling of dread, of being used, settling over me once more. Only this time, Blair hadn’t been after my money, she’d just wanted to use my body, to help herself get over her ex.
Pregnant to an Alien King Box Set Page 171
