The Ex Games #1

Chapter 2



“Welcome to the Diva Hotel, Mrs. Raymond.”

“Ms.” I smiled at the front desk clerk. “It’s Ms.”

“Sorry, Ms. Raymond. Would you be preferring two full size beds or one king?”

“King, please.” I handed her my credit card for incidentals and waited for my room key.

“Is there anything else we can help you with today?”

“No, that’s all, thanks.” I took my credit card back, grabbed my suitcase and walked over to the elevator. I saw a doorway to my left that led to a Starbucks, and I figured I could grab a coffee there in the morning before the orientation started. I was going to need to be as alert as possible as soon as I arrived. I walked into the elevator with its fluorescent purple lights, and I was immediately taken back to the night I had convinced Brandon to go to a nightclub with me. It had been the second week we had been seeing each other. We’d gone out to dinner and were walking back to his place when we passed Doug’s. I grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Let’s go in.” I grinned and nodded towards the door. The strobe lights and booming top-40 music crept through the doorway and he shuddered. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t do clubs.” He shook his head with a small smile.

“Just for five minutes.”

“I guess I could do five minutes.” He grabbed my hand and we walked in easily, without being carded, just as I knew we would be. I wasn’t dumb this time, and we bypassed the bar, going straight to the dance floor. I grabbed his hands and started dancing. At first, he was a bit stiff. I could tell that he wasn’t one for bumping and grinding, but he seemed to get into the swing of things very quickly. One of my favorite rap songs came on, and I pushed back against him excitedly. He seemed to enjoy it, and allowed his hands to roam freely over my stomach and all the way up to the underside of my breasts as he held onto me. I can remember the next moment clearly. A purple strobe light illuminated us in the room and we danced slowly in the crowd of people. I laughed and shimmied, enjoying the vitality I felt in the room, and then his hands slid all the way up and I felt them cupping my breasts as we danced. I paused for a split second, startled by the feel of his hands kneading my breasts. It felt different and it felt good. I looked around quickly to see if anyone had noticed, but no one was paying attention to us. They were too caught up in what they were doing. Doug’s was filled with people, but in that moment as the beats ruined our hearing and our bodies moved together as one, it felt like we were all alone and my body felt like it was on fire. His fingers became more aggressive against my breasts and as he pinched my nipples I backed into him hard, crying out in pleasure, though the sound was muffled by the music around us.

Brandon pulled me around and into him, and then his lips came crushing down on mine. I kissed him back eagerly, my tongue entering his mouth and exploring every part. I sucked on his tongue eagerly, enjoying the faint taste of chocolate from the shared dessert we’d had at the restaurant. His hands lowered from my back to my ass, and he cupped my asscheeks as he pushed me into him. I gasped against his mouth as I felt something hard pressing against my belly. I knew without a doubt that it was his erection, and a secret thrill ran from the tips of my toes, up my legs, through my belly, to my tingling breasts and to my eager mouth. I had done that to him. I had turned him on and he wanted me. It made me feel heady with power. Here was this handsome, rich, and captivating man, and he wanted me. Even though I didn’t have a lot of experience, and I didn’t dress in fancy clothes or know how to apply makeup. Even though I talked about movies too much and rambled on about poets and writers late into the night. He still wanted me. I kissed him back harder then, pushing myself into him, running my hands through his hair. I was caught up in the moment as I ravished him harder than he ravished me. Sometimes I think that if he had wanted to, I would have even let him make love to me right there on the dance floor.

“Now, now, Katie.” He pulled away from me with lust-filled eyes. “This isn’t the place.”

“Let’s go, then.” I grabbed his hand without thinking and pulled him off of the dance floor. “Let’s go back to your place.” His eyes grew dark with desire at my words and he pushed me against the wall, and ran his fingers down my neck. He stared into my eyes with such intensity that it was all I could do to not reach over and touch him.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” He growled into my ear. “Because if I take you tonight, there will be no letting go. No turning back. I will make you mine. I will possess you.”

“I want you to take me.” I swallowed hard at his words.

“I want you so badly, Katie.” He shook his head as if to clear his mind. “Ever since the morning after I took you home, I’ve wanted you.”

“So then take me.”

“We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

I laughed then, big happy and immature laughs. “Of course I’m ready. I’ve practically been begging you for the last ten minutes.”

“Then let’s go.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the club. We ran like schoolkids down the road to his apartment. Both of us aching to touch and be touched by each other. It was only when we got to his apartment door that I really stopped to think about what I was about to do. I was about to lose my virginity to a guy I had known two weeks. Was I a slut? Was I doing the right thing? But my thoughts quickly dissipated as he picked me up, carried me into the apartment, and plopped me down on the bed.

“Would you like some wine or champagne?” He grinned down at me, and he looked like a wolf as I stared up at him. A sexy, devilish and powerful wolf. I shook my head slowly and stared up at him, wondering if I should tell him this was my first time. It took me all of three seconds to shoot down the idea. I knew that he thought I was quaint and that I wasn’t used to big city ways because I was from a small town in Florida, but I knew it wouldn’t be as believable that I was a virgin. I couldn’t imagine he came across many 22-year old virgins.

He started to unbutton his shirt and I stared up at him with desire pouring out of every part of my body. I gazed up at him in admiration as he threw his shirt onto the floor. His chest was well-built, with a small spattering of hair, and his six-pack looked like something from a fitness magazine. He fell down onto the bed next to me and I reached over and ran my fingers along his chest lightly grazing his nipples. He gasped at my touch and rolled over on top of me.


“You’re wearing too many clothes,” he growled, his eyes dark and intense. “Sit up.” He pulled me up and I lifted my hands up so that he could pull my top off. His fingers gently went to my back and unclasped my bra before he threw it onto the floor along with my top. “Oh, Katie.” He groaned before pushing me back onto the bed. His lips immediately fell to my right breast as his fingers played with my left one. I gasped as he took my nipple in his mouth and he gently nibbled on it as he sucked. He sucked as if his life depended on it, and I felt my body trembling underneath him as moisture filled my panties. I reached my hands around to his back and ran my fingers up and down, squeezing his shoulders tightly as his lips moved away from my right breast. I moaned as his lips clasped down on my left breast and my legs reached up to encircle him.

“Oh, Katie.” He moaned again and kissed up my chest, and neck and back to my lips. “You taste so sweet.” He muttered against my lips as his tongue found sanctuary in my mouth again. “Do you taste as sweet everywhere?”

“Everywhere?” I’d answered him, not thinking. All I wanted to do was feel him against me, inside of me. My body had never felt so alive before.

“Hmm, yes, everywhere.” His lips left mine as he kissed back down my body, stopping at the top of my jeans for a few moments as his hands undid the button and pulled them off of me. I lay there in just my panties gazing up at him, not sure what he was going to do next. I didn’t have to wait long to find out. His fingers traced an invisible line up my leg and only stopped once they reached my panties. I held my breath as his fingers ran right down the middle of my panties and circled me. I gasped and squirmed on the bed as he teased me.

“Please, Brandon.” I groaned. I wanted, no I needed to feel more of him. I needed to feel him closer, his skin against mine.

“Shh.” He smiled at me and slipped his fingers into the side of my panties and rubbed my wetness. “Oh, Katie.” He groaned as I continued squirming. “You are so wet for me.”

“I want you.” I groaned as I reached up to him, wanting to feel his chest against mine. “Let me touch you.”

“Not yet.” He slipped his fingers out of my panties and then pulled them down slowly and agonizingly. Every second felt like an eternity and all I wanted was to feel his warmth against me again. I cried out when he lowered his mouth to my p-ssy and sucked on my bud. And then I screamed when his tongue entered me, slowly and deeply, pushing me to cliffs I never knew existed. My fingers grabbed the sheets as his tongue continued to enter me, and I felt like I was going to die of pleasure. Waves of ecstasy took over my body so that all I could think about was the pleasure rolling through my body. “Come for me, Katie.” He muttered against my p-ssy and the feel of his breath against me was another new and exciting sensation. “Come for me.”

“I, I can’t.” I groaned shaking my head. I had never felt this way before and I was afraid that my bladder was going to burst if he kept on. “Please.” I groaned as his hands spread my legs wider and he licked and sucked me with more intensity. This time when his tongue entered me, I couldn’t control it, and my orgasm exploded, sending ripple effects down my body.

“Oh, Brandon.” I screamed as my body trembled under him. He continued his exploration and his tongue lapped me up eagerly, before he returned back up to kiss me.

“You taste even sweeter down there.” He grinned at me before his mouth descended onto mine again. I could taste myself on his lips and I moaned as his fingers worked their way back down my stomach and to my sweet spot. I reached my hands down to his slacks, wanting to pull them down and touch him. He laughed as I fumbled around with his button and jumped up and pulled them off, along with his boxers.

I stared at him in amazement. His cock looked like a warrior: thick, strong and firm. I swallowed as I imagined it inside of me. He looked bigger than I had imagined from photos I’d seen online with friends. I reached over and touched him softly, he groaned as my fingers worked their way up and down his shaft slowly. I squeezed the tip of his cock and he pushed me back down on the bed. “If you keep teasing me, Katie. I’m going to come a lot faster than I want for our first time together.”

“I don’t mind.” I shook my head and giggled as he growled against my neck.

“I’m going to make you forget all your other lovers. I’m going to make sure that mine is the only face you think of when you think of making love. I want your body to remember me and only me.”

“Okay.” I gasped and closed my eyes as his fingers played with me again as his tongue tasted the lines of my neck. My hands grabbed his ass and I tried to push him towards me, so that I could feel him against me.

“Oh, Katie. I need to enter you.” He groaned against me ear. “Tell me you’re on the pill.”

“No.” My eyes popped up and I bit my lower lip. “I’m not, uh, on the pill.”

“Damn.” He looked upset as he got off of the bed. “I wanted to feel all of you. I wanted to feel your skin against my skin, but it’s fine. I have some condoms.”

“Oh.” I watched as he opened the drawer on his nightstand and pulled out a big box. “Did you get them because of me?”

“No.” He chuckled as he pulled two out and placed one on the top of the stand. “I make sure to keep a supply.”

“Oh.” I looked away from him, jealousy filling me.

“You’re not upset, are you?” His eyes peered at me. “You can’t think I don’t have sex?”

“I didn’t know you were sleeping around.”

“I haven’t slept with anyone since I’ve met you.”

“That was two weeks ago.”

“I’m not a monk, Katie.” He sat on the bed. “I like sex. We’re adults, it’s not a crime.”

“I know.” I nodded.

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t want to sleep with anyone else.” He smiled and kissed me hard. “I know we’ve only been seeing each other for two weeks, but let’s see how it goes. I think we could have something special.”

“Okay.” I nodded, feeling slightly happy again.

“So we agree not to sleep with anyone else, right?”

“Right.” I nodded again and he kissed me hard. He ripped open the condom packet and slid it onto his cock quickly, before lowering himself down onto me, allowing his chest to crush down on my breasts. “Wrap your legs around my waist.” He commanded me and I did so eagerly. I felt the tip of his cock at my entrance and I gasped, waiting for him to finally enter me. “Oh, God, you’re so wet.” He groaned as he slowly entered me. I felt myself contract against him as he entered me, and for one brief second I was scared that it was going to hurt. “Oh, Katie.” He groaned and he started moving his body slowly, his cock pushed into me hard and I cried out as I felt a brief shot of pain. He looked at me with a confused and dazed look in his eyes and I closed my eyes and moved underneath him.

“F*ck me, Brandon.” I cried out and he continued moving and increasing his speed until he was sliding in and out of me smoothly. I held onto him tightly as our bodies danced to their own rhythm. My breasts bounced against his chest and his hands clasped mine as he continued making my body his.

“Open your eyes.” His voice was commanding and I opened them slowly and saw him staring into mine. “I want to see your expression as we come together.” He continued moving against me and I felt myself about to explode when his body started shuddering and he groaned out. I climaxed then, and I held him to me tightly as our bodies quaked together and he fell down on top of me. He rolled over to the right and he gave me a lazy smile after a few minutes. “That was amazing.” His fingers traced the lines around my nipples as he slowly withdrew his cock from me and slipped the condom off. “Are you a virgin, Katie?” He looked up at me slowly, with a question in his eyes.

“No.” I shook my head.

“Really? I could have sworn you were a virgin, the way you reacted when I entered you, and I felt like I was breaking through your hymen.”

“You asked if I am, but I’m not any longer.” I smiled up at him and leaned over to kiss his lips. My body was tired and satiated and there was nothing that was going to ruin this moment for me.

“Ah, you tricky girl.” He laughed and then sighed as he pulled me towards him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was.” I bit my lip.

“Oh, Katie.” He whispered against my hair. “Thank you for allowing me to make love to you, I hope it was all you had hoped for.”

“It was better than I had hoped for,” I mumbled, and his eyes lit up with pride as he lay back with me cuddled into him.

“I’m so glad that I met you, Katie Raymond.”

“Me too, Brandon Hastings.” I kissed his chest and we both fell asleep.



“Excuse me, Ma’am, are you lost?” The front desk clerk walked towards the elevator and stared at me.

“Sorry, what?”

“It’s just that you’ve ridden up and down in the elevator for the last ten minutes.”


“Oh, sorry.” I blushed. “The purple lights just made me remember something.”

“Okay,” the lady gave me a strange look. “You’re on the sixth floor, if you forgot.”

“Yeah, thanks.” I pressed the button again and shook my head. “Focus, Katie, focus.” I mumbled to myself. Now was not the time to relive my memories of Brandon Hastings. He hated me and I hated him, and I was praying that if he saw me, he wouldn’t remember who I was. It didn’t matter how great it had been when we first started dating. It didn’t matter that his touch made my whole body melt. It was over. He had broken my heart and if I wasn’t careful, he was going to ruin my business career as well.

I walked out of the purple-lit elevator and to my room reluctantly. I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to be reminded of Brandon. Not now. Not when everything in my life was finally getting better. I had even started dating a new guy just before I had gotten the job. He was a nice guy as well. Matt was someone I could see myself with in a serious relationship. He was safe and I knew he really liked me; it didn’t matter that he didn’t set my heart on fire like Brandon had. I was older and wiser now. I knew what real love was. What Brandon and I had was a fantasy; a fantasy built on lies, and when it had all come crashing down it had nearly broken me. I wasn’t going to let myself dwell on the past. I couldn’t allow myself to go down that road again.



***

The alarm went off at 5 a.m. and I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep again. “Get up, Katie.” I lectured myself as I pulled the blankets up over me. I groaned and sat up, adjusting my eyes to the darkness. I got out of bed and turned on the light and opened my suitcase. Meg and I had gone shopping before the trip, and I had gotten the sexiest business attire I could find. I had also gotten some new makeup, new perfume and a new Chi straightener so that my hair would be as sleek as possible. I wanted to make sure I looked as good as I had ever looked. I didn’t want him to recognize me, but if he did, I wanted to look as hot and sexy as possible. I grabbed my shower cap and walked to the bathroom. I needed to shower first, and then I would do my hair. I stared at my wild waves in the bathroom mirror and groaned. It was going to take an hour, at least, to get my hair anything close to straight and sleek. I stared at my appearance again and started laughing as I thought about going to work looking like this. Brandon would definitely remember me if I turned up like this.

“Let’s shower together.” Brandon pulled me out of bed with him, the night after we had made love for the first time.

“I’m still tired.” I mumbled.

“There’s time to sleep tonight.”

“Not if you wake me up a million times tonight like you did last night.”

“Well, I need to get as much of you as I can, while you’re here.”

“I’ll be here next weekend.” I yawned and stretched.

“I’d love it if you stayed here this week as well.”

“What?” I froze and looked at him with wide eyes.

“I know, I know. I’m moving too fast. Sorry, I’ve just never felt this way before.”

“Oh,” I jumped out of bed and kissed him. “I’ve never felt this way before either.”

“I just want to spend every night with you.”

“I know.” I sighed. “But I need to stay at my own place, it’s just easier for me to get to work from there.”

“I guess I could spend a couple of nights there if you want.”

“No.” I shouted and then stepped back. “Sorry, it’s a mess and I’d be embarrassed for you to see it.”

“Don’t be embarrassed.” He pulled me towards him and kissed me. “I’m sure you have lots of debt from college and I’m sure your new job can’t be paying you that much. I don’t care where you live.”

“Uh, thanks.” I buried my face into his chest, shame turning my face red. “It’s hard as a new grad, you know, especially in this economy.”

“Where did you go to school again?” He questioned me.

“Columbia… uh, I mean, I always wanted to go to Columbia. I went to Florida Atlantic University.” I mumbled, wanting to die.

“I’m always looking for new account managers for the hedge fund, if you're interested in doing stocks?”

“Oh, thanks, but I couldn’t.” I smiled weakly. ”It wouldn’t be right. We only just started dating, I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of you.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of my head. “I think that’s why I like you so much, you’re the furthest thing from a gold digger I’ve met in New York.”

“Well, you would know.” I said, quite surly, and he laughed.

“Don’t be jealous, Katie.”

“I’m not.” I pouted and followed him into the bathroom. “Oh my God, look at my hair.” I cried out as I looked into the mirror and saw a crazy mess. “I look awful.”

“No, you don’t. You look beautiful.” He walked up behind me and put his arms around my waist. “Though, I can check to see if there are any lost birds.”

“Lost birds?” I wiggled against him as I looked back at him.

“You know, that thought your hair was a nest.”

“Jerk.” I laughed and he picked me up and placed me on the vanity.

“I can be a jerk, if you want.”

“Oh?” I pulled him towards me and felt his hardening cock against my leg.

“Yeah, I can do this.” He placed the tip of his cock against my p-ssy and pushed it in slightly so that the tip was inside of me. “And I can do this.” He slowly entered me and I moaned as I felt him inside of me. “And then I can do this.” He withdrew from me and I whimpered as he left my body.

“Brandon.” I groaned and he laughed.

“I told you I can be a jerk.”

I squeezed my legs around him and tried to pull him into me again and he laughed. “Not so fast, young lady.”

“Make love to me.” I groaned, as I reached up to kiss him.

“I don’t have a condom on me.” He shrugged and I groaned, disappointed. “You should get on the pill.”

“Huh?” I bit down into his shoulder, distracted by his musk.

“You should go to the doctor and get on the pill.”

“Oh, okay.” I murmured as I ran my fingers down his abs.

“Do you have health insurance at your job? Do you need me to take you to my doctor?”

“I have health insurance.” I licked down his chest as he fondled my breasts. “I’ll go in on Monday.” I would have to look online to see what time the university health center opened. I cringed as I thought about having to tell the nurse why I was there. But I figured they should be happy I was having safe sex. This wasn’t my high school any more. I wasn’t going to get a lecture about abstinence.

“I wish you were on it now.” He whispered in my ear. “I want to take your right here and feel your p-ssy walls close in on my cock as I take you on a journey you've never even imagined.”

“So why don’t you?” I gasped, willing him to enter me.

“I don’t want to get you pregnant.” He chuckled and stared at me seriously. “I’m not really a guy that’s done relationships, and this is new to me. I don’t want to mess anything up.”

“You won’t.” I took his face in my hands and kissed him softly. “You won’t mess anything up.” I whispered against my lips and my heart fluttered as he carried me back to the bedroom and to his bed. I had been right as well, he hadn’t messed anything up. I had.



***

Fisherman’s Wharf is not full of fishermen. Or at least, it wasn’t when I arrived. I walked around for a little bit, glad that it wasn’t hot and humid. Hot and humid meant my perfectly coiffed hair would be a frizzy mess in minutes. Once it hit 8 a.m., I walked into the building that Marathon Corps’ company-wide orientation was going to be in and looked around for a welcome table. I saw it right away, and I gasped as I walked towards it. The table was decorated with white orchids and I couldn’t not think of the night I realized that I loved him. Every time I saw orchids, I thought of Brandon. Even Meg knew never to bring them into the apartment we shared. Every time I saw them, I cried. Even now, I felt teary eyed. I took a deep breath and continued towards the table. I couldn’t afford to get emotional now. Not now, not when my makeup looked so perfect. It didn’t matter that my heart was beating in my stomach and all my senses were in high alert. It didn’t matter that there were orchids there. It meant nothing, absolutely nothing.

Brandon and I saw each other every weekend for the first two months of our dating. He had asked to come over to my apartment several times, but seemed to accept the fact that I was too embarrassed to have him in my apartment. We saw each other some weeknights as well, but he seemed to like the fact that I didn’t ask to see him every day. I gave him his space. I didn’t call or text him every few hours, and I didn’t check up on him. He didn’t know that I didn’t have time to check on him. I was in classes or the library most days, and phones were banned from both. I had to study in the daytime because I knew I wouldn’t have any time in the weekends and rarely in the evenings. He just thought I was comfortable and secure in the relationship. I was too na?ve to even think that there was anything to worry about. To me, he was just Brandon, a handsome man I was dating, but to the rest of New York, he was one of the most eligible bachelors in the city.


“Can you come over tonight?” I glanced at the text as I walked to my next class. It was a Wednesday, and I had an English test the next day.

“I think so.” I text back quickly and happily.

“Can you take the day off of work tomorrow?”

“Don’t think so, you know Maggie.” I text back quickly. Maggie was my fictional boss. Meg and I had spent an entire night creating a fake company and job for me. Maggie was my bitch of a boss who hated me and made me work late a lot.

“I wish you would quit that job and come and work for me. ;) ;)” I laughed at his text.

“You know we wouldn’t get much work done.”

“I want you right now,” he texted back. “I want to bend you over my desk and take you right now.”

“Maybe one day.”

“Shit, I’m going to have to lock my door.”

“Uh oh, why?”

“I’m going to have to take care of business and I don’t want my secretary to walk in.”

“Wish I was there.”

“So do I. So can you come over tonight?”

“I’ll try to get out of work early.” I bit my lip as I typed that. I knew that I needed to study, but I really wanted to see him as well.

“Great. I’ll see you at 6. Don’t eat, we can get takeaway.”

“Okay, see you at 6.” I hurried into the class and looked down at my jeans and t-shirt and sighed. I’d have to go home, change into some more professional clothes, and then hurry to catch the train by 5. There would be no time for me to try and study for an hour before I left.

I arrived at Brandon’s place at about 6.30pm and he pulled me into his arms as soon as he opened the door.

“I missed you.” He kissed me and stared at my face.

“You saw me on Sunday.”

“That was too long ago.”

“Oh, Brandon.” I squeezed his hand and walked into the apartment.

“I want you to move in with me.” He grabbed me from behind and pulled me towards him again. “I want you to wake up next to me every morning.”

“I told you, I can’t. I have a lease.” I giggled as he kissed my neck.

“I’ll pay the lease off.” He groaned and then walked away and into the kitchen. “I have something for you.” He walked back towards me with an orchid plant.

“What’s this?”

“It’s an orchid plant.”

“Thank you.” I smiled and took it from him. “It’s beautiful.”

“Where would you like to put it?”

“Huh?”

“It’s your housewarming gift.”

“Housewarming?”

“This is your new home.”

“But...”

“But nothing.” He shook his head seriously. “I told you the night we made love that you’re mine now.”

“I,” I swallowed hard, feeling the intensity of his emotions reverberating off of his body.

“You’re the only woman I’ve ever asked to live with me.” He grabbed my hands. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“I am, it just seems so fast.”

“Is it my age?” He sighed and my heart quickened.

“What?” I stammered. Did he know?

“I know I’m 35 and you’re in your early twenties. I know there is more of the world you want to see and explore. I don’t want to be selfish, but you’re special. You’re someone I could spend the rest of my life with.”

“Do you think I’m too young for you?” I bit my lip and he laughed.

“If anyone would have asked me how young I would date, I never would have said 22 before I met you.”

“Oh.” I smiled weakly. “And now?”

“And now, I don’t think age matters.”

“So you’d date someone younger than 22?”

“Oh, hell no.” He laughed. “I have a reputation. I’d have nothing in common with someone younger.”

“I see.”

“So you’re mine now, Katie.” He gazed deeply into my eyes. “Move in with me and let me spoil you.” I kissed him then because I didn’t know what to say. How could I tell him that I lived in a dorm on campus? How could I tell him that I was 18 and that there was no way in hell my parents would approve of me cohabitating with a man almost twice my age? A man who had taken my virginity, a man they had never met!

“So, where shall we put the orchid?”

“In the kitchen, by the window.” I pulled away from him slowly. “They like light.”

“Good idea.” He reached into his pocket and smiled at me. “I have something else for you.”

My face went white as I saw him pulling his hand out, oh God, I thought, he’s going to propose.

“Here is a set of keys.”

“Keys?” I looked at him blankly and then laughed as I realized what they were for. “Oh, thank you.”

“Now, let’s go to bed.”

“To bed?”

“I need to have you now. I’ve been dreaming of making love to you since you left.”

“Oh, I thought we were going to eat?”

“You want to eat?” He looked incredulous.

“I’m a bit hungry.” I nodded and then my stomach growled. His eyes crinkled and he laughed heartily before he grabbed my up and swung me around,

“Then eat you shall.” He kissed my forehead and put me back down. “I love you, Katie.” He whispered into my ear. I melted against him and kissed him back passionately. It was the first time he had said those words to me, and it gave me a heady feeling. I stared at the orchids as his hands rubbed my back and smiled. The orchids signaled a change in our relationship; a change I was excited about, even if I wasn’t quite sure how everything was going to work out.

“Are you here for the orientation?” A sharp voice questioned me, and I looked up with a tight smile.

“Yes, I am. Katie Raymond from the New York office.”

“Okay, let me find your packet.” The lady looked back at me with glassy blue eyes, her red hair cut in a sharp bob. She had a nametag on that read Priscilla and I thought the name suited her. A bitchy name for a bitchy-looking person.

“Here.” She handed me a folder roughly. “Walk down the hallway to the elevator, go up to the tenth floor and get out. You’ll see the signs to show you to your first meeting.”

“Thanks,” I nodded and was about to say more, but she was already speaking to the person behind me. I walked to the elevator uncertainly, feeling out-of-place. I didn’t fit in here. Sometimes I wondered if I was cut out for the business world. I waited a few minutes for the elevator and walked in slowly. Part of me wanted to run out and catch a plane back home and just look for another job. I didn’t even bother looking up when the elevator stopped at the next floor. I was debating whether I should just go home when I realized that whoever had entered the elevator hadn’t pressed a button. It was then that I looked up. It was then that my life flashed before my eyes. I fell back against the wall as I stared into his face. He looked different, but he also looked the same. Everything about this moment was so much worse and so much more powerful than I had imagined it would be.

“Hello, Katie.”

“Hello, Brandon.” I whispered and stared at his face, trying to memorize every line and hair for future reference. He took a step toward me, and his hands rested on my shoulders. I swallowed hard and looked up so that our eyes were connected. Then he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine softly.

“That’s for the memories.” He whispered and I smiled at him weakly, tears filling my eyes. I couldn’t believe he’d remembered that line. It had been so many years ago that he’d first said it.