“But still beautiful. I had a great time, Katya. Thanks for going out with me.”
She couldn't help it, she had to smile at him. She didn't know Liam very well – at least in the bright light of day, she didn't – but she was quickly learning that feeling bad simply wasn't an option around him. She leaned back so she was resting on his side.
“It was pretty awesome. Thank you for showing me a good time.”
“You're very welcome. Now get out of here, I want to sleep through this hangover,” he said, slapping her on the side of her thigh.
“Can I borrow some shorts or something?” she asked, sliding off his bed.
“Wardrobe. Top drawer. All yours.”
Last night, she'd said his outfit made him look like a college drop out. Looking through his underwear, she lowered her estimation to frat boy. There were boxers with kiss prints, four leaf clovers, beer logos, a woman's face with her open mouth strategically placed, all sorts of goodies. She frowned and decided to move onto a different drawer. There, she found some basketball shorts. They went clear past her knees, but they would do. She knotted the draw string tight and tried not to think about how bad her walk of shame was about to look.
I've never even done a walk of shame before – but last night was totally worth it.
“Thanks, I'll make sure they get back to you,” she told him as she buttoned up her shirt, heading back to the bed where she'd left her purse and shoes.
“No worries. Take it easy today, you're gonna be sore for a while,” he warned her, and when she looked up, he finally had his eyes open. They were red rimmed and tired, but still so warm. Full of laughter.
“Oh. Okay.”
He laughed and grabbed the bow at the front of her shirt, yanking her in close for a kiss. They both desperately needed to brush their teeth, and Katya was dying for a shower, but he still managed to take her breath away and had her contemplating how important her job really was.
“What happened to my little silver tongued vixen from last night?” he asked when he pulled away.
“She got left behind in the bottom of a tequila bottle. Thanks for a good time, Liam,” she said. He skimmed his thumb over her bottom lip, pressing down lightly.
“Thanks for the best time, Katya.”
He kissed her once more, then slapped her on the ass when she walked away.
It wasn't till she was in her apartment, showered and getting dressed for work, that she realized they hadn't even exchanged phone numbers. Hadn't set up another date. Hadn't even learned each others last names (or at least, she couldn't properly remember his, and she'd never given her own).
Holy shit, did I just have a one night stand with my hot next door neighbor? I am, I really am a bad ass!
*
Liam dragged himself into work not long after Katya left, but he wasn't getting much work done. He was staring at his phone once again. He'd saved the picture from her Eros profile, which was a good thing because the profile didn't exist anymore. She'd deactivated it.
Good. She's a naughty little secret that we should keep to ourselves for a little while longer.
She'd rocked his fucking world. He'd expected to call her bluff – that she'd take one look at his little club and turn tail. Her taking the shots had been surprising enough, but making out with him? Letting him take off her shirt? Jerking him off? He'd thought he was going to die.
Liam was no virginal choir boy – fucking was like an Olympic sport for him. He trained hard, and he trained often, so it wasn't like some girl wanting to have sex with him was usually so mind blowing. But that particular girl had been something else. Most of the women Liam slept with were old pros at having casual sex. Being with Katya, it was like discovering that lifestyle all over again. Her hands, trembling and full of excitement. Awkward and insistent.
It had made him excited and nervous. Caught between not wanting to scare her away, yet also not wanting to pressure her. Desperately wanting to touch her, but also wanting to do the right thing.
Anticipation. The best of all the feelings, in his opinion. Katya had practically had him begging her to touch him, praying that she'd go just that little bit further with her little bravery charade.
And ooohhh boy, did she go that little bit further. Little bit? Pfffft, try a couple extra miles. He still couldn't wrap his brain around the things she'd let him do to her. Schoolmarm to freak-in-the-sheets, in less than a day. She'd needed to cut loose, that much was clear, and why she'd chosen to do it with him, he'd probably never know, but sweet jesus, thank god she had.
Angel cake, I'd cut loose with you any time.
“EDEN!”
Liam groaned and rubbed his hand across his face. He tried to close the screen on his phone, but he wasn't quick enough, and his partner caught another eyeful of Katya before the screen went black.
“Hey, Riiicckkyyy, how's it going?” he asked, spinning around in his chair.
“You know I hate that fucking name.”
“Okay, Richard. What's up?”
“Not a whole lot. Just checking on my investment. How're things on your end?”
“Good, good.”
“How did the date with Susie Homemaker go?”
“Good.”
“Just good? I already heard some interesting things from the staff. Right out there on the floor, huh. Shocking. Not like you, Eden.”
“Yeah, well, this girl wasn't like anything I've ever experienced. I took my chance when I had it,” Liam explained.
“Was it worth your while?”
“More than you could possibly even guess.”
“Hmmm, interesting.”
“Did you want something, Ricky?” he asked, glancing up at the other man.
“No, just checking in. I'll go get us some drinks, we can go over the books.”
And with that, his partner walked back out of the office. Liam glared after him for a while. If random visits were going to start becoming the norm, he was going to look into working from home.
Hmmm, home. Which was roughly two hundred feet away from Katya's home. He leaned back in his chair and linked his hands together behind his head. They hadn't made any plans to see each other again – he hadn't even gotten her phone number. But just thinking about her had given him an uncomfortable hard on.
She seemed like she lived a very structured life. Liam was a great stress reliever. Maybe they could help each other out. He chuckled and adjusted himself in his pants.
Because I could definitely use some help right now …
5
“You what!?”
Katya yanked her cell phone away from her ear, wincing. Tori's normal speaking voice was loud, but when she got excited, she really went for being heard in the back of the room.