Chapter 4 The Morning After 🌶️

KYLA

His body was sculpted like a Greek god, every muscle clearly defined as he pulled off his shirt and stepped close to kiss me. I couldn''t help myself—my hands traced every ridge of his abs.

He reached around and unzipped my dress, letting it puddle on the floor. One hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing my cheek. The other hand worked my bra with practiced skill.

I pulled him down onto the bed, feeling the heat radiating between our bodies. His lips moved across my skin, his stubble tickling me in all the right places.

After three months of nothing, I was already soaking wet. He could tell and slowly slid my panties down.

I felt him hard against my thigh and couldn''t wait any longer. I yanked off his boxers, wrapped my fingers around his cock, and—

***

My phone alarm shrieked like a dying goose, ripping me out of last night''s memories. Sunday, right? No wait—I must have forgotten to turn it off. But when I checked the date, reality hit me like a truck. It wasn''t Sunday at all. I had to be at work in an hour.

Groaning, I rolled over to silence the alarm, only then realizing this wasn''t my bed. It was too... cloud-like.

My eyes flew open to reveal sunlight streaming through what was hands down the most gorgeous apartment I''d ever seen. And I worked at a hotel—I''d seen plenty of presidential suites.

The space was massive and open, with a wardrobe carved from dark mahogany that probably cost more than my car, and a TV the size of a small movie screen mounted on the wall.

Everything was spotless, except for two piles of hastily discarded clothes.

Mine.

And his.

Had I really slept with a complete stranger?

After specifically promising myself I wouldn''t do that.

The thought made my head spin. A stranger had seen me naked!

He''d put his tongue on every inch of my body!

I''d played the game. And won.

I''d had a one-night stand with a total stranger. A stranger who... wasn''t here anymore.

I looked around but didn''t see him anywhere.

Where was he?

What if he came back?

Shit!

This was supposed to be just a one-night thing. I really didn''t want to face him right now.

Though the sex had been pretty incredible. Incredible enough to make me want round two this morning.

One more time couldn''t hurt, right?

No, I couldn''t risk it. I needed to get out before he came back.

I quickly threw on my clothes—had to peel my panties off the marble bathroom floor. But I couldn''t find my shirt anywhere.

I had fifty minutes to get to work. I couldn''t show up looking like this. I was obviously in the middle of a walk of shame, and while my friends swore they''d never slut-shame anyone, I couldn''t say the same about my coworkers. Plus I had a reputation to maintain. What would my boss think?

I jumped in the shower—one of those fancy ones that doubled as a steam room. I wanted to stay forever, but duty called. I squeezed some toothpaste onto my finger for a makeshift toothbrush, then gargled some mouthwash. I slicked my wet hair back into a bun.

Now for the missing shirt problem.

After ransacking the place, I finally found it. Completely shredded. The lace was destroyed. I remembered Jensen ripping it off me last night. Even the memory turned me on.

Focus, Kyla.

I rifled through Jensen''s closet, looking for something that wouldn''t scream "borrowed from a guy." I found a crisp white button-down. I rolled up the sleeves and tucked it into my black pants from last night. My souvenir from my first one-night stand. Returning it would definitely break the rules of the game.

I quickly reapplied my lipstick and bolted from the bedroom.

I hunted for the main entrance, finally settling on the door at the end of the hall.

"Excuse me, miss. Do you need help?"

I spun around to see an older man with green eyes and graying hair—the driver from last night. His name was... Dante?

"No, no," I stammered. "I''m fine. I have work today. So I''ll just be going."

He chuckled. "We''re on the top floor of a penthouse, miss. And that''s a linen closet. Might I suggest the elevator instead?" He nodded toward a different hallway.

My face burned, but I kept my chin up. "Thank you." I pivoted sharply and walked to the elevator, jabbing the call button.

"If you''d like," he said, "I can give you a ride. Mr. Ha—"

"Thanks," I cut him off. "But I''m good."

The elevator dinged. I stepped in and mashed the close button, desperate to escape.

I''d never done a walk of shame before, but now, as my heels clicked through the pristine lobby, I felt like everyone was staring.

Head high, I walked out and hailed a cab.

Sitting in the back seat on my way to work, part of me felt gross. I didn''t even know him.

What if he had diseases?

Ugh!

But I''d also enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

It felt natural, like somehow we already knew each other''s bodies.

How do two strangers connect like that?

Maybe he was just really experienced? I''d only been with Alden, so what did I know?

But after Alden...

This was like breathing fresh air.

It was weird comparing Jensen to Alden, but the sex had been so much more intense. Alden always seemed to be going through a checklist, like he was doing routine maintenance.

Jensen, though, had immediately taken control, using his mouth, his hands, his fingers to drive me wild.

It didn''t feel routine—it felt like we were following our desires wherever they led.

He was fucking incredible, I thought, feeling a little shiver between my legs.

I immediately snapped back to reality, horrified by my lack of self-control.

You''re in a cab on your way to work. Get it together.

I''d let Alden in, and he''d really hurt me.

I couldn''t give anyone else that kind of power.

My phone buzzed—a text from my assistant, Rhea.

Maybe my boss Brian Leach was having a meltdown because I was late. That would be typical—he made no secret of how much he couldn''t stand me.

When I got to the hotel, Rhea, dressed in a lime green pantsuit, met me at the front door.

Whatever had happened, it was important enough for her to brief me in person before I went inside.

"They''re replacing Mr. Mayfield!" she blurted out.

"What?" Mr. Mayfield was the hotel''s General Manager. He''d been here for twenty years. "When?"

"Effective immediately. Mr. Mayfield is out, and the new guy starts today."

Shit, this was huge. "Thanks for catching me out here," I told Rhea. "You might have saved me from walking into that conversation blind."

My mind was already racing. Why hadn''t this been announced? We should have had weeks to prepare for a new boss.

I was about to ask more when movement in the lobby caught my eye. I glanced over and saw a tall, imposing man confidently walking toward me.

My one-night stand.

Jensen.