-Ember-
I sleep most of the day, which is expected considering I was probably up all night. When I open my eyes, a dim light is on in the room. Oaklynn, Stella, and Ainslee are sitting on the bed with matching smirks on their faces.
"What?" I ask innocently, though I know exactly why they're here.
"Spill it," Oaklynn demands, bouncing slightly on the mattress.
"Yeah, we want every dirty detail," Ainslee adds, leaning forward eagerly.
I can't hide my smile and put my hands over my face, peeking at them through my fingers like a teenager with a crush.
"I FUCKING KNEW IT!" Stella shrieks, high-fiving Ainslee so hard it echoes through the room. "Did he fuck your brains out?"
Heat instantly fills my face, and I try to hide in the pillow, but there's no getting out of this interrogation.
"And then some," I finally admit, unable to keep the pride from my voice.
Giddy shrieks fill the room as all three of them practically vibrate with excitement.
"Holy shit!" Stella gasps, clutching her chest dramatically.
Ainslee grabs my hands and pulls them away from my face. "Did you ride the train to O-town all night?" she asks, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
I nod, unable to get the grin off my face. "Multiple stops. Express service. Non-stop service. The whole damn transit system."
This sends them into another fit of giggles and squeals.
"And did he tell you his name?" Oaklynn asks, her expression growing more serious.
My face falls. "No. He stuck to the rules."
"Why do you look upset?" Oaklynn presses, studying me closely.
"I'm not," I reply quickly—too quickly. "He did everything he agreed to." But part of me wishes I knew his name and what pack he's part of... and how to get ahold of him again.
It was a one-night deal, Ivy reminds me. We should appreciate it for what it was and move on. Even if he did have a magical cock.
You're right, I concede. He said he's dangerous. Told me I should stay away.
Yeah, but dangerous dick is the best dick, Ivy counters, and I have to stifle a laugh.
"We need deets," Stella insists, practically crawling across the bed toward me. "Like, was he hung? Did he go down on you? How many times did you come?"
I slip out of the bed, shaking my head. "It was an amazing night. He was fan-fucking-tastic. End of story. I'm going to take a shower."
"Yeah, you still smell like sex and man," Stella says, scrunching her nose as she follows my movement across the room.
I toss her a look. "I showered earlier, but I think the scent seeped deep into my skin." I sniff my hair and can't help but smile. "I'm not complaining though."
The girls all break out in giggles again.
"So, that's it? You're not going to give us more details?" Ainslee pouts, crossing her arms.
"Nope," I say, shaking my head firmly. "And the chastity belt is locked right back on, so don't you get any crazy ideas for tonight."
Not that anyone will ever compare to our mystery man, Ivy comments. I don't think my lady parts will ever be the same.
There's no doubt about it, I agree silently. I've been thoroughly ruined.
"At least tell us if he was big," Stella calls after me. "On a scale of one to ten!"
"Off the charts," I call back with a laugh. "Like, 'I'm not sure how it fit' big. 'I might have seen God' big."
"HOLY SHIT!" Stella screams, and I hear a thud that I assume is her falling off the bed.
I race to the bathroom to avoid any more of their questions and lock the door so I can shower in peace.
I lean against it with my eyes closed. All I see is black, but I can still feel and smell him. I can hear his deep voice and feel the ghost of his lips on my skin.
"You're so fucking tight," he'd growled as he pushed inside me. "Like your pussy was made just for my cock."
My core flutters at the memory, but then reality comes crashing in, and disappointment fills me.
He's gone. It's as if the entire thing was a dream. I shouldn't feel like this. It wasn't part of the deal. Plus, it was a one-night stand. Nothing permanent happens from those. I still haven't officially rejected Tanner yet... that's when I realize I didn't feel any betrayal pains all night. There hasn't been a day in the last three years I haven't felt any. A small smile graces my lips. Maybe he felt the pain first and couldn't fuck one of his sluts last night.
"Ember! We're not done with you!" Ainslee yells through the door, pounding on it. "Did he make you come with his mouth?"
"I'm not answering that!" I yell back, though my blush gives away the answer even if they can't see it.
"That's a yes!" Stella shouts triumphantly. "I knew it! Was he good at it? Like, 'seeing stars' good or 'speaking in tongues' good?"
"Both!" I shout back before I can stop myself, then clap a hand over my mouth.
Their screams of delight penetrate the bathroom door, and I can't help but laugh.
I get in the shower and let the hot water beat on my back until it starts turning cold. When I get out, I wrap the towel around me, braid my long dark hair into two French braids, put minimal makeup on, and then step out of the bathroom still in my towel.
The girls are still there, sprawled across my bed and the chairs, clearly waiting for round two of the interrogation.
"Seriously?" I ask, though I can't help but smile at their persistence.
"We're not leaving until you give us something," Oaklynn states firmly. "One detail. That's all we ask."
I have a whole suitcase full of clothes, but there is only one thing I want to wear. I take my gift—the blue dress he bought me—and pull it out.
"Oh my goddess, is that new?" Stella gasps, running her fingers over the fabric. "It's gorgeous."
"He bought it for me," I admit, unable to keep the softness from my voice. "He took my clothes to be cleaned."
"He bought you a dress?" Ainslee squeals. "That's so romantic!"
"Wait, what did you wear back to your room this morning?" Oaklynn asks, frowning.
I hold up the dress. "This. He had it waiting for me."
"So he planned ahead," Stella says, wiggling her eyebrows. "Interesting."
"He also kept my panties," I blurt out, immediately regretting it when their jaws collectively drop.
"HE WHAT?" Stella screeches, practically levitating off the bed.
"He left a note saying my dress and bra would be returned to my room after cleaning, but my panties were his now," I explain, feeling my face heat up again.
"That is the hottest thing I've ever heard," Ainslee declares, fanning herself dramatically.
I turn away from them and drop my towel, slipping the dress over my head. Since he didn't seem to want me to wear any panties with it, I don't put any on. It's another thing I would never do, but something about last night makes me feel more carefree today.
"Are you going commando?" Stella asks, her eyes wide as she watches me.
I turn back to them with a mischievous smile. "Maybe."
They all gasp and then burst into laughter.
"Who are you and what have you done with Ember?" Oaklynn asks, pretending to be shocked.
"Seriously though," Ainslee says, her expression softening. "I haven't seen you smile like this in... well, ever."
"It was just sex," I say, though the words feel hollow even to me.
"Bullshit," Stella counters. "You're glowing. And you're wearing a dress he bought you with no underwear. That's not 'just sex' behavior."
"Fine," I sigh, sitting on the edge of the bed. "One detail, and then we're done."
They all lean forward eagerly, eyes wide with anticipation.
"He called me 'little wolf,'" I admit, feeling the blush creep up my neck again. "And the way he said it... like I belonged to him. Like he owned every inch of me and was proud of it."
"Oh my goddess," Oaklynn whispers, clutching her heart.
"That's hot," Ainslee agrees, fanning herself.
"And he signed his note with just 'A,'" I add, unable to stop now that I've started. "That's all I know about him."
"A mystery man with a big dick who buys you dresses, keeps your panties as a trophy, and gives you multiple orgasms," Stella summarizes, nodding appreciatively. "I'd say that's a win for your first one-night stand."
"You must be amazing in bed!" Ainslee teases.
Heat flares over my face. "Stop it."
"Seriously though," Oaklynn says, her expression turning thoughtful. "Do you think you'll ever see him again?"
I shake my head, ignoring the pang in my chest. "No. That wasn't the deal."
"But you want to," Stella observes, not a question but a statement.
I bite my lip, considering denying it, but what's the point? "Yeah," I admit softly. "I do."
"Maybe fate will bring you together again," Ainslee suggests, always the romantic.
Don't count on it, Ivy scoffs. Men like that don't stick around.
But what if he wanted to? I counter. He said if things were different...
They're not different, Ivy reminds me firmly. He's dangerous, remember? His own words.
"Earth to Ember," Stella says, waving a hand in front of my face. "You zoned out there. Probably reliving some hot memory, huh?"
They all laugh, and after a bit more teasing, we leave for the evening.
As we walk through the hotel lobby, I can't help but scan the faces of every man we pass, wondering if any of them is him. Would I even know? Would something inside me recognize him, even without seeing his face?
You're being ridiculous, Ivy chides. Let it go.
But as we step out into the night air, I can't shake the feeling that somewhere in this city, he's thinking of me too. And maybe, just maybe, he's wondering what might have been if things were different.