THE STRANGER

ELENA CARLSON

“Oh my God, Elena,” Emily wrapped me in a bear hug, one of her hands tightening around me while the other hand pushed through my hair after I concluded the ordeal of my life to her. 

Emily had been my friend since we were in kindergarten.  I had shown up in her house unannounced as I had nowhere else to go and she had welcomed me with open arms. 

“I hate him, Emily. I hate him so fucking much. He used me, he never loved me.  I went to prison for that man, and this is all I got in return,” I mumbled as more tears streamed down my cheeks. 

“I can't believe he was married to you for seven fucking years just to get back his brother’s money,” Emily said in disbelief.

“I am so stupid. Why didn't I see it from miles away? The way he approached me, flirting at his own brother’s funeral with me. He made me feel loved, less lonely. He love-bombed me, I thought he was like Braden….” I couldn't even finish my words. Braden would never do this to me. Luke is anything but Braden.

“It was the trauma, girl.  You had just lost the love of your life, and you couldn't have seen it even if he was strapped and decorated in color red. Don't blame yourself,  he showed you the part he wanted you to see,” She tried to console me. 

She was right, he had manipulated me from the start.

“You know what?” Emily pulled back to wipe away my tears. “We are not going to sit here, sobbing because of some asshole on a weekend. We are going to go to the club and get fucked up tonight,” she said with such excitement that only she could have. Typical Emily.

“I don't know, Emily,” I grunted, in no mood to go out. 

“You can't say no, baby. You dodged a bullet, being married to a psychopathic narcissistic son of a bitch, and that is worth celebrating.   And if you say no, I swear to God, I will drag you to the club,” she swore.

How could I argue with that?

*****

Three hours later, I’d had three shots of tequila gone, screamed my heart out while dancing my ass out in the middle of the club. I was on top of the world, right now and I didn't care. I wanted to be reckless and make decisions I would regret tomorrow. After all, there was nothing more to lose. 

“There is this guy that has been staring at you since we got here, at the bar,” Emily whispered, subtly pointing toward the bar at a man wearing a black suit. She was as drunk as I was so she could be wrong.

I giggled taking in the man I could barely see.  “He is handsome, I should go talk to him,” I gulped another shot of tequila as I made my way toward him.

“Be Careful, he could be a serial killer,” Emily called out after me. 

I gave her a thumbs-up as I made my way to the stranger. He had his eyes on me not even pretending not to stare. Somehow, the intensity of his gaze almost made me change my mind. I was nervous, I couldn't even lie.

“Has anyone ever told you that it is rude to stare at people?” I teased as I approached him. A small smile formed on his lips and instantly my heart melted.

I was drunk, but I could still make out his facial features. He had brown eyes, the most gorgeous pair I had ever seen in my life. Maybe it was the depth of them that wouldn't stop searing my skin with a burning intensity.

“What is a stunning woman like you doing in a place like this?” He tilted his head toward me while I stood in front of him.

I let out a soft chuckle, glancing at him in amusement.

It was the first time any man had called me stunning in seven years. 

“I hardly think I am stunning and as for what I am…”

“You are exquisitely beautiful” He cut me short before I could undermine myself. When I wouldn't look at him, especially as those eyes continued to burn through me, he brought his hand up to my face, slowly tilting my head back to face him with a gentle flick of his finger beneath my chin.

Although his eyes are brown and filled with warmth, they are stormy…exactly like those of a man I had seen before. 

“You…” I muttered, at loss for words. I was sure that I had seen him before but it could be the alcohol.

“Me?” He drew back in reply. “What about me?” He arched a questioning brow at me.

My eyes followed the curve of his sensual mouth as they lifted in a smile. Shameless. I was Shameless.

“You look so familiar. Have I met you before?” I asked, my lips curling in a smile. It must be the alcohol. 

“Am I now?” 

He leaned forward then, brushing his lips against mine. I gasped while my toes curled in my heels and every thought of self pity I had been feeling for myself vanished with the wind.

“Yes,”

“Maybe our hearts have met before and yours recognize mine and it leaps for me. It wants me,” He teased as he pulled away.

“I want you,” the words escaped my mouth before I could stop myself. It was the alcohol.

The alcohol was messing with my head.

“Do you now,”  A sly smile formed on his lips, but before I could respond, he pulled me to him. I spinned around and my hands fell on his hard chest, putting a distance between us. He pulled me by my waist until my breasts were pressed against his chest, burning me, sending a rush of heat waves down my nerves. 

“You are so damn gorgeous. You take my breath away,” he whispered as he lowered his mouth to my ears, nibbling at them gently. 

“You have fine eyes, I could stare at them forever,” I tilted my head up to gaze at him since he was towering over me. His strong arms steered me to the music for and for a second, I wanted to run my fingers over them and feel them flex under my touch.

Alcohol. Alcohol. Alcohol.

“Let us go upstairs,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. He didn't utter a word, instead he pulled away from me. Disappointment sank to the bottom of my stomach but then he stretched forth his hand, gesturing for me to follow him. I smiled as I silently followed behind him while he led the way out of the place, up a fleet of stairs. 

My fingers trembled with nerves and impatience as I watched him pay for a room. This man who I didn’t even know was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen in a very long time. And I wanted him. He paid for the room and beckoned for me to follow him which I did.

Why wasn't I regretting this? I should turn back now. But every fiber of my being wanted to be with him. We made our way to the room in tension-filled silence. 

My breath hitched and my eyes closed in pleasure as his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me to himself the moment the door went shut.

“You smell like heaven, Kitten.” He inhaled, placing his face in between my breasts.

I almost yelped when he knelt in front of me, his fingers crawling up my thighs taking my dress with it until I was bare in front of him.

“You are going to be the death of me, little kitten. I am going to devour you,”

“Don’t keep me waiting then,” I pulled him to me, hungrily kissing him before he pulled away.

“Patience, kitten. I am all yours tonight,”

I found it sensuous that he was calling me that and when his fingers grazed my opening in a teasing touch, my legs buckled with need. 

“All mine,” I repeated his words as my mouth met him in a kiss. His mouth didn't taste like alcohol so I knew that he had not been drinking. I pulled away, our breath mingling with each other. He pressed kisses to my breasts and I felt myself shudder from the pleasure raking through me. 

His mouth caught mine briefly while his fingers pushed my panties aside to graze over my clit once more. I couldn't help myself as I moaned into his mouth, desperate for more. As if he heard my thoughts, he broke the kiss and slowly tugged my panties down. 

My eyes followed his movement as I stepped out of my panties but still wearing my heels. He crouched down and picked up my panties, bringing it to his nose to drink in the scent. I felt a thousand times hot.

“Fucking apples, you smell like apples,” He growled low in his throat.

I couldn't even say a word as I watched him, mesmerized by how wet he was making me. Meeting my gaze, I watched him fold my panties neatly still smeared with my juices before he tucked it away into the pocket of his pants. I should ask for them back but it brought me great pleasure that he was willing to keep a reminder of me.

Tugging at my hand, I allowed him to lead us to the bed where he sat down while I climbed his laps to straddle him. His fingers trailed down my naked back and then my waist and my thighs until he touched my wetness.

My back arched in pleasure, wanting more.

“Do I have permission to fuck you?” He asked as though he wasn't already playing with my pussy. My eyes fluttered open once as I nodded.

“You do,” I muttered just in case he was thinking of stopping this after getting me so wet.

He let out a low growl, gripping my waist before he gently shoved me onto the bed. He lowered himself on me, giving me a part of his weight that I could handle. I closed my eyes in anticipation.

“Keep your eyes open, little dove… I want you to watch us. ” He ordered and that was all the warning I got before he drove into me.