DORISI sang, and every song felt effortless.I went to the ladies' room at the break right before the last set, and when I came back out, there were 400 red roses all throughout the performance area. I knew this was Arthur’s doing. How did he get so many vases of roses into the Salton room in such a short time?The entire room smelled like a florist shop and looked like Valentine’s Day had come to the performance.I smiled at Arthur from up on stage and sang every romantic song I could think of.When we finished the last song, it seemed like the applause from the audience was louder than ever. Maybe all the roses put everybody in a good mood.Just as I was about to walk off the stage, Arthur came up and stopped me.“He stood in front of me at the bottom of the stage “This woman is the most amazing woman I have ever seen.”Then he walked up on stage and stood by my side. “Doris, from the first moment I met you, I knew you were special. You captured my heart and became part of my famil
DORISI was excited to get off work early. I planned to make a special dinner for Bob's birthday, and because my meeting cancelled, I had even more time to make something delicious.It was a gray day. The New York City smog and noise were worse than usual.But I whistled a happy tune. I walked down 5th Avenue on a cloud.Bob, my boyfriend of a year, and the most senior real estate agent in the firm where I was an entry-level marketer, said he didn't want to wait to plan a big wedding. He wanted us to elope at the end of the month.Promising me we'd be together in an expensive house with a pool was a little much. It was a lot, considering how hard I worked just to scrape by. Bob said I should pay the whole rent so he could save for a dream house for us.It's hard paying the expensive rent by myself, but Bob is so adamant about buying us a fancy villa, I have to believe him.Bob and his tales of our fantastic future quickly became my whole life. The least I could do was make him his fav
My trembling hands fumbled with the card key as I raced to unlock the hotel room door.“Want help?” Arthur said, his voice low and full of innuendo. He leaned over my shoulder. His incredible smell – subtle expensive cologne and underneath that sexy, raw male power – made me speechless. I just shook my head and breathed deeply.I could do this. I wanted this. I needed this.I nervously opened the door to my apartment, heart racing as I led Arthur inside. I couldn't believe I brought him home with me! Yet from the moment I saw him, I felt pulled to him by some invisible cosmic force. Yes, his incredible good looks helped, but it was much more than that.As soon as we got inside, we were all over each other, a frenzy of want. He pressed me up against the door. I had one second to admire his chiseled jawline and barely banked lust in his piercing gray-blue eyes.Then he kissed me with the kind of hunger I’d always dreamed of but never thought I’d have.I could feel the chemistry between
ARTHURI sighed as I listened to my mother's grating voice on the phone."Are you listening?""Of course, I am, Mother."It was impossible not to hear her. She couldn't stop hounding me that I needed to meet her boyfriend, Bob."I can't meet your boyfriend tonight," I said. My seven-year-old precious adopted daughter was my priority. "You know I always spend extra time with Mia on Sundays.""I can't believe you're choosing your not-even biological bastard over my fiance!" my mother screeched.I hung up on her.Monday morning, I boarded my private jet to France for a business negotiation."I know you've got a very tight schedule," my assistant, Nathan, said. He handed me a stack of papers once we got settled. "You'll find this deal has a great return on investment."I nodded, quickly scanning Nathan's good work.“One more thing Nathan, I need you to investigate the woman I was…intimate with last night."“What?!” Nathan stared at me with a look of surprise, but he quickly composed himse
ARTHURI stared down at Doris and time stopped. Then my mind flashed back to first turning onto Madison Avenue. I replayed the last few minutes from when I was in my Rolls Royce.I only planned on driving by where she worked, but as the limo moved on, I saw her. She appeared deep in thought, pushing up her attaché case and purse and beginning to unwrap a large sandwich.Then I saw Doris give food to a homeless man.My heart…expanded somehow.I told my driver to slow down.I looked at the report my assistant, Nathan, gave me and scanned it again.Doris. The name suited her. Hard-working and conservative on the outside, a fireball of lust waiting to be released on the inside.I hadn’t planned on stopping. I wanted more time to think.As I watched her, I couldn't help but be drawn to her infectious energy. There was something about her that captivated me, something that made me want to get to know her better."Slow down even more," I told my driver. When he immediately slowed the car, I
DORISThe ladies continued their conversation with Arthur. It seemed innocent, but their questions were getting more pointed.Brittney babbled. Is she flirting? Arthur was polite but aloof; his subtly cutting words made him even more attractive.Anna spoke up, asking him specific AmeriCapital questions.My heart raced.I tried to change the subject, but Anna wasn’t having it.Anna definitely once said her boyfriend worked at AmeriCapital Investments.The colleagues looked like they could see my guilty conscience.These women should be my friends! Instead, they winked and continued to stare aggressively at Arthur.Worse, they wouldn't stop asking questions, including if Arthur knew Peter, Anna's fiancé, an AmeriCapital executive.I didn’t know what to do. I’m doomed.AmeriCapital.God, of all the companies I could choose, why did I pick that one? I berated myself.I hoped to avoid disaster. Hopefully Anna's boyfriend wouldn't know.Anna asked a pointed investment question.Shit.I cou
DORISOn the other hand, Arthur was so much hotter than Bob. I wanted to show Bob that I could land a great guy, and rub it in Bob’s face.After lunch, Bob corned me again.“You’ll bring your boyfriend.”“Su-sure,” I stammered. “Of course...he’ll come.”“Good,” Bob smirked, looking like he had me corned.“Then it’s settled! I want to see how good your new boyfriend is.” Bob smirked.“Alright, definitely.” I fought down panic.I needed to figure out how to make Bob jealous. If I could only find sexy Arthur, he would be just the person to help me.That night I went to the small tavern where my friend Nina recently got a job.As I walked into the tavern, I was hit by a wave of nostalgia. The place was shabby and run-down, with peeling wallpaper and creaky wooden floors.The air was thick with the smell of smoke and stale beer, but despite its shabby appearance, there was something undeniably charming about the place. I liked it.The walls were adorned with old photographs, and there was
ARTHUR“Tell me again what the bride’s name is?” I asked. I heard Doris. It was just such a coincidence I needed to hear Doris tell me again.I couldn’t believe it. Of all the things for Doris to ask me. She wanted me to go with her to the wedding. This wedding.I lit a cigarette, stalling. “Sorry, I can’t promise you this.”“Why?”Doris was clearly puzzled. I couldn’t explain it to her.I already declined to attend my mother’s wedding multiple times. My crazy mother bashed a window of my new Maybach she was so furious. I couldn’t just change my mind.“Why not? It’s just one little favor?”“Why is it so important to you?”“Bob is my ex. The women at my office made a big deal about how great you are and Bob thinks I made it up. Bob cheated with Andrea while living with me…” Doris trailed off.I get it. God, they were both such awful people.Doris looked at me with pleading eyes.I gently caressed her cheek. I hated to turn her down."Please," she whispered.“I’ll think about it.”“Than