LOGINCassie groaned as the shrill ringing of her phone cut through the fog of sleep. It was on the bedside table, blinking insistently, and she fumbled blindly for it, her hair falling into her eyes. Without even looking at the screen, she pressed the answer button, her voice thick with sleep. “Hello?” she mumbled, the sound rough from the alcohol and lack of proper rest. “Where are you?” came the voice on the other end. The person sounded impatient and demanding. Cassie’s head felt stuffed with cotton. Her temples throbbed and her throat ached from yesterday’s shouting and laughter. She blinked rapidly, trying to orient herself. “I… I’m at home,” she croaked, her voice hoarse. “You’re not,” Reggie said, his calm tone leaving no room for argument. Cassie froze, the fog in her brain lifting slightly. “Who… who is this?” she slurred, squinting around the dim room in confusion. “It’s Reggie,” he answered simply. Her eyes flew open, and in that instant of clarity, her head jerked
Reggie parked his sleek, matte-black sedan in the driveway, his mind drifting into the quiet anticipation of the weekend. The drive had been quite long but he had needed it to get his mind in order. From all that thinking, one thing was clear; he wanted Cassie. And he had promised himself to stop running, at least for a minute and get to know her. He had delegated his monthly trips to his subordinates as they were capable of handling anything. He needed rest and the thought of collapsing on the couch and sleeping the the jetlag away made him park quickly. But first, he needed to find Cassie and let her know that he was home. But when he opened the door and stepped inside, the apartment was empty. Not even a trace of her; no warmth lingering on the sofa, no faint scent of her shampoo in the air. His brow furrowed. It wasn’t like Cassie to be out late without leaving a note. He set down his suitcase, already calculating the possibilities: maybe she had gone out with friends from work,
Cassie’s heart lifted the moment she spotted Nina waiting at the door. She was leaning casually against the polished wood frame, a playful smile on her lips. The warm glow of string lights above and the faint thrum of bass from inside the bar promised an evening of escape, and Cassie felt a thrill crawl through her.“Finally!” Nina exclaimed, tugging Cassie inside. “I was starting to think you’d bailed out on me.”“Never,” Cassie said, returning the grin. “I needed this.”The place had the unique energy she loved; an entry system that required buying two cocktails for access, each accompanied by a ticket that granted entry. When she handed over her payment, she received her voucher and held it up with a small laugh. Purple. Purple meant she got a free drink and a slice of cake. A twist that made her feel as though the universe itself was giving her a nod. “Looks like tonight’s going to be a good night,” she whispered to herself, letting a smile curl her lips.Nina’s eyes twinkled. “Se
Cassie tapped her pen against the edge of her desk, the hollow sound echoing the dull ache of boredom that had settled over her like a heavy fog. Friday had stretched itself into a slow crawl, with long meetings and reports she could practically recite in her sleep. People had started leaving for the weekend and the desks were becoming empty by the minute.She sighed and looked across the office at Nina, who was still seated at her desk, a half-smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.“Bored?” Nina asked, eyes glinting with curiosity.“Very,” Cassie admitted, rolling her shoulders back as if to shake the monotony from her body. “I’ve been staring at the same spreadsheets for hours. I’m dying for a little… excitement.”Nina leaned back in her chair, a conspiratorial grin spreading across her face. “Then why don’t you come out with me tonight? I was thinking girly cocktails at my favorite joint."Cassie felt a flicker of excitement ignite in her chest. “You know what? That sounds perf
Reggie stared at the polished table in front of him, the glossy surface reflecting the lights of the conference room. Around him, the room buzzed with the low murmur of his employees' voices, the clicking of pens against notepads, and the occasional cough that punctuated someone’s sentence. He was detached nodding at points that required acknowledgment and chiming in just enough to avoid suspicion, but the meeting itself felt like an elaborate performance, one he could have easily delegated.The truth was, he hadn’t come to the meeting because he cared about quarterly projections or the new merger. He knew every spreadsheet by heart; the detailed reports had been sent to him this morning while he brushed his teeth. He could have had one of his secretaries attend, briefed them in full, and spent the morning doing anything but sitting here feigning interest.He pressed his palms to his face, rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying to quell the emotional ache. He knew the source of his di
Cassie stirred as the alarm clock blared beside her, its shrill insistence cutting through the haze of sleep and last night’s wine. She hit snooze automatically, curling deeper into the warmth of the sheets, her hand reaching instinctively toward the other side of the bed. Empty. Her fingers brushed only cool, crumpled sheets. For a heartbeat, confusion knotted her stomach. She blinked against the morning light creeping through the curtains before shaking her head. What had she been expecting really? Tp find Reggie curled up next to her? The man hadn't even allowed her to touch him or see him naked, expecting to find him in her bed was a tall order. She pinched herself awake and to get rid of the bad feeling that was starting to crawl up her veins. He had made her orgasm several times, and maybe that was supposed to count for something. She was reaching and she knew it. She got up from the bed and went to draw the curtains to let in the sun. Today was a new day and she was not goin







