Page 7 of Lorcan's Obsession

Dom: Preach it, Doc! You and I work late nights. I'm turning off my phone and going back to sleep. See you later, Gorgeous.

Dom was the effervescent leader of our group and my personal bestest friend. He was a master at mixing drinks and convincing us to try all kinds of things. Partying with him was out-of-this-world legendary, but the best thing about him was his heart of gold. His empathy was boundless.

Mia: Guys, I think I need a new hair curler. This one keeps switching on and off. Probably be late. Going back to finish my hair. Tris, why do you need a distraction?

The youngest WAP, Mia already owned a real estate company at only twenty-five. She was also our Recreational Drugs Liaison. Whenever we took overseas trips, we could count on Mia to make the fastest connections, ensuring enough supply of weed, molly, and anything else we wanted. She was our real-life unicorn—a Mother Teresa with an El Chapo alter ego. Simply fabulous.

Me: Selena has to be here for this and then I’ll tell you guys everything. Where is she? Selenaaa!

Selena: Hey cuties, I was getting my morning dose of vitamin D. The one directly from a guy.

Selena…well. There were no sufficient words to describe her. Workwise, she was an advertising exec at a high-end firm, but that wouldn’t express her fierce and unapologetic outlook. Selena grabbed life by the balls more than the chaddiest Chad. She could hype a tabby cat with so much horseshit, it would be a damn tiger when she was done.

Selena: You have my attention now. What's up?

Me: Okay, I saw a cute guy yesterday.

No, he wasn't cute.

He was hot.

Very, very hot.

Kora: You called a meeting because you saw a hot guy? How is that news? Back. To. Sleep.

Mia: Alright, counselor, your audience is thinning, but Sel and I are still here. Tell us what happened between you and the hottie.

Me: Mmm... nothing, really.

Mia: In that case, gotta go!

Selena: Bitch, you sure you studyin' to be a lawyer? That was mortifying.

Me: Be nice. It's just us now.

Selena: Ok. Why him? What's different?

Me: Dunno but I'm curious as fuck to find out. Ask me tomorrow. Going on the hunt for him tonight.

Selena: That's my girl. Make sure he gives it to you so good, your system resets tomorrow. You can't wake people up just bc you’re horny!

Selena was right. Last night's scratch hadn't stopped the itch. If anything, it had worsened. My mind was convinced that the guy could fuck me until I forgot my name, and I'd leave his apartment looking like I had communed with Jesus himself.

Why was I thinking about his apartment? WAP was a business arrangement, best done on neutral grounds. Hotel rooms, for instance.

Right now, I had to distract and calm my mind. Staying at home would mean I would be running in mental circles. Tossing a few books into my monogrammed LV tote, I decided to go for a relaxing walk at Jumeirah Beach. After a short drive and a stop for a macchiato, I shed my sandals and joined the throng of beachgoers heading toward the sandy shores.

Bright sunlight shone in a blue sky dappled with puffy white clouds. The air was balmy and humid, warming my bare arms.

The feeling of sand squishing between my toes and beneath the soles of my feet grounded me in my body. I sipped my macchiato and took in the endless coastline and its creamy-white sand. The ocean’s waters were clean and clear, their waves lapping against the shore in a beautiful serenade.

Walking on this beach always felt like a warm hug from Mother Nature.

A salty breeze swept up from the ocean, brushing my chocolate curls against my face. I tucked the flyaways behind my ear and glanced at the kids nearby. They giggled as they built their sandcastles and filled little plastic trucks with sand.

I spotted a quiet place to sit and laid out my beach mat. Taking “The Anatomy of Corporate Law” out of my bag, I found the latest bookmark and began reading about protecting minority shareholders. As corporate law topics go, it was extremely easy. And yet, I found myself going over the same lines again and again. My damn brain refused to focus on the book and kept wandering to last night.

At last, I got frustrated and slammed the book shut. Maybe another tactic would help ease my rushing thoughts. I lay on my mat, staring up at the sky and pressing my palms into the sand. Taking deep breaths, I tried to allow the tranquility of the environment to enter my body. Every time my mind pulled toward the hot stranger, I gently brought it back to the present, as best I could. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe—

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