Page 14 of Lie With Me

As much as I’d love to see him again, the truth about what I do for a living would eventually come out, dooming the relationship. And that’sifhe even feels the same way as I do about our connection.

I spend entirely too much time watching him sleep from the doorway before I finally go, leaving the only reminder of our night together on his wallet in the foyer.

My phone shows a missed call from my bestfriend, Ginny, and a text message from a number I know all too well but never respond to.

I don’t want to be here anymore. Please let me leave.

Yet another reason why I do what I do.

A relationship would ruin everything.

Hastily wiping a lone tear as it falls from my eye, I slip out of Ken’s building, and into the bustling morning traffic of the city.

Tripp

Consciousness filters through me before I open my eyes. The giddiest grin takes over my face as memories from last night resurface, and I reach out for my bona fide sex goddess.

Only to turn into a frown when my hand meets the empty spot where she fell asleep next to me just a few hours ago.

Opening my eyes, I lift my head to look around my bedroom. “Bianca?”

Silence.

My heart skips a beat as I swing my legs off the side of my bed and grab the pair of boxer briefs I threw on after our shower last night. Heading out to the living room, I call out her name again.

Her clothes are gone, and the glasses we used for wine and left on the kitchen island are drying on the dish rack next to the sink. I search every surface I can think of for a note or anything she might have leftbehind that would give me a clue as to how to reach her.

But there’s nothing. She’s gone.

The bitter sting of disappointment laces through my veins as I head back to my room to get ready for work. It’s already eight thirty, and I’m supposed to be at the office by eight. I don’t bother showering again, even though we had sex two more times after the one we took last night, before finally falling asleep around three.

If the only reminder of our night together is her scent on my skin and linens, I’ll savor it all day and never rewash the sheets.

It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in almost a year.

I replay our night in my mind as I dress in a navy Prada suit and run my hand through my curls, attempting to tame them. It’s time for a haircut, but Bianca told me no less than three times last night how much she loved my hair, twisting it between her fingers while I went down on her.

In my opinion, the night was mind-blowing.

I can’t think of one reasonwhyshe would have left without saying something.

I had every intention of sleeping in and waking her up with another round before we exchanged numbers and went our separate ways—only to meet up again tonight and tomorrow andfuck…

She’s the most intoxicating woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.

I promised myself I’d never let another woman ensnare me as quickly as Emily had.

But Bianca isnothinglike Emily.

Stepping into the foyer, I freeze when I notice something on my wallet. For a split second, I wonder if Bianca took anything from it. She was, after all, a complete stranger that I invited into my home.

Did she steal anything?

As I get closer, I notice it’s a piece of paper, a corner torn from a larger sheet, which would explain why the takeout menu for my favorite Chinese place on the fridge is missing a chunk out of it.

There’s no name. No phone number.

All that’s on it is a kiss mark in red lipstick.

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