Page 4 of Caught off Guard

“Aren’t you still on the clock? I’d hate for you to get in trouble lounging with us in VIP.”

Dorrian tapped my arm to get my attention. He gently pushed his chick off his lap and gestured for me to lean his way.

“Man, Sophie’s yours for the night. I arranged it before you came. She’s sweet like you told me your Cece was, so I figured y’all would get along. Enjoy yourself, man. You deserve to let loose. It’s your anniversary.” He straightened his posture and smiled big like he solved one of the most complex math problems in the world.

I turned to Sophie. Dorrian was right. Not only did she look like Cece with the openness of her smile, but she also resembled Cece with how she nestled her body next to mine as if I were her comforter. She moved her hand from my thigh to my hand and held it. Her presence and purity comforted me.

You can’t cheat on Cece. But Cece’s dead,the other part of my brain shouted out to me.Dead.

I wrestled with the practicality of indulging with Sophie beyond the club. But our connection didn’t make sense.

Sophie sat patiently, like a dutiful puppy, waiting for my approval with a pat to her head of wild, natural hair. Instead of reaching for her as I wanted to, I clenched my free fist under the table and directed my attention back to Dorrian, whispering directly into his ear. “Is she a hooker? If so, I’m not okay with that. And you shouldn’t be either.” I mean mugged him, pissed that he might jeopardize his reputation and mine with illegal activities.

Sophie released my hand and tugged the bottom of my long-sleeved shirt, forcing me to give her my attention again.

“I don’t do stuff like that,” she added quickly, surprising me with her response.

Had she heard me? Or was she just attuned to my stiff body language?

“Whatever we do will be above board. I promise.” She crossed her fingers like a kid. “I’m on birth control but need you to use protection too. I don’t want any babies.”

I scanned her full breasts and flat stomach and finally gave her a genuine smile.

“Glad to know we’re on the same page.”

Maybe this was my opportunity to let loose and satisfy my body on the one day of the year when my heart felt heaviest. My Cece wasn’t coming back.

What was the harm in connecting with a willing woman who might ease some of the loneliness that made me want to curl up in a ball and sleep for a week? At least I’d replace sadness with a small reminder of what I had with my first love.

I lifted my hand and wiggled my index finger at Luther to get his attention from the corner of the VIP section where he stood on guard. As usual, he was by my side in seconds. He looked Sophie up and down as if she might have a contagious disease before shifting his attention back to me.

“You good, Boss?”

I ignored the frown on Luther’s face and ushered him closer so others wouldn’t hear our conversation.

“This is Sophie. She and I are going for a ride. Signal for Wayne to pull the car around.”

He stared between us again, giving me a raised eyebrow as if to ask,Are you sure about this?

I lifted my glass to my lips and nodded, nonverbally reassuring him that I knew what I was doing.

He pulled out his phone to call my driver. Sophie watched me with what appeared to be bated breath as I finished my drink and smiled at her. I waved my fingers in the direction she had originally come.

“Grab your stuff and clock out. Meet me out back when you’re done. We’re going to the Westin for the night.”

The early morningAtlanta sun shone through the partially open blinds of my luxury suite on the sixty-ninth floor of the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel the following day. The sun’s violation of my peace made me want to curse it out.

I’d never been a morning person, so my eyes felt like lead, and my head was as heavy as a boulder as I lay in bed. I squinted to focus on my surroundings but couldn’t keep my eyes open to save my life. I shut them tight again, wishing that whatever nightmare this was would go away.

Move.

I repeated the word to myself countless times, but my body didn’t want to cooperate. Because of that, I lay flat on my back, staring at the ceiling with my left hand on my stomach.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

My chest rose and fell as I inhaled and exhaled. Once I felt some semblance of stability in my brain, I lifted my neck cautiously and directed my attention to the suite’s kitchenette and oversized lounge area to my right. Although my excruciating headache was still there, at least my eyes could now focus. My eyes quickly gravitated to the obstruction near my face—a big head of voluminous black hair that pinned my right arm down firmly.

Oh hell.

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