Page 41 of Addicted

“Stop, you’re fine,” he said, plopping me all the way into the water. I sat still for a few seconds as I adjusted to the heat and sighed as my muscles loosened.

“I’ll be back, Whitney.” He gave me a long look before walking away. I sang the high notes in the chorus to his back and smiled as his laugh boomed around the room.

He’d drawn me a bath. A hot as fuck bath because he knew I’d be sore from all of our… activities last night. I smiled and leaned back in the water, feeling it completely cover me. This tub was a dream. Hell, all of this was a dream.

As annoyed as I was that I was boiling like barbeque short ribs in a crock pot, it gave me time to think and breathe.

In the back of my head, I knew we were in some bubble. In here, we could keep doing this and nothing else would ever have to change.

But, for now, I couldn’t think about change. I was embracing the Denny that threw my bitch ass boyfriend in a cab and stepped out of an elevator to get mine. The Denny that gave Curtis the finger when he’d lied to me. The one that was tired of his gaslighting and leeching.

That little voice in the back of my head was chittering at me, reminding me that I’d cheated on Curtis. And I wasn’t innocent, not by any means, but I reminded that voice that you can’t cheat on something that doesn’t exist. And Curtis had stopped being my partner a long time ago and he’d become my dependent.

Hugh didn’t need some sugar mama to pay his bills, he was accomplished and loaded, and he wanted me, not financial stability.

Being here with Hugh was never something that I’d considered before. But I’d also never considered Hugh before, I mean, not seriously. My mind would sometimes wander to him, but it was always some scenario that felt far-fetched and impossible. But now that I was here, I couldn’t imagine a different outcome. I was putting the pieces together, trying to see what I’d missed.

When did things change for him? Was there always something simmering between us, and I’d just missed it? I’d been oblivious to Curtis, was I just as unaware of Hugh?

I mean, the way he fucked me into oblivion was one thing. But yesterday. That was something… else. The whole day, not just the sex…

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and focused on my senses, not on my racing thoughts. The scent of sage and coconut oil was soothing. The heat from the water was relaxing and the silky feeling of my legs meeting beneath the water was delicious. My face started to heat at the memory of Hugh’s hands on me, his thumb teasing my asshole. That was new… And I didn’t hate it?

Who the fuck was I becoming? A new me? An unhinged version of myself? I leaned back further as theheat surrounded me. Right now, I was a pampered bitch. All that was missing was.

Footsteps echoed against the tile as Hugh walked in carrying a bellini and a bowl of fruit.

Food and a little drinky drink? Was this man proposing, because yes. I smiled to myself.

“What’s that smile?” he asked as he bit his lip, handing me the glass.

I took a sip and nodded, changing the subject, “Thank you, this is nice.”

Hugh leaned down, giving me a kiss before popping a grape into my mouth.

“It makes me happy to see you happy, Denise.” There was so much warmth in his voice.Who was this man? My smile made my cheeks hurt.

“Iamhappy.”

Hugh fed me another grape and a strawberry before excusing himself, adjusting his pants on the way out of the bathroom.

I laughed.

Apparently, a man can only take so much torture before he had to tap out.

After a while, the water started to cool, and I knew it was time to get up. Thoroughly pruned, I grabbed the towelhe’d left for me and dried off. I could see the bruises, bright against my ass, and I smiled, tracing the outline of one that was darker than the others.

My muscles still protested as I moved, but they felt much better than before. I spared a glance at the bruises on my arms, the color had begun to fade a bit and I could only see the yellow and green if I looked really hard. The scratches were scabbed over, and I inhaled as I poked at one.

It was so bizarre to compare the two. One was done in anger and the other with affection. Somehow Hugh and I had gone from fucking to indulging in each other and something far more. It took me by surprise.

The man had offered to let me move in. Not just, stay for a few days and get your bearings, he said he’d put my name on his deed.

Now, I’m not a whole fool, I know men say next-level shit when they’re balls deep in something good, and once that post-nut clarity hits, they walk it all back and find a way to gaslight you into believing that they never said that.

But that wasn’t Hugh. Sure, I hadn’t been fucking him for very long, but we’d been friends for years. Had I been oblivious to how he felt the whole time? I stared at my unruly reflection and pulled at my hair. It wouldn’t be the first time that I was blind to a man.

Finding mouthwash, I gave it a little swirl and cleaned my face.

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