A night stand with the CEO

Alina Moreno stood near the entrance for a moment, her fingers tightening around the strap of her small handbag. Her mother, Elena, was somewhere in the crowd, glowing with happiness, her hand resting possessively on the arm of her new husband, Richard. It was her fifth wedding. She forced a polite smile as a distant relative passed by, but her heart felt heavy, weighed down by years of watching this same cycle play out. She had seen her mother change husbands, change homes, dragging her along every time. It had taught her one clear lesson, attachment only leads to pain. If you never let anyone get too close, they can never leave you. If you never believe in happy endings, you can never be disappointed when they end. Quietly, she slipped away from the main ballroom, moving toward the quieter lounge at the far end of the hotel. She needed air, or at least, she needed to be alone. She sank into a deep velvet chair in the darkest corner of the room, pulling her knees slightly toward her. She felt invisible here, and for a moment, that was exactly what she wanted. She watched the people passing by, laughing, drinking, celebrating love while she sat there convinced it was nothing more than a fairytale. Then he saw her. She did not notice him at first. Without realizing it, he slowed his steps. There was something about her… like she was holding herself together by pure willpower alone. And honestly? She was doing a terrible job of hiding it. He walked right over to her table. “Hey… are you okay?” he asked, his voice low enough not to startle her too much. She looked up fast, clearly surprised. “I’m fine.” “Nah… you don’t look fine.” Her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass. “You don’t know me.” “Fair enough.” He glanced around the grand, glittering room. “But I know this place. Trust me, it’s the worst spot to have a bad day. Everything here is supposed to be flawless, so if you aren’t… it shows.” “I’m doing well,” she said, her voice quiet but defensive. “Alright, alright.” He stepped back slightly, as if he was about to leave… then stopped. “You’ve held that drink for ages. Mind if I sit with you a minute?” She hesitated, looking him over carefully, but she didn’t tell him to get lost. Good enough. Drake pulled out the chair opposite her, sat down, poured himself a drink from the bottle on the table, and took a slow, easy sip. She watched him closely. Then, as if suddenly deciding she had something to prove, she lifted her own glass. One sip. Then another, bigger one. He leaned in a little, his tone turning teasing. “Easy there. Don’t get drunk on me.” A tiny, faint smile touched the corners of her lips. “I think I should be telling you that.” “Oh yeah?” “I’m actually really good at this.” He smirked. “Cheers then.” Their glasses clinked softly. And then… Her hand slipped. Her body swayed. Her eyes rolled back. She just went down. Drake reacted instantly, catching her right before her head could hit the edge of the table or the floor. He wrapped his arms firmly around her to break her fall and keep her safe. “…Wow,” he muttered, adjusting her weight against his chest. “That didn’t last long, did it?” For a second he just stood there, holding her. Not my problem, he told himself firmly. I could call someone. Hand her over to the staff and walk away. Instead… he sighed, shifted her weight, and lifted her fully into his arms. She was lighter than she looked, completely limp and helpless against him. “Yeah… this is definitely a bad idea,” he murmured to himself. But he turned around anyway and walked straight toward the elevators. Straight to his suite. Drake gently laid her on the bed, carefully slipping off her shoes one after the other. For a moment, he just stood there, watching her soft, vulnerable, nothing like the woman he had met earlier that night. He turned to leave. But she held him. Alina’s fingers wrapped around his hand. Don’t leave me… she whispered, her voice unsteady as she looked up at him. Drake paused, surprised. Just hours ago, she had been distant, almost untouchable. Now, she looked at him like she needed him. He knew it was the alcohol, but somehow, the moment still felt real. He stepped closer again, his expression softening, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. But before he could pull away, Alina tightened her grip on his shirt and pulled him down, pressing her lips against his. Drake could not control his desire. He kissed her back, more deeply this time. He couldn’t resist the urge anymore, he grabbed her like he had been waiting for her all his life. She couldn’t resist Drake’s touch as his hands lingered on her body. Alina responded without thinking, her body reacting to a feeling she had never known before. His touch sent waves through her, a strange, overwhelming sensation she couldn’t resist. Don’t leave me… she murmured again, her voice breaking slightly. I’m not going anywhere, Drake replied, his tone low and thick with emotion. Alina could feel Drake's hand moving down her waist. She wasn’t sure what he would do next, but she liked it. It was the first time a guy had actually touched her. He pulled off her dress and pants, still caressing her body. It seemed she wasn’t ready for these overwhelming emotions, yet she couldn’t help herself. His hands moved slowly as they lingered all over her body. While she clung to him, unsure of everything except how much she didn’t want the moment to end. For the first time, she wasn’t thinking about expectations, or her mother’s teasing, or the fact that she had never let anyone come this close to her. All she felt… was him.