one night, one desire

chapter five

“what?!” Both Anne and Jacklin exclaimed at once.

“I know, I know, it was reckless. But I felt like I couldn’t say no.”

Anne nearly shrieked with delight, clasping her hands over her mouth to stifle her squeals.

“oh, my gah, I cannot believe you actually did it! With a hot stranger no less. Are you guys going to see each other again? Are you going to be a sugar baby now?”

Rebecca, embarrassed by Anne’s crude words threw a pillow at her, laughing. “oh, shut up! No, I don’t think we’ll see each other again. It was a one-night thing. I’m not looking for a sugar daddy or whatever.”

Jacklin nudged Rebecca gently with her elbow. “well, you never know. Stranger things have happened.”

“naa, I doubt. Besides, he was gone by the time I woke up,” Rebecca explained, her voice taking on a more thoughtful tone as she pulled her feet up on the couch, hugging her legs closely as her fingers subconsciously brushed over the bite mark on her neck. She was instantly sent back to last night’s passionate affair. “I don’t even know his name..." She added again, "...I guess it was just one of those magical, spontaneous moments that happens once in a lifetime.”

It really was a special moment, and if it weren't for her friends who'd suggested she let herself loose a little, she doubted she would have ever had the opportunity to experience something like that again. Hell, not even s*x with Jacob could hold a candle to the stranger.

Anne and Jacklin exchange a sympathetic look. Wishing they could do something about their friends’ mystery man.

Anne, Jacklin, and Rebecca had been friends since their college days. And they had met during their freshmen year and bonded over a shared love for late-night study sessions, cheesy rom-coms, and the Twisted series by Ana Huang.

Over the years, their friendship only grew stronger, surviving everything from breakups to cross-country moves. Even after graduation, they made it a point to schedule regular girl’s nights out, whether it was dinner at a trendy new restaurant or dancing at the hottest clubs. They were more than just friend; they were each other’s chosen family, always there to laugh, cry, and scheme together.

Jacklin, the tall, dark, Latina ice queen, oozed confidence, sass, and a “take no prisoners” attitude. She had that effortless cool that most girls could only dream of, with her sleek, shoulder-length black hair and bold makeup, she always made a statement.

Anne was a fiery redhead with a contagious laugh and a heart of gold. Her bright smile and lively personality lit up any room she walked into, making her a natural magnet for new friends and admirers alike.

Anne always seemed to be a never-ending high, with her bouncy, auburn curls and infectious enthusiasm. Whether she was dancing to her favorite song, sharing stories about her latest dating escapades, or cheering on her friends, Anne was the epitome of the girl next door with a hint of sass.

Rebecca however was the perfect balance between Anne’s bubbliness and Jacklin’s cool confidence. She had an air of easygoing charm about her, with her long burnet hair and warm, olive skin.

“so, when’s the big job interview again?” Jacklin asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “are you going to nail it and become the queen of real estate?”

Rebecca smiled, her fingers brushing against her forehead as if to push away the stress of the looming interview. “it’s on Monday, and I’m trying not to freak out about it,” she said with a nervous laugh.

“oh, girl, don’t worry about a thing,” Anne chimed in. “you’re smart, confident and way too pretty to fail. Plus, you’ve got us for moral support.”

As the evening hours crept in, Rebecca’s apartment grew silent. The buzz of conversations and laughter faded away, leaving only the gentle purring of Luna, curled up on the edge of the bed.

As she laid snugged into her plush beddings, Rebecca's mind continued to replay the events of the night she had spent in the embrace of the stranger. It was like a broken record, and ur drove her mad. Even if it was just once, she wished she could find him again. Maybe at least know his name, what kind of man he was. She let out an exhausted sigh. "Stay delulu, Becca..." She let out an airy laugh that sounded pitiful. Because that was what she was now. Instead of pouring her focus on the upcoming interview, there she was, curled up in bed, Dreaming of a man who probably doesn't even remember her face.

Exhausted, Rebecca finally shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep with a deep sigh of longing, her dreams filled with images of the stranger’s piercing gaze and strong hands tracing invincible lines over her body.

The very next morning being a Monday, the day of her oh so anticipated interview, Rebecca let her eyes fly open. Last night she'd barely had a wink of sleep, it might have been the anxiety of the interview, or it might have been because Luna kept meowing without a care in the world. Whatever the case, she was up now.

The morning light danced on the walls of Rebecca's bedroom, like the hands of a watch counting down the minutes until her interview.

She rose from bed with a sigh, stretching her limbs in a futile attempt to shake off the exhaustion and anxiety. But as she looked out the window, she saw that the sun was already well on its way to its zenith, and she had little time to spare.

If she landed this job, it could be a real game changer for her. Sure, she’s had her ups and downs when it came to relationships, jobs and terrible bosses, this time however, Rebecca felt almost confident that this time around everything would fall in place for her.

And the first step of it all was going go be her interview today. The Luxe Estate company was like a dream, not only did they pay well, but she’d also heard some pretty interesting rumors about the Boss. He was supposedly a handsome man, and single too! But, that was beside the point.

Rebecca had high hopes for herself, and with her degree in business, she was a shoe in for the position as a real estate broker associate at Luxe estate.

As She rolled onto her side, groggily checking the time on her phone: 6:00am. She had just enough time to get ready for the interview which was at nine.

With a deep breath, Rebecca swung her legs over the edge of the bed and began her morning routine. The water in the shower was blissfully warm, soothing her nerves as she lathered her hair and ran a loofah over her skin as the water cascaded down her back.

Despite the nights that had already passed since the incident with the stranger, She could still feel the ghost of his touch as the steam rose up. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she finally stepped out of the shower, not wanting to waste any more time on a fleeting memory.

And for a little boost in confidence, she put on some music.

(Music recommendation: like it by Cardi B)

Taking off the towel wrapped around her head, Rebecca reached for her blow dryer, running it through her hair until it fell in soft, glossy waves down her back.

And as the energetic beat of Cardi B's "Like It" reverberated throughout the room, Rebecca's mood began to shift. She started to dance along with the rhythm, letting the powerful lyrics ignite a fire within her.

She swayed her hips, humming the song to herself as she carefully applied her makeup. Feeling the heat of the song in her veins, she decided to add a pop of red lipstick, giving her a touch of sultry confidence and enhancing her natural beauty. A subtle smoky eye, a swipe of mascara, and a light tint of blush on her cheeks.

Dressed in her most professional outfit, a sleek black pencil skirt and a crisp white blouse, Rebecca surveyed herself in the mirror one last time, and she nodded. She looked the part of a successful, confident twenty-four-year-old woman, ready to take on the day-and interview.

On her way out the door, she spotted Luna stretched out on the couch, her green eyes following her cat mom as she slipped on a pair of heels. “wish me luck,” Rebecca whispered, bending down to stroke the cat’s ebony fur, she was soft and adorable, and Rebecca was almost tempted to stay back a little and play with the animal. “as tempting as those eyes are, Luna, I gotta go now”

With one last deep breath, Rebecca stepped out into the bright morning sunshine, the click of her heels echoing down the steps of her apartment.

With a confident sheen to her coat, Rebecca marched out the apartment and headed towards the nearest subway station, her heels clicking rhythmically on the pavement. The morning sun cast a golden hue over the city, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of optimism as she descended the stairs into the station.

It was just Eight in the Morning, but the station was already alive, different people from different classes of life, hurrying to purchase a ticket to their destination. And Rebecca was no exception as she bought her own ticket and boarded the train, the sound of the subway rumbling to life reverberating through the tunnels as the train sped through the underground network.

Rebecca watched in fascination as the stations flashed by, each one bringing her closer to her destination.

Before she knew it, the train had already arrived at the next station, and on time too. As the professionally dressed woman pushed pass the many people who where getting off the train when it had come to a stop, Rebecca caught sight of a rather frail old woman struggling with a heavy bag as she ascended the flight stairs, and being unable to just turn away, Rebecca offered the woman a hand, of which she had been grateful for.

Asides being beautiful, Rebecca had a good heart. But as the older woman frantically thanked Rebecca for her kind gesture, she couldn't help but glance down at the silver watch wrapped around her dainty wrist which had its hour hand pointing at eight, and the shorter minute hand moving towards twenty while the second hand sped round without a care. She sighed seeing as she had a little time, but not enough to stand around and chat ideally with the old woman. And as much as she hated dismissing old people, she was a bit pressed for time and smiled apologetically to the elderly woman before striding off down the opposite direction. Hopefully the old woman wouldn’t have any more troubles as she made her way to wherever it was she was headed to.