A dangerous distraction
1055 Words
Chapter three
Diana sat at her desk, glaring at the spreadsheet in front of her. The numbers blurred together, unreadable, meaningless. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, motionless. She had been staring at the same document for thirty minutes, and not a single calculation had been done.
Because no matter how hard she tried, her mind kept drifting back to him.
Theo.
She hated that name now. Hated how it curled inside her chest like a whisper she couldn’t silence. Hated how just the thought of him sent an electric pulse through her body. The sound of his voice clung to her mind like an unwelcome melody, looping over and over.
“A meeting. One night. A hotel. And then, we’re even.”
The audacity. The confidence.
And the worst part?
The fact that she was actually considering it.
Diana exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. No. Absolutely not. She wasn’t this kind of woman. She wasn’t desperate.
Her phone buzzed against the desk. She glanced at it, expecting an email, but instead, Maya’s name flashed across the screen.
Diana hesitated, then sighed and picked up.
“What?”
“Oh wow, you sound like hell,” Maya teased. “What happened? Did someone steal your coffee?”
Diana rubbed her temple. “I’m busy, Maya.”
“Yeah, busy thinking about Mr. Mysterious.”
Diana stiffened. “I am not thinking about him.”
Maya let out a loud, exaggerated gasp. “So you admit there’s a ‘him’?”
Shit.
Diana scowled. “That’s not—”
“Oh, this is good,” Maya interrupted, clearly enjoying herself. “You’re distracted, which means he must be hot.”
Diana groaned. “I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.” Maya’s voice was practically dripping with amusement. “Now spill. Who is he?”
Diana debated hanging up, but she knew Maya wouldn’t stop until she got an answer.
“Just some guy,” she finally muttered.
Maya gasped again, even louder this time. “Diana Grace Thomas, did you just call a man some guy? A man who has you all flustered at work?”
“I’m not flustered.”
“You so are.”
Diana could already picture Maya grinning like an i***t on the other end of the line.
She sighed. “Look, it’s nothing. I ran into someone, he made an offer, I said no. End of story.”
Silence.
Then—
“What kind of offer?”
Diana hesitated.
If she told Maya, she’d never hear the end of it.
Too late. The silence was enough for Maya to latch onto the truth.
“Oh my God,” Maya breathed. “Was it s****l?”
Diana groaned. “Maya—”
“Diana!” Maya practically screeched. “Who is he, and where can I find him?”
Diana rolled her eyes. “You’re insufferable.”
Maya snickered. “Babe, you never talk about men. If some hot stranger is making indecent proposals, I need details.”
Diana hesitated again, then muttered, “He wants to meet at a hotel. Just once.”
Silence.
Then—
“Ohhh,” Maya drawled, clearly impressed. “This man isn’t playing around.”
Diana groaned again, rubbing her forehead. “I’m not interested.”
Maya snorted. “Sure, and I’m a nun.”
“I mean it,” Diana insisted. “I don’t have time for this.”
Maya hummed thoughtfully. “Okay, serious question—when was the last time you got laid?”
Diana blinked. “What?”
“You heard me,” Maya said smugly. “When was the last time you had a good, toe-curling, soul-shattering orgasm?”
Diana opened her mouth—then promptly shut it.
Shit.
Maya gasped dramatically. “Oh my God, I knew it! It’s been years, hasn’t it?”
Diana scowled. “That’s none of your business.”
“It absolutely is,” Maya argued. “You are sexually deprived, babe. No wonder you’re so grumpy all the time.”
Diana groaned. “I hate you.”
“No, you don’t,” Maya said sweetly. “You just need some good dick.”
Diana scowled. “I do not need—”
“You do,” Maya interrupted. “And it just so happens that a gorgeous, rich man is offering.”
Diana sighed, rubbing her temples. “Maya, it’s not that simple.”
“Why not?” Maya demanded. “You said it yourself—it’s one night. No strings. So why are you hesitating?”
Diana hesitated.
Because it wasn’t just about s*x.
It was about him.
Theo wasn’t like other men. He was composed, unreadable, and completely unaffected by her usual attitude.
And that unnerved her.
“I don’t know,” she admitted quietly.
Maya sighed dramatically. “Look, babe, I’m just saying—you’re young, single, and clearly overthinking this. Why not let loose for once? Have fun. Live a little.”
Diana frowned. “You’re telling me to sleep with a man I barely know.”
“I’m telling you to enjoy yourself,” Maya corrected. “And if that involves hot, mind-blowing s*x with Mr. Rich and Mysterious, then even better.”
Diana rolled her eyes. “I hate you.”
Maya laughed. “No, you don’t.”
Diana sighed, glancing at her phone.
Theo’s number was still in her call history.
One night. No strings.
She told herself it was a bad idea. That she should delete his number and forget about him.
But no matter how hard she tried, he was there.
In her mind.
In her thoughts.
In the restless ache in her chest.
And for the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to be responsible. She didn’t want to be rational.
She wanted to forget.
To let go.
To have one night where she wasn’t calculating every move, every consequence.
She laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing.
What am I going to do?
Because the truth was—
Theo had her in a chokehold.
She turned onto her side, exhaling slowly.
Why would a man she barely knew keep her from sleeping?
She forced her eyes closed.
And yet—
She already knew.
She wasn’t going to say no.
Not this time.
- Writer
