The offer stands
1133 Words
Chapter Four
Diana stared at her phone screen, Theo’s number lingering in her call history.
She shouldn’t call him.
She shouldn’t even be considering it.
And yet, her thumb hovered over the screen, indecisive, trembling with something she didn’t want to name.
Maya’s voice echoed in her mind, mixing with her own thoughts.
“When was the last time you had a good, toe-curling, soul-shattering orgasm?”
Diana scoffed, shaking her head. This wasn’t about s*x. Not really. It was about control.
She had spent years keeping men at arm’s length, refusing to let them dictate her emotions, her actions, her body. She had built walls so high even she had trouble climbing them sometimes.
And now, one arrogant stranger was trying to disrupt all of that.
A man she barely knew.
A man who didn’t take no for an answer.
A man who had looked her in the eye and told her exactly what he wanted from her—without hesitation, without pretense.
Diana exhaled heavily, tossing her phone onto the desk and leaning back in her office chair.
The dim glow of her desk lamp cast soft shadows against the sleek, modern furniture in her apartment. Outside, the city hummed, a low buzz of car horns and distant voices filtering through the open window.
She should block his number. Forget the entire conversation. Move on.
But the memory of Theo’s voice, the way he had spoken with such unshakable certainty, clung to her like a whisper she couldn’t ignore.
“I’ll make it easy for you. We meet. One night. No expectations after. No games. Just pleasure. And then, you walk away.”
No strings.
No attachments.
That was what she wanted, wasn’t it?
Diana sighed, running a hand through her hair.
If she were smart, she’d let this go. But something about Theo intrigued her—his unwavering confidence, the way he didn’t push yet still managed to get under her skin.
She stared at the phone again.
Maybe she was overthinking this.
Maybe it was just s*x.
And maybe, just this once, she could allow herself to take something without overanalyzing every possible consequence.
Before she could talk herself out of it—
She hit dial.
Her heart hammered as the call rang.
Once.
Twice.
And then—
“Hello. This is Theo speaking.”
His voice was exactly as she remembered—calm, smooth, unbothered.
Diana swallowed, gripping her phone a little tighter. “It’s me.”
There was a pause, then amusement laced his tone. “Beauty.”
Diana rolled her eyes, settling deeper into her chair. “Don’t call me that.”
Theo chuckled softly, the sound low and intimate. “You called me, sweetheart. That means something.”
“It means I have questions,” she said flatly.
“I’m listening.”
Diana hesitated. She needed to be careful. She didn’t want to give him the upper hand, but the way he spoke—so composed, so damn confident—made her feel like she already had.
“Why me?” she asked finally.
Another pause.
“Why not you?”
Diana frowned. “That’s not an answer.”
“It is,” Theo countered smoothly. “I saw you. I liked what I saw. I made an offer.”
“So, this is just physical for you?” she challenged.
“What else would it be?” His voice remained unreadable, frustratingly controlled.
Diana inhaled sharply. Of course, it was just physical. That was the whole point.
“No strings, no attachments,” she muttered, mostly to herself.
Theo chuckled. “Exactly. And yet, you’re still hesitating.”
She clenched her jaw. “I just don’t do things like this.”
“Things like what?”
“Random hookups with arrogant men who think they’re God’s gift to women.”
Theo laughed, a deep, rich sound that sent an unexpected shiver down her spine.
“You think I’m arrogant?”
“You are arrogant.”
“I’m confident,” he corrected.
“Same thing.”
He laughed again. “So? What’s stopping you, Diana?”
Her name rolled off his tongue like a secret, and she hated that she liked it.
Diana bit her lip. “I don’t know you.”
“I’ll make it easy for you. We meet. One night. No expectations after. No games. Just pleasure. And then, you walk away.”
Diana exhaled, pressing her forehead against her hand.
She shouldn’t be considering this.
And yet, the temptation clawed at her, sinking into her bones.
“I don’t convince people, Diana. You either want this, or you don’t.”
His confidence was infuriating.
And annoyingly attractive.
Diana huffed, rubbing her temple. “Fine.”
“Fine, what?”
“I’ll let you know my decision soon.”
Theo chuckled again, as if he already knew the answer. “I look forward to it, Beauty.”
Diana rolled her eyes and ended the call before he could say anything else.
She dropped her phone onto her desk and leaned back in her chair.
Her pulse was unsteady.
Her body felt warm.
And worst of all?
She already knew what her answer would be.
Later That Night
Diana lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, but sleep refused to come.
Her conversation with Theo replayed in her mind, his voice a smooth, insistent presence in her thoughts.
She turned onto her side, exhaling sharply.
She wasn’t someone who made impulsive decisions, especially not with men.
But Theo wasn’t just any man.
There was something about him—his certainty, his lack of hesitation, the way he seemed so sure of what he wanted.
It was unsettling.
And alluring.
Diana sat up, pushing the covers off.
The city lights cast long shadows across her bedroom, painting streaks of gold and blue across her walls.
She grabbed her phone, hesitating before unlocking the screen.
The message thread with Theo was empty.
He hadn’t texted her since their call.
And for some reason, that made her even more restless.
Diana tapped her fingers against her thigh, debating.
She could walk away from this. Forget about him.
But the idea of him didn’t leave her alone.
She clicked on his contact and stared at his name.
No attachments. No expectations.
That’s what he had said.
And maybe, just this once, she could let go.
She exhaled slowly, then typed a message.
Diana: Tell me where to meet you.
She hesitated, her finger hovering over the send button.
Then—
She hit send.
Seconds later, her phone vibrated with a response.
Theo: Good choice, Beauty.
A location followed.
Diana’s stomach twisted, but it wasn’t fear.
It was anticipation.
And for the first time in years, she wasn’t entirely sure if that was a good thing or not.
- Writer
