Unforeseen desires : an unexpected encount

Surprise

The next morning, when I woke up, the bed was empty. I was still naked, and memories of the previous night flooded back. My God, it was incredible. He was right when he said I'd love to scream his name, and I did. It didn't happen just once; it was the bed, the shower, the couches. It felt like every corner of the room witnessed our passionate encounter. If last night my vulva wasn't sore at bedtime, it definitely is this morning. But I welcome this pain with open arms because the moments were so good.

I struggle to get out of bed and head to the bathroom, thinking I might find my lover from the night before, but it's empty. I quickly wash up and tie my tangled hair into a messy bun. My makeup is but a distant memory, so I remove the last traces with water and soap. I then pick up my scattered clothes from the bedroom, living room, and bathroom and put them on. However, I can't find my thong, so I resign myself to look for it when my phone alarm goes off in the suite, reminding me of an important appointment in two hours. I slip on my heels, grab my clutch from the coffee table, and a note falls out. I pick it up and read its contents.

"I had a delightful night with you, Ava. I took the liberty of keeping a memento to remember your scent, I hope you don't mind. Darren."

So, he's the one who took my thong. If it were just any underwear, I wouldn't have minded, but that set cost me a fortune. Still, I can't bring myself to be angry with him; he wanted to keep a memory of me.

"You can't be the first one he's swiped a thong from; he probably has a collection," a small voice in my head whispers.

She's right. I tuck the note into my clutch and leave the suite, making my way to the lobby. I cross paths with several people along the way, and for some reason, I feel like they know I'm not wearing underwear.

"That's all in your head," I remind myself.

I quickly traverse the hallways until I reach the lobby and head to the reception.

"Hello, I stayed in a suite with a Darren, and he forgot his watch. I'd like to return it. Can you give me his contact details?" I ask politely.

I knew this wouldn't work, but I still thank the receptionist for his time and exit the building. I hail a taxi and provide my address. In no time, I'm in front of my apartment building. Noah begs me to spill all the details as soon as I step inside, but I postpone it, explaining that I don't have much time to prepare before my appointment.

I rush to the bathroom, fix my hair, lightly curling a few strands, and hastily apply makeup. I exchange my outfit from the previous night for black jeans and a blouse. Once ready, Noah waits for me with a serious expression, arms crossed on the bed.

"Savannah Walker, I want to know everything."

"I promise to tell you everything after my appointment. You could pick me up, and we can grab coffee," I suggest.

He agrees, albeit grumbling, and compliments me on my outfit. I put on a pair of sneakers, grab my handbag, stuffing my phone and important papers inside, and hurry out again. Fortunately, I find a taxi quickly, and it takes me to my meeting location.

I step out of the vehicle after paying the fare. I'm impressed by the height of the building; it must have at least forty floors. The entire facade is covered in glass windows that let in plenty of light. I patiently wait for my lawyer to arrive, and after about ten minutes of waiting, she appears. Her blonde hair is neatly tied in a bun, square glasses perched on her nose, and she's wearing a black suit, carrying her professional briefcase.

"How are you, Miss Walker?" she asks.

"I'm okay, just apprehensive about seeing him again," I reply.

"That's normal, but it will be fine. You won't be alone."

I nod and thank her; she enters the building first, and I follow. The lobby is vast, with just the reception desk and a few chairs serving as a waiting area, but it's bright and empty. My lawyer introduces us, filling out some paperwork before heading to the elevators. I follow her, and she presses the button for our floor. As the elevator ascends, I feel the anxiety building up. I fiddle with a strand of hair, trying to relax but failing.

The doors open to a large space, resembling an open office with dozens of beanbags strewn about. A big desk, with several men sitting around it, working on their computers, stands at the center. My lawyer confidently walks towards a door on the left side of the room, which I hadn't noticed earlier. As I enter, I discover a conference room, or something similar. A massive oak desk takes up most of the room, surrounded by dozens of chairs. I take a seat next to my lawyer.

"Mr. Johnson, nice to see you. I'm Mr. Romano, Louis James's attorney," a man introduces himself.

"I'm Miss Savannah Walker's attorney," my lawyer responds.

Louis and his lawyer take seats across from us, and I start feeling more and more uncomfortable. My ex-husband has a smug smile on his face, and I thought I had become stronger over the years, but now, I'm not so sure, seeing the person who broke me right in front of me.

"We are here to negotiate the terms of divorce between our clients," my lawyer reminds them.

As if I had forgotten why I came here and, most importantly, why I'm facing him when I had vowed this would never happen again.

When I ended the destructive relationship I had with Louis, I made this promise to myself. However, still legally married, I knew that someday I would see him again; I just wasn't ready to start divorce proceedings yet. As if I were giving us one more chance to fix everything. I finally made the decision to file for divorce recently to close the chapter on the five disastrous years of that marriage.

Our lawyers are discussing among themselves, and I admit I'm not really listening; I'm more focused on avoiding Louis's gaze, which I feel on me. Then, the door swings open loudly.

"Richard, I need you on a case when you're done here," a voice I recognize says. I lift my head and see Darren standing in the doorway. He's wearing a black suit with a white shirt, and this time, he has a black tie around his neck. His azure eyes meet mine, and I sense surprise in them, as much surprise as in mine. I never imagined seeing this man again, especially not in these circumstances.

"I'll finish up and join you in your office, Carter," Louis's lawyer replies.

I raise an eyebrow. Carter? He told me his name was Darren last night. This makes him even more mysterious and strange. He pinches his lips and gives me a smile that could melt anyone's heart, then closes the door behind him, disappearing from my view.

I feel my cheeks burning as I recall last night, but I push those thoughts out of my mind. This is neither the place nor the time.

The meeting ends , and I realize I haven't paid much attention. I'll ask my lawyer for a detailed report when we're out of here. To my surprise, I see Darren, or Carter, sipping coffee at the other end of the room, his eyes fixed on the door to our room. As soon as our gazes meet, a wave of heat washes over me. I'm drawn to him like a magnet, but I only advance to enter the elevator. Mr. Johnson enters it, but I can't bring myself to follow.

"I forgot something in the room," I say without thinking.

She doesn't have time to respond before the doors close. I turn around slowly, not ready to face Louis, but he's engaged in conversation with his lawyer. I take advantage of the moment to enter the room; after all, I have to play along until the end. I come out empty-handed since I didn't forget anything. Louis finishes his discussion, but he stays next to his lawyer, who's talking to Darren.

Darren notices me leaving the room and excuses himself from his colleague to come to my side.

"Ava."

"Darren," I reply tersely, or should I say Carter?

"I'll explain," he says and gestures for me to follow him.

He leads me to the elevator, which he calls, placing a hand on my lower back. When I turn around, I see Louis watching us, so I hold my head high and confront him. He can't reach me from where he is. However, this only lasts a few minutes because the doors haven't even closed when Darren pushes me against the wall and buries his face in my neck.

Although the sensation of his lips on my skin is exhilarating, I push him away, placing both palms on his chest. He sighs in frustration and looks at me intently. I remain silent, waiting for an explanation.

"It's my middle name. I never liked Carter," he says simply.

Well, I expected a more convoluted explanation, like he only goes by Darren with his conquests. It could have been that, after all, I don't really know him; we just spent the night together.

"I didn't think you were married," he remarks.

He tucks a strand of hair that's fallen on my face behind my ear, and I notice a ring on his ring finger.

"I didn't either," I reply bitterly.

"I'm not anymore," he counters.

"Neither am I."

The elevator doors open to the lobby, and I step away from Carter's Adonis-like body, exiting.

"Goodbye, Carter."

"Until next time, Ava," he promises, and there's something in his tone that makes me believe him.

I join my lawyer at the reception and leave with her. She informs me that she'll send me a detailed report in a few days and leaves me there. Noah's special ringtone chimes, and I quickly answer.

"I'm on the opposite sidewalk," I say.

I lift my eyes, and indeed, he's waving like an excited kid, a smile on his face. I take care while crossing the street to avoid getting run over and embrace him.

"How did it go?" he asks.

I make a non-committal gesture.

"Come on, let's get some coffee," he suggests.

I follow him to his car and don't miss Louis's exit from the office. I'm willing to bet he's looking for me, so I deliberately hide behind Noah as we enter the vehicle, avoiding being spotted. He hasn't even noticed Louis and enters without any issues, then starts the car and drives us to a café we both like.

We settle at our usual table and order our favorite drinks, coffee with cream for him and a simple hot chocolate for me.

"So, tell me," he prompts.

"I went to the bar, waited for Jonathan for at least an hour, and he never showed up. I didn't even get an apology message."

He rolls his eyes, fully understanding my frustration. The server returns with our drinks, and he leaves again.

"And what about the mysterious man?" he asks.

"He arrived just as I was about to leave. Tall, muscular, black hair, and beautiful blue eyes. And a smile to die for. We chatted a bit at the bar, and he invited me somewhere else."

Noah listens attentively, taking sips of his beverage from time to time.

"We went to a hotel; he got a huge suite. We had champagne, kissed, but then he left for a bit and came back, saying he didn't kiss anyone else. You can imagine the rest."

He gives me a knowing smile and claps discreetly.

"Well, you let loose, Ana."

"Yes, I tried to follow the advice you and Leslie gave me and enjoy my evening."

"It suits you; you look radiant."

I manage a shy smile, and at that moment, a message arrives on my phone. The sender is unknown, definitely not in my contacts.

"I was delighted to see you this morning, Ava."

"How did you get my phone number?" I ask, taken aback.

"It's in the file; I just had to use it."

"That's not a reason to use it, Carter."

"Call me Darren, Ava."

"Like all your mistresses?"

"Very few people know it, certainly not the women I sleep with."

"Goodbye, Carter."

"Keep deluding yourself as much as you want, but we both know we're attracted to each other. I felt it all night and in that elevator, just like you did. It's only a matter of time before we meet again, in a bed, a shower, or anywhere else. Until then, Ava, I console myself with your thong."

"Another one to add to your collection," I reply.