Night to Forget

Let's get down to business

-Harper-

My phone was vibrating like crazy. Not only did everyone in the family call me, but also those more in the know from the industry decided to tell me those two terrible words that I hate. I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as this little monster stopped stressing me, only to vibrate again in a few moments, announcing what was probably the twentieth message today.

"Don't you get it? I don't feel like talking to you—at least not on this day," I asked, shaking my head as I chose napkins for the Bachelorette party.

I was getting headaches just by looking at the patterns the client chose, but it's not up to me to judge tastes but to create marvelous wonders out of them. My phone started vibrating again, and I threw it into my purse, considering turning it off completely.

I sat in the armchair, rested my head on the headrest, and sighed, closing my eyes, wishing this day would finally end. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Adeline's voice greeted me.

"Harper, this just arrived from the courier. You didn't tell me you had a secret admirer." Adeline, my leading assistant, shuffled over to my desk carrying a huge bouquet of sunflowers.

I quickly ran out to meet her and took a massive vase of heavy flowers, scolding my assistant.

"Are you crazy? Where the hell have others gone? Didn't I tell you the only thing you can carry is your purse and coffee?" I glared at her as I placed the vase on my desk.

Adeline looked at me as if I had mortally offended her. She placed her hands on her hips, c****d her head to the side, and looked at me from under her swollen eyelids.

"You know that pregnancy is not a disease, and I can carry a few pounds? After all, I'm carrying an extra few pounds myself." She pointed at her rounded belly, "Plus, you don't expect me to pass up an opportunity to get that information from you, do you? Come on. Talk. You are like a damn enigma. Who has a crush on you?" Adeline shuffled over to the couch in my office and sat down, taking a bowl of cookies with her.

I shook my head, exhaling deeply. I set the beautiful flowers aside and opened the note attached to them.

"Come on, Harper. I've had less than a month left, and don't you want to give me this little gift?" Adeline pouted as she stuffed herself with another cookie. "Give me something to entertain myself while I can still care." She put the cookie into her mouth and blinked adorably a few times.

Chuckling, I opened the small envelope and took out the stationery I knew well. I rolled my eyes, wondering what cheesy poem I got this time, before reading it aloud.

"Each thought of you fills me with sweet emotion;

I give to you my deepest devotion.

My fondest wishes you completely fulfill;

I love you totally, and I always will."

I smiled at the end before reading the rest and huffed the note on the desk.

"I want to send Molly such a poem. Do you think she will be moved? By the way, happy birthday, pupa. They had neither the beauty nor the intelligence to spare, so I took the flowers."

"Stupid jerk." I hissed, offended, gazing at the beautiful flowers.

"Ummm. I guess I don't understand what this is about." Adeline commented, confused, "Do you have this secret admirer, or is this another joke from your crazy family?" She asked, barely keeping herself from falling asleep sitting up.

I looked at my poor assistant and shook my head again before walking over to the couch and sitting on the table, staring at the woman.

"It's just Trevor and his stupid ways of cheering me up on my birthday. So yeah. It's my crazy family. I don't have any secret admirers." I confessed, taking the bowl of half-eaten cookies from her hands, "And you, young lady, better lie down and take a nap. That not-so-little football player in your belly must be giving you a hard time." I added, helping her get comfortable on the couch.

Adeline was mumbling under her breath, but she complied with my instructions without protest and made herself comfortable before kicking off her sneakers and tucking her feet up.

I quickly handed her a pillow and covered her with a blanket before I heard a subtle snore thirty seconds later. I giggled again but tiptoed away from the couch and returned to my chair. The sunflowers stood centrally behind my laptop, and the sunlight from the windows illuminated them with a beautiful yellow glow, making me smile.

"Stupid Trevor. But I love you anyway." I mumbled, grateful for the memory.

Everyone knows I don't celebrate my birthday. Not because it reminds me of the inexorably passing time but because I consider this day like any other. I prefer celebrating different days, such as champagne on Thursdays, Saturdays with Ryan Gosling, or discounts at my favorite mall. These are things worth celebrating.

Well, maybe something else, but celebrating it makes me a monster. I sighed, remembering his touch, his smell, and the warmth of his body.

I shuddered while remembering our last meeting, and although it didn't make me feel proud, it gave me great satisfaction, even if the feeling lasted only for a moment. I closed my eyes and went back to that day over a month ago when I was once again unable to resist temptation and woke up naked in Carter Remington's bed. And nowhere else than at my best friend Victoria's wedding.

"Shameless." I scolded myself, controlling my growing excitement.

This guy will be the death of me if I don't get over him soon. And it's better for it to happen sooner rather than later because I don't want to be labeled a mistress, a home wrecker, or a slut. None of these descriptions fit me, but in people's eyes, it's not what I think counts; it’s how they see me.

I waved my hand before my nose to dispel thoughts about Carter and opened my laptop again. Immersing myself in my work has always helped me; this time, it would have to save me from unnecessary thinking of What if...

The day passed exceptionally slowly. Adeline, filled with a bit of energy after her nap, took with her the note that Trevor had sent me, not believing my explanation. George returned to the office a few minutes before five, looking suffering. Even though I felt sorry for the boy, I was extremely grateful to him for helping me that day.

It just so happened that today, we had two meetings with very demanding brides, and my tardiness over the last two weeks meant that I needed to catch up with two other significant events that I had to take care of. George gave me a 'you owe me a favor' look before helping Adeline pack her things. I smiled widely at him, grateful for his help, before I growled again as I heard my phone vibrate again in my purse.

"Is it so f*****g hard to understand that I don't want to talk to anyone today?"

I hissed again as I walked over to my desk, grabbed my bag, and dug out this constantly vibrating devil device. When I read the name of the calling contact, my voice got stuck in my throat, my heart beat faster, and my palms started sweating.

Carter Remington.

I swallowed nervously, staring at my phone, wondering what to do. I looked up from my phone to look at my assistants. As if they sensed the situation, they both turned their eyes to me, and I could have sworn they both gave me a mischievous smile before waving me goodbye and disappearing from the office.

I stared at the frosted glass door with my company logo closed behind them, clutching the vibrating phone. My brain told me not to answer and to keep my eyes on the door to ensure no one walked through the door listening in on my conversation. I waited a few seconds, and when I was sure no one was coming back to the office, I looked at the screen and hovered my finger over the answer button. I took a deep breath and pushed the button, but the caller stopped calling, and I froze in shock.

"I missed it," I whispered, staring at the screen that showed twenty missed calls and thirty messages.

Before I could check them all, the phone vibrated again, and this time, without a moment's hesitation, I answered the call and put the phone to my ear.

"Hello."

My throat went dry, and my voice was slightly hoarse, which I quickly corrected by clearing my throat and putting on the mask of a professional business manager.

"Hello, this is Harper Pierson." I greeted him coldly, even though my whole body vibrated with heat and my heart was pounding.

"What a professionalism. And I thought we were past this stage." His voice and laughter gave me goosebumps, and I closed my eyes to prevent my brain from wandering too far into my imagination.

"Hello, Mr. Remington. How may I help you?" I asked, still not opening my eyes, breathing deeply to calm down.

"Hmm. I see you like to play cat and mouse. Okay. So, Miss Pierson, I would like to use your services." Carter lowered his voice, and I shuddered again, remembering the way his breath felt on every inch of my bare skin.

"I don't quite understand, Mr. Remington. Are you talking about organizing a party?" I asked, trying to keep the professional tone of our conversation.

The bastard chuckled deeply, sending another wave of excitement through my body until it reached the point where I started rubbing my thighs together, stimulating my clit.

"Something like that, vixen. I would like to talk about it with you privately. I care about it very much. Are you free today?"

He cast his net, and I swallowed the temptation to meet him again. My body wanted to say yes, but my better judgment kept reminding me that it would be a sin.

"I'm swamped today. But I can arrange a meeting for you tomorrow." I suggested, rubbing my thighs harder and harder while my other hand went to my blouse and slowly began to trace my neckline, circling my swollen breasts.

"I would prefer today. Or preferably now." Carter ordered in a hoarse and low voice.

My hand moved lower, stroking my thighs through the material of my skirt. Every word he said excited me even more, and the power in his voice boiled my blood to the point of no return. I wanted him. How much he was a sin, I wanted him.

"This shirt will look better on the ground, and this skirt will look better pulled up over your waist. Open your eyes, Harper." Carter ordered, and my body froze as I met his lustful gaze, devouring me from the other side of the door.

The phone fell from my hand and fell to the floor. My hand stroking my thigh went to my mouth, and my heart stopped for a moment.

Carter Remington stood in my office, staring at me through the closed glass door between us, a phone to his ear and a bouquet of colorful flowers in his other hand. As if nothing happened, he put the phone in his pocket, opened the door, and walked inside, never taking his hungry eyes off me, licking his lips as he did so.

"Happy birthday, Harper." He wished and smiled broadly at me. "Now, let's get down to business."