AFTER ONE NIGHT

CHAPTER 2

• UNPLEASANT SUPRISE •

-Presidential Suite, Diamond hotel- 2:25 AM/

Ashley woke up to the sound of running water. She blinked twice and slowly opened her eyes. A sharp pain throbbed in her head, her vision was blurred, and her body felt heavy with weakness. But that wasn’t the main problem. She wasn’t in her room, and when she realized that, her heart sank.

Where am I? How did I get here? she thought as she sat up quickly, her eyes widening as she looked around.

The room looked very expensive, with creamy gold walls glowing beneath soft lights. A massive floor-to-ceiling window and a luxurious king-sized bed dressed in a silk blue sheet surrounded her, feeling soft and comfy against her slender body.

Her gaze shifted to the painted marble floor. Her gown, boob tapes, and G-string panties lay carelessly scattered.

"No… no! Lord, please be nice… just this once!" She sank back down shakily, hoping it was just her head playing tricks on her. She mentally assessed her situation and almost screamed. Not wanting to believe it, she moved the duvet aside, and the shock of seeing her naked state made her cover up quickly again. Even worse, her memory failed her. She couldn’t recall anything.

"Get the documents ready. I have a meeting in a few hours," a deep, commanding voice echoed from the bathroom. She sat up again, ignoring the tenderness between her legs as flashes from last night began to return.

She remembered drinking at the bar, vaguely arriving at the hotel, and the rest was a blur. Even though it felt cheap to admit it, it had been amazing; him on top of her, probably the best she had ever experienced. Just thinking about it heated her cheeks and stirred her desire.

'How shameful! You slept with a stranger, and now you’re daydreaming about s*x!' her mind scolded. If there was any shame left in her, Ashley knew she had to escape before that man stepped out.

Quickly, she jumped off the bed, grabbed her clothes, and began putting them on, ignoring her shaking hands and silently praying she would finish before he emerged. If this leaked online, she'd figure out a solution later.

Once she was dressed, she grabbed her heels and headed for the door. Just as she reached for the handle, the bathroom door clicked open.

Ashley froze at the sight of him. She had been drunk last night, but now his handsomeness nearly knocked her off her feet. He wore a bathrobe, but his manly features were striking; he was flawless. His hairy chest and well-defined abs made her heart race.

Ashley yearned to be in his arms again as memories rushed back: his tight hug, the wet, hot kisses he placed along her body, the sensation of him thrusting inside her, and the way he had teased her with his tongue. Her body ignited with desire.

While she wrestled with her feelings, Elliott remained unfazed. His green eyes, once filled with passion, now held cold disgust as he looked at her.

Ashley hated that look, and whatever spark of desire she felt disappeared instantly. Her eyes widened as he reached for his wallet, obviously filled with cash on the bedside table.

Wait. Was he about to pay her off like a p********e? What a jerk!

She pulled out the few dollars left in her wallet and tossed them onto the bed. With a fierce look, she strode toward him. "You could have been perfect if your skills matched your looks. Just looks won’t get you far... you’ll earn more if you learn how to satisfy a woman better."

"What?" His eyes flared.

"Absolutely," she chuckled slightly. "A discount would work for now. Once you learn some skills, you can definitely raise your price! Have a nice day, amateur," she patted his shoulder, blew him a kiss, and pretended not to notice how red he was before she hurried out the door.

"f**k! Screw you, b***h!" Ashley heard him shout as she ran away. She knew she had truly annoyed him.

*********

The cab screeched to a stop, and Ashley stood in front of the massive Velora Group building, where she worked. Using the glass wall, she straightened her wine-colored skirt and gathered her auburn hair with a claw clip. She was annoyingly late but unfazed; a night of great pleasure gave her confidence, and nothing else mattered.

She chuckled softly in the elevator, recalling how her morning had gone, especially the furious look on Mr. Handsome's face. She couldn’t wait to tell Katy, her office friend, all about the adventure. Of course, there would be questions, maybe even a scolding for sleeping with a stranger, but it took a lot of self-control to resist an angelic man. Katy definitely didn’t have that strength.

"Hello, Sleeping Beauty," Katy teased as soon as Ashley walked in. "Thank your stars you made it before the meeting."

"Meeting... what meeting?"

"Goodness! Ashy… you forgot that too? You probably woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Katy giggled at Ashley's confused expression.

"Right. I remember the meeting with the new CEO," Ashley mumbled after a long moment.

"Yeah. In a few minutes, I guess. Get ready," Katy whispered as she continued fixing her makeup.

Apparently, they were introducing a new CEO today. There had been whispers about how attractive and single he was. It made sense why all the female staff, Katy included, had dressed to impress. Ashley didn’t care if he was good-looking or single. She just hoped he wouldn’t be bossy or work-obsessed like the previous CEO.

"To the conference hall, everyone! Now!" her superior called through the door before walking away.

*********

The staff were all seated when Ashley walked in. She had taken a few extra minutes trying to collect her thoughts but failed. As soon as she sat down, memories of last night flooded back. Maybe she had bruised his ego too much, but he had been ready to pay her off like a slut. That would have been demeaning; she would have hated herself.

A smile crept across her face, thinking about how smart she had been. It made sense that she wouldn’t see him again.

The sound of applause snapped her back to reality as a man in a navy blue Armani suit walked in.

Wait.

What??

It must be her eyes. She rubbed them with her fingers and blinked. This time her vision cleared—it was him. Unmistakably the guy from last night, from the hotel room.

What kind of karma is this?

"This has to be a joke, a nightmare," Ashley murmured, wide-eyed and fidgety.

What should she do? This man would surely want payback and might fire her.

An apology? What if she apologized?

"No… you can’t, Ashley," she told herself, realizing how silly and oddly pathetic that would look.

"No… No… No..."

This isn’t right!

He must not see her, at least not now.