Page 2

CHAPTER 1

Chyler (Kai-ler)

Adrenaline surged through me, and my eyes flared open. I was immediately blinded by the strip of bright sunlight that managed to squeeze through the small gap in the curtains. I quickly threw my hand up with a hiss to block the blinding light from my eyes.

Morning; it was morning.

There was an incessant pounding and sharp ringing in my head; it felt like nails were being dragged across my skull. I sat up in bed with a groan and rubbed my hands up and down my face, pressing my palms into my eyes. I started feeling lightheaded with the movement and instantly regretted it. How much did I drink last night?

I reached over and picked my phone up from the nightstand. It was sitting next to a glass of water and what looked like an open and empty condom wrapper. Nice. I rolled my eyes and unlocked my phone, checking my messages and the time. I was surprised to find that I didn’t sleep in as late as I thought I did. I dropped my phone down on the table, causing a loud thud, and a large body next to me shifted in the sheets with a deep groan. Oh, fuck.

I hung my head and released a sigh as I palmed my forehead, turning my gaze to where the prone body of a very muscular man lay next to me—naked. He was still sleeping, and with my head pounding from my hangover, I wasn’t about to wake him up and kick him out just yet. But he needed to go, and soon. Instead, I left him to continue sleeping and pushed the covers off my body, the cool air causing my skin to pebble.

I slid out of bed and padded to the bathroom, quietly closing the door. I gripped the sides of the vanity, catching myself as my head spun with all of the additional movement. I squeezed my eyes shut until everything stilled, took a deep breath, and then opened them to see my reflection in the mirror. My makeup from last night was smeared across my face, and my hair was a long, dark, matted mess.

I filled a glass with cold water from the tap and pulled two painkillers from a bottle that was sitting next to it, tossing them back and setting the glass back down.

The steam from the shower crawled across the mirror. I closed my eyes again and inhaled deeply before stepping into the shower. I stood under the water with my palms pressed against the cold wall and my back taking the full force of the stream, letting it wash away the events and guilt of last night. The only thing it wouldn’t wash away was the naked man in my bed, and after this, I was going to have to kick him out. I wasn’t interested in anything more from him; I never was. More just seemed too complicated .

When my headache finally started to subside, the walls no longer spinning around me, I stepped out of the shower, toweled off, pulled on a white oversized T-shirt, and opened the bathroom door, resting my shoulder against the frame. My gaze wandered across the room to find my male guest awake and sitting up in bed, his phone in hand—most likely browsing his socials.

His gaze moved from his phone screen to mine, and the corner of his mouth tilted into a wolfish grin as his eyes drifted slowly from my face and down my body. He will be sorely disappointed if he thinks he’s getting anything more out of me.

Shit. I can’t remember his name. Jason? Jake? Jack?

“Good Morning, Jack.” I tilt my head, crossing my arms over my chest. This is what I get for making poor decisions. I wasn’t going to let him stay the night; I never do. They come, we fuck, they leave, plain and simple. I assumed—being the kind of guy I typically found at the bars downtown—that he would have been out of here before dawn even broke. That wasn’t the case, and he decided to stay the night instead. Maybe I need to invest in a less comfortable bed for my ‘guests.’

“Jake, but that’s alright. After waking up to a view like this,” he licked his lips and rubbed the stubble on his chin. "You can call me anything you want—and yes, before you say anything more, it is a very good morning, sweetheart.” I couldn’t help but fight the eye roll at the word ‘sweetheart.’ I hated it when men called me that. I wasn’t sweet; I was anything but.

He continued dragging his gaze along my body as he brought his arms up behind his head and leaned back against the headboard. His biceps became taught with his new position, emphasizing his hard form even more. While he is extremely attractive—I won’t deny that—I needed to ensure that he understood this was just a simple one-night stand and nothing more.

And to please get the fuck out of my bed and apartment.

Dismissing him, I cleared my throat, strode to the walk-in closet, and turned on the light. I pulled on a black lace thong and a simple pair of light blue denim shorts. The weather we’ve had lately has been confusing, to say the least. You could wake up to a cold and chilly morning and then, by lunch, be completely drenched in sweat with eighty percent humidity. I always tried to dress in layers with jackets and hoodies but preferred to wear shorts unless it was winter.

I blew out a deep breath as I scanned my closet for a top to wear. This closet was a complete mess, even with what little clothing I owned. I could never find anything I was looking for. Piles of dirty laundry were on the floor, and half-hanging clothes along the rail. I really needed to find the time to organize this disaster of a closet. Digging through one of the many piles, I managed to find a clean black bra— thank god .

Sliding it on, I had just managed to secure my bra behind my back when large, warm hands wrapped around my waist, and I was pulled against a hard chest. His hands began roaming over my body, moving from my stomach up to my breasts, squeezing them through my bra and sliding back down to my hips, his fingers lightly dipping under the waistband of my shorts .

I couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped my lips, and I immediately pressed them into a hard line to prevent anything more from coming out.

Knock it off; you are only encouraging him further.

I could feel his warm breath against the shell of my ear as he lightly nipped at it. I pressed my thighs together as my blood began to heat, my heart beating against my chest as my pulse raced. My body was always the traitor when it came to sex, and usually, she always got what she wanted. Not this time; he needs to go.

“What are your plans?” He asked, grinding his hips into mine, a rough purr to his voice that vibrated through my body, his lips moving to kiss along the side of my neck. I couldn’t help but notice that he was still completely naked behind me, and I could feel his dick begin to harden against my ass. Maybe just one more ride?

“I’m meeting a friend for coffee this morning, then heading in to work,” I said breathily, surrendering to the temptation he was offering, and leaned my head back onto his shoulder, giving him better access, as his hand trailed from my hip to caress my collarbone and neck. I could give him a few more minutes before shoving him out the door, right?

His stubble was rough as he rubbed it against my skin and dragged his lips along my shoulder, sending shivers down my spine.

“And tonight?”

“As much as I’d love to do what we did last night again, I have prior obligations,” I said, sucking in a breath and snapping back to my senses. I abruptly pulled out of his grasp and turned on my heel, leaving the closet.

I needed to get more distance between us before I made any more stupid decisions. I didn’t want to send the wrong message. This was just a one-night stand, plain and simple. I had absolutely no intention of making this more than what it was.

We met at one of the bars downtown last night, and between having a shit day at work and too many drinks, I was looking for the obvious distraction—casual sex. It had been months since my last time, and I was desperate for it. I usually don’t bring men back to my apartment, but I guess my drunk self had made the executive decision for me— thanks, girl .

I picked up my teal tank top, which was sitting on a lounge chair in the corner of the room, and pulled it on. Turning around, I saw him standing in the closet doorway, resting a forearm on the frame. My eyes dropped down to his raging hard cock in all its glory, and I had to force my mouth to close.

He was roughly six-one, and in that position, completely naked, he had me considering climbing him like a tree one more time before kicking him out. But with a brief glance at the time on my phone, I would be late for my coffee date with Madison if I were to entertain the idea even for a second.

Tearing my eyes away and giving him my back, I picked up the white baseball cap that was sitting on my dresser, put it on, and threaded my hair through the hole in the back. I secured the length into a rough, messy bun with a black scrunchie and then drowned my body in my favorite blue bottle of perfume .

Turning back to face him, I couldn’t help but bite my bottom lip and take him in for the last time. Sure, I wanted him gone, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to let myself enjoy the sight while it lasted. His dark hair was mussed from last night, and his eyes were a beautiful shade of grey. The sex, on the other hand, was good but not incredible; he got me off for the most part, at least once—I think. This was another reason I wasn’t interested in turning this into anything more than what it was. Trial by—sexual—fire, my friend.

Besides, I'm in no rush to a relationship right now; I'm only twenty-six.

“Keep looking at me like that, and you’re going to have a hard time getting me out of your apartment.” He pushed off the doorframe and stalked across the room towards me. Here we go, stubborn personality; don’t let me down now.

“As much as I’d love more of what you are offering ,” I gestured my hand up and down his body. “I do have plans this morning, and you are not part of them.”

“I could be if you invited me.” Was he for real?

“No, absolutely not.” I held up my hand to stop him from coming any further towards me.

Pausing mid-step, he gave me a defeated look, holding his hands up in front of his chest.

“Can I at least get your number before you kick me out? I want to take you out to dinner sometime.” Nope. No. No, thank you.

Maybe I would be interested in his offer at another time and place. Oh, who am I kidding? I have so much going on in my life right now that I don’t have time to waste on someone like him. Also, he was checking out more than just me at the bar; I just so happened to take what I wanted instead of waiting for him to come to me. The man had options last night.

He moved to the foot of the bed, where he picked up his clothes and began getting dressed. I grabbed my black belt bag, stuffed my phone into it, and then strode past him to leave the room.

Part of me felt bad for using him like this, but he’s a good-looking man and would easily have another woman underneath him by tonight; I was pretty sure of that. I don’t think he expected me to be this disinterested in him in the end.

Once he finished pulling the rest of his clothes on, he followed me into the kitchen.

I stopped before the kitchen island counter and leaned on my forearms while waiting for him. The man came up next to me and rested his elbow on the counter next to me, patiently waiting for my answer to his burning question— could he have my phone number?

I looked up at him and blew a breath out of the side of my mouth, biting down on my cheek.

“No to the phone number, but here’s the deal. If I run into you downtown again and this—” I gestured between us, “happens again, then you can have my number. How does that sound?” I slid on my sunglasses and gave him a saccharine smile. I was always a fan of the chase, making them work for it, but I doubt he will even remember me come tomorrow, let alone run into me again. I was being a smart-ass for the fun of it .

“And here I thought I blew your mind last night.” He said with so much confidence that I scoffed at his words. Did he really just say that to puff up his ego? I mean, it was good sex, but it was not mind-blowing in the least. I can’t even remember the last time any man came close to blowing my mind. Yet, another reason why I could care less about him and this whole interaction. He was like a blowfly buzzing around my head, and I wanted to hit him with a swatter.

I pushed off the counter and strode to the front door, turning the handle and pulling it open for him.

“Yeah, you go ahead and tell yourself that—now, if you don’t mind,” I said assertively as I gestured for him to leave.

His lips pressed into a hard line, and he said nothing more, stepping past me and into the hall. I watched his back as he walked down the hall to the elevator bay. He didn’t look back at me once as the doors opened for him, and just as he began to step into the elevator, a woman stepped off, looking him up and down with hungry eyes.

Once the doors closed, I relaxed with a heavy sigh and fell back against the doorframe of my unit.

The woman striding towards me was trying her best to withhold a giggle. I rolled my eyes at her as she approached me. Oh, here we go.

“Chyler Tate, you naughty girl! Who was he, and when will you see him next?” Madison laughed and elbowed me in the side as she stood beside me .

“Well, considering he was a one-night stand, I won’t be seeing him again. Ever.” She was constantly meddling in my business. One of the many reasons I moved out of her townhouse and got my apartment. A few times, I brought men to her place when I was living there, and it was almost as if she expected me to marry each and every one of them.

“Your first fuck in months, and it’s just a one-night stand?” She raised a brow in disbelief as if he would be my Prince Charming, and it was love at first sight. Quite the opposite, actually. I just saw what I wanted and took it. He could be a complete asshole underneath it all, and I would never know, but I also didn’t care.

“Don’t even act like you haven’t done the same once or twice yourself.” I deadpanned.

If I recall correctly, she had two men leave her home a few weeks ago, and I didn’t comment on it. However, if I'm being honest, I was a little jealous. That’s probably another reason I was desperate to get laid last night. Madison didn’t have men over often; she rarely did, and seeing her with two in one night surprised me.

“Ouch, you know. You would think that after a night with a man who looked like that, you’d be in a much better mood. What? Did he not satisfy my girl?” she said with an amused tone.

“He assumed he blew my mind, so I guess we can settle on that,” I shrugged. I was purposefully avoiding answering her question in detail because that is what she was actually asking for—the details of our sex, which was the last thing I wanted to talk about. I wanted to forget that last night ever happened .

“By all means, Madison, you are welcome to chase him down and take him for a ride yourself.” I fluttered my lashes and gave her a sweet smile dripping with sarcasm.

The funny thing is, she would do it too. Like me, she would take anything for herself if she saw something she wanted. We have never fought over a man before, but we have taken turns once or twice over the years. Sharing is caring between sisters, after all.

I dipped back into the apartment, grabbed my denim jacket, shrugged it over my shoulders, and pulled the door closed behind me. Madison threaded her arm through mine with a chuckle, and we walked down the hall to the elevators.

“You know, I might just have to take you up on that offer, Chy. But in all seriousness, you really need to find yourself a man for the long term; you aren’t getting any younger.” Madison released her hold on my arm, and we stood shoulder to shoulder at the back of the elevator as the doors closed.

“Oh please, I’m only twenty-six… I don’t need to be tied down to a man just yet. I’ve got plenty of time to ‘soul search.’ Unlike you, I am completely content with opening my pickle jars on my own.” I flexed my arms and kissed my tiny bicep. My body was toned from my daily Pilates classes, but I wasn’t overly ripped with muscle.

I wasn’t opposed to the idea of finding a man and settling down, but I also wasn't chasing it like her—Madison, the romantic. I don’t even know if I knew how to love someone to that extent.

I'm absolutely terrified to trust anyone with love. Heartbreak is painful, and I don’t want to go through something like that again. When I lost my parents, I became a shell of who I once was. I think that’s why I threw up walls; to prevent anyone from getting close enough to feel love. Madison often called me cold and heartless, but that was the reality of who I had become since that accident.

“Clearly. Miss Independent.” She rolled her eyes at me and pressed the elevator panel's button for the first floor.

“Plus, I don’t need you meddling in my love life. Remember why I moved out in the first place? Or do you need a reminder?” I raised a brow at her. She hung her head, blowing out a breath and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and finger. “To be fair, Alexander worked in finance and was absolutely gorgeous. You two would have made the cutest couple—”

“I swear to god if you start singing that song again…” I cut her off before she could finish what she was saying.

She had been singing that stupid song for what felt like months after I brought him home and introduced them to each other. He wasn’t six-five, more six-one, but he did have blue eyes and a trust fund. I saw him a few more times after that, but in the end, I found him to be too boring and had to end whatever attempt of a relationship that was.

I needed a man who excited me; someone who could match who I was.

I wanted a man to chase me; to desire me.

“Fine, how about this: the next time we go out, and you meet someone who remotely interests you enough to consider dating, you will give him your number and go on at least one real date. Deal?” She pleaded. We have now moved to the bargaining stage .

Crossing my arms, I glared at her, a pleading in her eyes as we reached the lobby level of my apartment building and the doors opened. We stepped out of the elevator and exited the building. I could continue to fight her on this or give in for once. Her harping on the whole idea was becoming annoying. If I did what she asked and it ended in complete disaster, she might give up and drop it altogether.

“Fine.” I sighed, letting her win this one time. What’s the worst that could happen?