Page 107 of Strictly Business

He leans down, pressing another kiss to my lips, but this one is firmer, more desperate, before he turns and shuts the door behind him.

I lie in bed for a while after he leaves, the thought of everything between us ending making my chest ache. Goddamn it. How did I let myself get so attached to him? This deal was supposed to be easy, beneficial even, but all it’s bringing me is pain. I let out a sigh and reach for my phone from the nightstand, scrolling through the missed texts from Sophie and Jade.

Jade:

We’re going out tonight. I don’t want any excuses.

Hello?

Sophie:

She’s probably still sleeping. Not everyone wakes up at the crack of dawn like you.

Jade:

Lucky. Insomnia’s a bitch.

Sophie:

Texting me this early should be illegal. It’s a Saturday.

Jade:

So, where did we land on the whole going out thing?

Hello?

???

Sophie:

I give up.

I chuckle at their texts, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

Me:

I’m in.

Jade:

WOOOO.

The door creaks open, and I glance up, hoping Nicholas came back, but my assumptions are crushed when I see Pumpkin jumping on my bed, meowing at me like she hasn’t been fed in days.

I let out a laugh, rolling out of bed before walking to the kitchen to feed her.

Her paws claw at my ankles as she follows me, meowing along the way.

“Calm down. You’ll get your food soon,” I mutter, filling her bowl and her water dish.

Once she’s taken care of, I wander back into the bedroom, shedding my clothes as I go, until I’m standing in just my underwear.

My eyes drift toward the mirror, and this time, I don’t look away. I let my eyes settle on my reflection, taking in the curves of my body, soft and round, with old white stretch marks that cover my skin.

My thighs brush together as I shift and run my hands over my stomach, the knot in my throat thick as I attempt to swallow it down. My fingers brush against each groove, and roll, my eyes tracking every movement. I’ve spent so long trying to avoid the mirror, but for the first time in… forever, I’m starting to love myself more, feeling comfortable in my own skin.

I let my fingers wander, my hand brushing along my sides, imagining Nicholas’s hands on me, picturing what he sees when he looks at me, thinking of the way he looks at me like he’s never seen another woman before.

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