Page 11 of The Physical Attraction Seminar
“Unless I’ve been imagining things?” She pauses, the weight of her words hanging in the air as she waves her hand between the two of us.
“Flirting.”
“Yes,” she confirms with a nod. “And right now, I’m not looking for anything serious.”
“Neither am I.”
“Not to mention, we wouldn’t be compatible in real life because, well, I’m unemployed, and you’re obviously…” She gestures at my suit.
“Far from it?” I taunt with a smirk, adding an air of amusement to my words.
As she rolls her eyes at me, I can’t help but imagine how that exact expression would look if she were naked in my bed instead.
It’s clear that she’s subtly hinting at having a one-night stand without explicitly stating it, and it’s tempting. The only thing that would make it more attractive would be hearing the words come from her pretty pink lips, boldly and without hesitation.
Lyla leans forward, almost as if she could read my thoughts, and places her elbows on the table. Our eyes meet, and I can sense the determination in her stare. “Look. We don’t know each other’s last names. We knownothing about each other’s jobs. Or really about each other in general.”
I open my mouth to speak, but she lifts a hand to silence me.
“One night. No expectation. No stress. No exchanging phone numbers. No feelings to deal with tomorrow.”
Her eyes sweep across my face, searching for any sign of emotion, while I attempt to conceal the surge of desire coursing through my veins with a poker face.
“We’d just be two strangers enjoying each other’s company for one night.”
A moment of charged silence hangs between us. My mind raced, considering the proposal with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. Nearly an hour ago, I was thinking about how envious I was of Harrison’s carefree lifestyle, and now the opportunity to take part is sitting right in front of me.
The temptation is becoming more and more alluring, like a siren’s song.
A slow smile creeps over her lips, and I nearly throw in my cards right then. “Plus, since we’re apparently married, I think it’s only right that we consummate our marriage.”
“We already consummated our marriage in Santorini after the wedding. How could you forget?”
“Amnesia. Can’t remember it, so it doesn’t count.”
I shouldn’t do this, but she’s making it hard to resist.
Tomorrow’s presentation is a monumental moment in my professional life. I should do the responsiblething and head home, ensuring I get a restful night’s sleep so I can wake up refreshed tomorrow.
I could almost picture the consequences that would follow if I didn’t go through with it, though. Countless nights at the office would be filled with restless thoughts, the smell of stale coffee lingering in the air, and questioning what would have happened if I’d said yes.
As I stare at the enormous hazel eyes holding my gaze with an equal level of desire, all the nagging thoughts warning against it vanish from my mind.
“Say it, Lyla. I want to hear you say the words.”
“Have a one-night stand with me.”
There was no hesitation in her voice. No hint of doubt.
With unwavering eye contact, I reach into my pocket and retrieve my wallet, swiftly emptying all the cash I possess and placing it on the table.
Our waiter seemed to have vanished into thin air, and the restaurant was devoid of any sign of other staff members.
Lyla’s breath catches softly as she watches me. “Is it safe to carry around that much cash?”
The thought crosses my mind to admit that I’ve never known anything different, but I quickly silence the impulse. “Let’s go.”
We shuffle out of our seats, and as we weave our way through the tables, my hand instinctively rests on the small of her back.
