Episode 69: One Night Stand

"Emily, did you just curse?"

Disregarding the woman's surprise at that, Emily shook her head with stiff shoulders. "Are you messing with me right now? Did you just say that you and Chase slept together?"

There was dead silence.

"Valentina!"

"Yes okay?! We slept together!"

The brunette's eyes screwed shut as her worst fears have been confirmed.

"Wait...let's take this slow. After all, 'sleeping together' has many different meanings. I shouldn't be narrow-minded and think that it's like that-"

"It is like that, Emily. We fucked. And way too many times for it to be a mistake."

Her mouth gaped at her friend's rawness towards the truth.

"You putting it like that doesn't make me feel good enough to give you the advice you most likely called for."

"I'm sorry?" Valentina squeaked. "But I'm just trying to get it all out of my system. Right now it doesn't feel real but the soreness between my legs tells another story."

"H-How..."

Emily swallowed harshly and the feeling of a headache came on.

"How did this happen? I thought you weren't interested in him!"

"I'm not," she confirmed, strongly influencing an eye roll. "But I am interested in his body. God, you should've seen how tolerable he is when he keeps his mouth shut for a bit. You know, the exception being that he's doing the dirty down below."

Her friend groaned making Nicholas take a careful sip of his coffee.

The man knew that whatever was being said after that revelation wasn't going to sit well with her.

Somehow, he felt as if they had jinxed the entire thing.

Oh well, what's done is done, he thought, not feeling the optimism the words should have incited.

"I don't want to hear about that, Val. I wanna know how you managed from insulting him to hopping into his bed."

"Technically, it was him hopping into my bed."

"I'm trying to be serious here." Emily deadpanned.

Valentina frowned as she picked at her nails.

"I don't know," she sighed. "He's just got this charm about him. It's in his smile. When he was giving me a ride home, it was awkward as hell because of the sexual tension. But I was more drawn by how genuine he could be when talking about something dear to him - like how much he missed this city. I resonated with that as my soft spot was hit when the conversation led to me missing home. Then he sympathized with that. He ended up escorting me to my front door. One thing led to another..."

"And BOOM! I'm knocked up."

"WHAT?!"

"Just kidding. We did have sex though."

"Were you drunk?"

Nicholas' head raised at Emily's terrible suspicion.

"No, I wasn't."

She sighed.

At least he didn't take advantage of her, she thought in relief.

Then her brows furrowed. "Was he?"

"No, Emily," she blew out an exasperated breath. "We were both conscious of our actions and weren't under influence. If he was, he wouldn't have been able to drive me home in the first place."

"Then why..." Emily trailed off, still not being able to wrap her head around it. "After everything with my cousin why would you get into another relationship so casually?"

"Just because we had sex doesn't mean we're in a relationship."

The girl faltered. "What?"

"We had a one night stand. That's all. It doesn't mean that I'm gonna chase him down and ask him to take responsibility for it."

Emily couldn't understand such a logic of thinking. She knew people were capable of being cool about having sex but she had never witnessed it before. It was a lot for her to process.

"We both had fun. Not to mention I got to blow off some steam from my frustrations about Jason. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable seeing as he is your husband's best friend."

"I-" With her eyes blown, she desperately drew for a breath.

Did she think Emily cared about such a thing?

The woman was more concerned about her.

About her well-being!

"What did Chase say? Does he feel the same way you do?"

"I figured as much with the way he barely spoke to me this morning before leaving."

Emily almost cursed again.

"Don't worry. I'm not disheartened by that. I knew there wasn't anything to expect the moment I invited him inside my apartment."

"Valentina..."

"I know," she acknowledged. "You're worried about me. But I'm fine. I really am. I used him as much as he used me last night. It's a win-win."

If that were the case why did Emily feel like both of them had lost in the end?

In a situation like that she couldn't imagine there being someone coming out on top.

And not in the way Valentina had set out for it to.

"Are you really okay? I feel like this is all my fault." Emily ran a hand through her hair in despair.

"Don't say that, stupid. And I told you, I'm fine. I've got my fill to last a couple more months before looking for something serious."

Emily's nose wrinkled. "You're disgusting."

"Not all of us have a fit husband who'll tend to our needs when we want him to."

Her gaze flickered to Nicholas who was watching her with an unreadable expression.

"Then get yourself one," she snapped. "The quicker you do, the less chances you have of ending up in these situations."

"Is that mockery I hear?" She grumbled.

"It's sound advice."

"Whatever you say." Valentina muttered lowly.

"Anyway, I just wanted you to know what happened in case we have the displeasure of meeting again and things are awkward. You know, that's when you'll make up some poor excuse for me to run for the hills."

"And when I'm not there and you bump into each other anyway?"

"I'll still run for the hills."

Despite her free will, Emily let out a chortle.

"I can't guarantee that I'll be of any help then. You made your bed so you should lay in it."

"I thought you said you didn't want me sleeping with him again."

Emily's eyes widened. "I didn't mean it-"

"I know, I'm just messing with you." Valentina laughed heartily at how she was panicking.

"Seeing as how you're making jokes about this, I'll consider that as a sign of you actually being alright." She replied gruffly.

"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud, Emily."

"I'm hanging up now."

And so she did.

Without sparing a breath, she whirled around and faced her husband. "I told you this would happen."

"They slept together?"

She nodded unwillingly.

"Ugh, and she's so calm about it too!"

"And what about Chase?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Why don't you ask him?"

He pursed his lips.

"From your reaction I take it he reacted as her being no more than another one of his conquests."

"Your friend sucks," she groaned, making him instinctively chuckle. "Why does he have to be so hot on top of everything? No wonder she fell for it."

His eyes widened noticeably.

"You think Chase is hot?"

She sealed her lips shut making him shake his head in disapproval.

"Oh no, you don't!" He raised a finger at her pointedly. "You have to answer my question. Do you find my best friend attractive?"

Twisting her hands, Emily sighed. "Logically speaking, he's got everything a woman desires. A gorgeous face, nice body and he's rich. If only he could curb that mouth and promiscuous lifestyle of his then he'd be the total package."

Nicholas stood there silently, befuddled at what she had said.

Grabbing a hold of his hand at his dazed expression, she urged him to say something. "Did I say something wrong? What is it?"

Blinking down at her, Nicholas patted her cheeks slowly replying, "When a man asks you if you find another male attractive, especially when it's his friend, your answer should be something along the lines of a denial. Not a detailed review of his best and worst traits."

Leaving Emily standing there regrettably, he walked to finish the rest of his breakfast like a zombie.

She groaned.

Valentina, your relationship problems are affecting my own!

• • •

"Are you still sulking over what I said about Chase?"

"No, why would I be?" He replied without looking up from his laptop.

"It goes to say a lot when you haven't even looked up at me since I've been here." Emily complained while petting Aurora who was frisky enough to jump from her hands and into Nicholas' lap. He looked down at the puppy, unamused per usual.

"She's telling you to pay attention to me too." She hypothesized before taking a hold of her white fur ball again.

Falling for her eyes, Nicholas closed down the screen of the laptop and faced her.

"What is it that you want?"

"Do I have to want something in order to speak with you?"

His forehead creased in thought. "Of course not but it seems you have something you want to talk to me about specifically."

It was scary how he knew her so well.

"I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not interested in Chase," she started off and before he could interrupt her she continued swiftly. "So that means you can stop being sulky about it like you have been for the past hour."

He huffed.

However, he didn't deny it.

"Also, I wanted to notify you that my lawyer says Jake is now willing to sign my contract termination papers."

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

She nodded. "It's not like he's got much of a choice at this point. If he continues to draw it out he'd have to pay an even bigger price."

"That's great. I'm honestly so happy you've finally passed this hurdle. Now you can get a fresh start. Congratulations, Em."

A shy version of her smile returned and Nicholas could tell that what he had said really touched her heart. "Thank you, Nicholas. For all the support you've given me until now. You have no idea how much it has meant to me."

"It's my honor to support you and your dreams. I like a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it. That's you, Em. You're always working hard towards your dreams. There isn't a moment that you're not doing so. It's extremely inspiring."

"I'm glad you think so." She bit down onto her lips nervously.

He smiled softly at her.

"Will Talia be accompanying you tomorrow?"

"No, it'll be just me."

His expression became grim.

"Do you think that's a good idea after everything you two have been through?"

"He'll probably try and hurt my feelings," she guessed. "But that doesn't mean he'll succeed in doing so. I can handle an hour more of listening to his nonsense. I've survived three years of it. A little bit more isn't gonna kill me."

"I don't want you to bear even another minute of it. That's how I feel about you being in his presence."

She took his hand in her own reassuringly.

"I'll be fine. Trust me. I'm a King now remember?"

His smile was full and true. "You've got a way with words, you know that?"

She shrugged shamelessly.

He couldn't help but laugh at how adorable she looked while doing that.

"But yes, you're right. You're now a King and even though that name suggests your strength, it also means he who wears the crown must bear its weight."

She looked at him attentively at what he was getting at.

"I don't want to see you hurt again like the last time. If that happens I really don't know what I'll be capable of."

The darkness in his eyes startled her for a moment before it cleared and a look of desperation came, almost as if he was imploring her for that to not be the case.

But she understood where he was coming from.

Nicholas had been the one to see the awful effects of what Jake had done to her first hand. That made him even more reluctant to have her be involved with him in any way, even if that was professionally. It brought back memories neither of them wanted to recall. He'd be a long-standing blight on Emily's life whenever they heard someone mention his name.

"I understand your concerns, Nicholas." She squeezed his hand. "I do. But this is a chapter in my life that I need to close on my own. It's only fair because I'm the one who started it in the first place."

Holding her gaze for longer than her heart could take, he finally looked down in defeat. "Okay, do what needs to be done."

She stood on her tippy toes and gave him a kiss to the cheek.

"Thank you for being so understanding."

"I love you," he said randomly until she realized it further translated to 'that's why I'm so understanding' in his own lack of words.

"I love you to-" At his swift raise of eyebrows she caught a hold of the final word.

"I love you, Nicholas."

"That's good because you're stuck with me for a long time to come."

"That sounds awfully threatening."

"Interpet in whatever way you wish but that still doesn't change the fact that we're going to be together for the rest of our lives. It'd be unfortunate if you didn't hold any positive sentiments towards me. Heart wrenching actually."

"Sometimes you say the most poetic things in an unfathomable casual manner."

He tilted his head, grinning. "You really fancy all this romantic shit don't you?"

She rolled her eyes at his crass tongue.

Nuzzling his nose to hers, he smiled. "I can be your William Wordsworth if you want? Or would you prefer John Keats? Samuel Taylor perhaps?"

"I thought you didn't want me getting with men old enough to be my grandfather."

"I'm the only exception to that rule," he argued shamelessly. "Hypothetically speaking, of course. And they aren't old enough to be your grandfather, love. They're deceased. That means they don't count physically - only in the name of what they've achieved in the literary world."

"Way to spin things to your own benefit," she pursed her lips.

"Oh, this is only a tip of the iceberg," he purred and stared down at her beneath lengthy eyelashes. "I can be anything you want me to. Especially when it comes to your pleasure. So tell me, Emily...is there anything in particular your heart desires?"

"Are we still talking about literature here?" She flushed.

"Sex, literature...they both intertwine with each other at some point in time, don't they?"

She stared at him, pupils blown.

His eyes flickered around the room for a moment before they returned to her, the heat having been raised a few degrees. "Now tell me. Have you secretly desired anything from me in particular?" She jumped when his hands trailed the inside of her thigh.

"I don't..." The woman breathed heavily as if merely speaking to him in this state was difficult.

With that dangerously seductive voice and sexy gaze, that was the case indeed.

Her heart was about to combust from seeing him like this. "I've never actually thought about it."

He raised his brows as if he was telling her not to bullshit him.

"I'm serious!" She squealed when his touch journeyed further north and to her sensitive area. "I swear I've never thought about it!"

He froze at her admission, eyes meeting hers with a certain sense of disapproval. "Now, that's disappointing. We're gonna have to do something about that, won't we?"

Emily struggled to formulate a response. "What are you going to do?"

He caught a hint of the excitement in her voice and couldn't help but chuckle deviously. "Not what I'm about to do, but you. What you're about to do."

She watched him in suspicion as he pulled away from her.

After reaching for the little notepad Karen Kim always used to list the items needed for grocery shopping, he ripped a page out and handed it to her.

She looked down at it in the palm of her hand, confused.

"Your homework." He explained.

"Excuse me?"

His eyes conveyed how calculating he was being about this. "You're going to write down all your fantasies you have of me. I'll do my best to make them come true."

She blinked at him incredulously.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"I'm as sane as one can be in this fucked up world."

Her jaw dropped.

"Now don't stall, I'll be collecting your homework for future reference." He winked before getting back to his own work on the laptop.

"Nicholas, I can't..." she trailed off, face burning brighter than the sun.

He didn't bother to look at her in fear of falling victim to her pleading eyes.

"You'll thank me for this in the long run."

"I won't do it." Emily decided and his gaze finally flickered upwards.

He chuckled. "Then I'll have no choice than to make a guess for myself."

Her eyes expanded.

"That sounds ten times more intimidating than what I'm asking of you now doesn't it?"

"You're heartless."

"It's your fault for constantly stealing it away from me."

She blushed.

"I guess amorous words are number one on that list, right?" He theorized with a conceited grin.

"You're crazy," she accused before turning away only to hear him reply just as quickly.

"Only for you!" He shouted back at her and she could just imagine the shit-eating grin on his face.

He is most definitely crazy, she concluded as she whipped around to confirm that smugness he had.

Emily almost lost balance when he had the nerve to give her a not so subtle once-over. It was the most nerve wracking one of them in history because those brown eyes were brazenly revealing how much they knew the details of what was beyond the layers of her clothes. With her cheeks burning, his eyes lifted to examine them with an adoring smile before turning back to his files.

It took a while before she had the strength in her legs to make an escape.