She’d said yes.
She’d been wrong. Regret filled her, threatened to overwhelm her and she took another deep breath, trying to calm the ensuing panic that threatened to wash over her.
What was scary, what worried her was how much she enjoyed it. How comfortable she’d felt, sucking a strange man’s dick in her mouth. Sharing the experience with Austin, watching him with another man, it had been exhilarating. Exciting.
The phone on her desk rang, startling her from her thoughts. She reached for it, answering it without checking who it was. “This is Michaela.”
“Hey.”
Her heart beat double time at the sound of his voice. “You’re up awfully early.”
“I didn’t hear you leave. I missed you.”
“I woke up late. I had to get ready for work.” His words echoed in her head, thrilling her despite her worry about last night. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He paused, the silence suddenly heavy with tension. “Are you all right?”
“Um, not really, but can we talk about it later?”
“Yeah, that sounds good. Uh, do you want to do something tonight? Go out?”
Her eyes slid closed and she pressed her lips together. Was this all she was to him? A plaything to take out every evening and have a kinky good time with? “I’m too tired, Austin. I don’t think so.”
“Come on, Michaela.” His voice took on that cajoling tone that usually worked on her.
Not today.
“I can’t. I don’t want to. I’m too stressed out.”
He was quiet for a moment, then drew in a deep breath. “Are you freaking out over last night?”
How did he know this? He always had her pegged and it scared the shit out of her. “No.”
His voice lowered. “Liar.”
She opened her eyes, caught her boss studying her oddly from the doorway of her office. Ducking her head, Michaela turned around in her chair, away from Tania’s questioning gaze. “I need to go, Austin. I have to get back to work. It’s crazy here.”
“Then let’s order dinner in, talk a little bit before I have to go to work,” he suggested.
He really was sweet, kind, thoughtful. Always wanting to take care of her even before they started fucking.
That wasn’t nice of her, to think of it as fucking. What they shared went beyond that. Scary but true.
“I’m going to be working late tonight.” She didn’t know that for sure but she had a feeling. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to pass.”
“Okay.” His voice grew tight, chilled. “I’ll see you later then.”
The sound of the click in her ear a moment later made her start to cry.
“She’s avoiding me.”
“Yeah?” Brad shoved a forkful of chicken into his mouth. “Why? Because you’re an asshole?”
Austin shot him a look from across the table. “Very funny.”
Brad shrugged, wiped his face with a cloth napkin before letting it drop in his lap. “What can I say? You pulled the asshole move on me more than a few times. You still do.”
They were at a restaurant not far from the theatre having dinner. Austin had become desperate over Michaela’s withdrawal, needing advice so he’d called Brad and asked him to meet him.