Emily's eyes fluttered open, squinting against the harsh morning light streaming through her curtains. Her head pounded, as mouth dry as sandpaper. As memories of the night before came flooding back, a mix of exhilaration and unease washed over her.
She glanced at the muscular arm draped across her waist, following it to the ruggedly handsome face of Lucas, still peacefully asleep beside her. Emily's stomach did a little flip.
'Shit,' she thought. 'What the hell did I do?'
Part of her wanted to kick him out. But another part longed to stay wrapped in his strong arms, to feel that delicious ache between her thighs just a little longer.
As if sensing her inner turmoil, Lucas stirred. He rolled towards her, one piercing blue eye cracking open. A slow, satisfied smirk spread across his face.
"Good morning, baby girl," he rumbled, voice husky with sleep.
Emily's breath caught in her throat. "Morning," she managed to squeak out.
Lucas propped himself up on one elbow, openly admiring her. "Sleep well?"
"Like a rock," Emily admitted. "Though I'm definitely feeling those shots now."
Emily's eyes darted to the clock on her nightstand, her heart racing. "Shit! I'm going to be late for brunch with my parents," she exclaimed, bolting upright.
Lucas chuckled, his deep voice rumbling through the room. "Relax, baby girl. It's Sunday morning."
She scrambled out of bed, pulling on the first clothes she found in her drawers. "My mum will have an aneurysm if I'm not there on time."
As Emily hastily dressed, she snuck glances at Lucas. His muscled form lounged on the bed, the sheet barely covering his hips. Part of her wanted to climb right back in.
What the hell am I doing? she thought. One night stand with a sexy older guy? So not me.
"You okay there?" Lucas asked, his piercing blue eyes studying her.
"Yeah, just... processing," Emily mumbled, shoving her feet into her boots.
Lucas stood, pulling on his jeans. "Listen, I had a great time last night. Would love to see you again, if you're up for it."
Emily paused, chewing her lip. The responsible part of her brain screamed to politely decline. But there was something magnetic about him.
"Sure, why not?" she heard herself say. "Give me your phone," she said, whilst handing him hers.
She punched in her number, adding a winking emoji next to her name.
Emily's fingers trembled as she took her phone back from Lucas, the weight of it suddenly feeling like an anchor. She leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to his stubbled cheek, the scent of his cologne mingling with the lingering musk of their night together.
"I'll text you," she said, her voice a mix of promise and uncertainty.
Lucas' eyes sparkled with mischief. "I'll hold you to that, baby girl."
Before Emily could react, he closed the distance between them, crashing his lips into hers. The kiss was hungry, passionate, a stark reminder of the heat they'd shared. Emily's mind reeled, torn between the desire to melt into him again and the nagging voice telling her to run.
As Lucas pulled away, Emily struggled to catch her breath. "Fuck," she muttered under her breath, watching him saunter down the driveway.
The moment he was out of sight, Emily bolted for her car, fumbling with the keys. Her hands shook as she jammed the key into the ignition, the engine roaring to life.
"What the hell did I just do?" she muttered, peeling out of the driveway. Her mind raced faster than the scenery blurring past her window. The quaint pastel houses of Seabridge seemed to mock her with their perfect facades as she sped towards Sophia's place.
Emily's knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel. "Shit, shit, shit," she chanted, a mantra of regret and exhilaration. "Soph is gonna flip her lid when she hears about this."
The salty sea air whipped through her open window, doing little to clear her head. As she approached Sophia's street, Emily's stomach churned with a mix of anxiety and leftover tequila.
"Pull it together, Em," she coached herself, taking a deep breath. "It's just Soph."
But as Emily parked in front of Sophia's cheerful yellow house, she couldn't shake the feeling that this time was different. This wasn't just another drunken mishap to laugh about over brunch. This was... something else entirely.
The sharp rap of Emily's knuckles on the door echoed through Sophia's flat. A muffled "Shit!" followed by stumbling and the crash of what sounded like an avalanche of pizza boxes reached Emily's ears.
"Just a sec!" Sophia's voice rang out, slightly panicked.
Emily shifted from foot to foot, her mind racing. What the hell was she going to tell Sophia about last night? The memory of Lucas' hands on her body sent a shiver down her spine.
The door flew open, revealing a disheveled Sophia. Her auburn curls were a tangled mess, yesterday's mascara smudged under her eyes. She wore an oversized t-shirt that barely covered her ass, clearly having just rolled out of bed.
"Em! What the fuck? It's not even noon," Sophia groaned, squinting at the sunlight.
Emily pushed past her friend into the flat. "I need to talk to you. Now."
"Jesus, alright. Let me put on some pants first," Sophia grumbled, stumbling towards her bedroom. "There's coffee in the kitchen if you want some. I need it intravenously."
Emily made her way to the kitchen, navigating the obstacle course of empty wine bottles and takeout containers. She poured two mugs of coffee, her hands shaking slightly.
Sophia reappeared, now wearing sweatpants and looking marginally more human. "Okay, spill. What's got you barging in here at the asscrack of dawn?"
Emily took a deep breath. "I slept with him last night."
Sophia's eyebrows shot up. "Holy shit. Who?"
"That guy from the bar. Lucas."
A slow grin spread across Sophia's face. "The hot older dude? Fuck yes! How was it?"
Emily felt her cheeks flush. "It was... intense. But Soph, what the hell am I doing? I just got out of an engagement."
Sophia rolled her eyes. "You're living your life, babe. Ryan fucked you over, remember? You deserve some fun."
Emily sipped her coffee, her mind whirling. "I know, but... I don't do one-night stands."
"Stop overthinking it," Sophia said, reaching for Emily's hand. "You're allowed to enjoy yourself, Em. It doesn't have to mean anything more than that."
Emily squeezed her friend's hand, feeling some of the tension leave her body. "You're right. I just... I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
Sophia grinned. "Welcome to the club, babe. Now, tell me everything. And I mean everything."
Emily collapsed onto Sophia's worn leather couch, her head spinning from the night's events and lingering tequila. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, wincing as her fingers caught on a knot.
"Soph, I'm telling you - it was mind-blowing," Emily confessed, her voice husky from lack of sleep. "Like, easily the best sex I've ever had. And I'm pretty sure that's not just the tequila talking."
Sophia's laughter rang out as she plopped down next to Emily, passing her a steaming mug of coffee. "Damn girl, get it! So are you gonna see him again?"
Emily took a grateful sip, the bitter liquid clearing some of the fog from her brain. "I think so? I told him I'd text later, but..." She trailed off, uncertainty creeping in.
The memory of Lucas' strong hands on her body sent a shiver down her spine.
"But what?" Sophia pressed, narrowing her eyes. "Don't you dare chicken out. If you don't text him, I swear I'll steal your phone and do it for you."
Emily clutched her phone protectively. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me," Sophia smirked, lunging for the device.
"Hey!" Emily protested as Sophia snatched it away, fumbling with the passcode.
"Where's his number?" Sophia muttered, searching through Emily's contacts. "Lucas, Luke, L-something..."
Emily's eyes widened when she realised what he'd probably done. She grabbed the phone back, heat rising to her cheeks as she found the entry she was looking for.
"Um, it's under..." she hesitated, biting her lip.
"Under what?" Sophia demanded.
Emily turned the screen towards her friend, cringing.
Sophia's jaw dropped. "DADDY?!" she shrieked, dissolving into hysterical laughter. "Oh my god, Em! You kinky bitch!"
Emily buried her face in her hands, torn between mortification and amusement. What the hell had she gotten herself into?
Sophia's laughter echoed through the apartment, tears streaming down her face as she gasped for air between fits of giggles. Emily felt her cheeks flush, a mix of embarrassment and amusement coursing through her.
"Oh my god," Sophia wheezed, wiping her eyes. "I can't believe it. You're telling me this guy had you calling him 'daddy'? What is this, some cheesy porno?"
Emily rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress a grin. "Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it." She took a swig of her coffee, the bitter taste grounding her as memories of last night flooded back.
Sophia leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Alright, spill it then. If you're calling him 'daddy,' what's he calling you? His little princess?"
Emily snorted. "Close, but not quite. Baby girl.'"
"Holy shit," Sophia cackled, nearly spilling her own coffee. "That's even better. Or worse. I can't decide."
Emily's mind drifted to Lucas' deep voice growling those words in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She shook her head, trying to focus on the present. "Look, I know it sounds ridiculous, but in the moment..." She trailed off, unsure how to explain the intense connection she'd felt.
Sophia's laughter subsided, replaced by a knowing smirk. "Hey, no judgment here. Well, maybe a little judgment. But mostly I'm just glad you had fun. You deserved it after everything with that asshole."