THE MISTRESS

Prologue

▪︎One Night Stand ▪︎

ERIK

"Can I buy you a drink?"

A feminine deep voice whispers behind me. I turn back to look at her, standing so close to me.

Her?

A striking sexy woman. A sexy woman in a stunning sleeveless dress. A sleeveless dress with a long front slit. A long front slit that exposes one of her flawless long legs. Long legs in red heels. Red heels that I never thought would stand anywhere close to me.

Until this minute...

The club is electric tonight. So electric you can't even tell it's a Sunday night. The music is banging through the booming speakers. The drinks are flowing across the tables just as fast as the bartenders can make them.

"Two glasses of tequila please!"

She makes a loud order over the noisy music, smiling at the bartender.

I stare at her as she falls on the seat next to me. Shamelessly, I find myself scanning every part of her.

A set of dangerous dark eyes. Long ebony hair. Flawless caramel skin. Long pointed nose. Luscious red lips. As deliciously red as her red dress.

God! She's painfully perfect!

She passes a glass of tequila to me and raises her drink cheerfully. A dimple deepens on her left cheek as she shrieks,

"Cheers!"

Our glasses clink as we make a toast to the night!

But I'm still wallowing in confusion and disbelief. How can an outstanding woman like her notice a guy like me?

"Forgive my rudeness!" She facepalms. "I haven't even introduced myself..."

It comes as a surprise that she thinks I don't know her.

Of course, I know her.

"Ruby Rey," she grins, stretching her hand to me. "Tell me yours..."

"Erik." We shake hands. "Erik with a K."

She giggles. "What's the difference?"

"The K."

After that brief introduction, we proceed to irrelevant talks mixed with hearty laughs over some tequila.

Despite the fun I'm having, one particular question is itching at the back of my head. A question I desperately need to ask Ruby since she approached me a few minutes ago.

I sum up courage and clear my throat,

"Do I have a sticker on my back?"

"A sticker?" she asks, confused.

"Yes. A sticker screaming that I'm so broke and I need a good samaritan to buy me a drink."

An awkward moment of silence follows, making me sink in regret for asking that dumb question. It comes as a huge relief when she suddenly cracks up in laughter.

"No, the only thing that was screaming was your loneliness in a crowded club..."

We take a couple more shots laughing and cracking up silly jokes. At this point, I'm a little drunk and tipsy, the music thumping in my ears.

Ruby is staring at something behind me. Maybe someone...

When I turn back to look in the same direction, she stops me and leans in closer to whisper,

"Let's start a fire."

All sorts of wild thoughts roam in my head, goosebumps spreading on my skin.

"A fire?"

"Yes! Let's start a fire on the dancefloor!"

"Oh!" I burst out a laugh. "You mean dancing?"

"Dancing sounds funny to you?"

"No. I'm laughing because I suck at dancing..."

"So do I," she wiggles her eyebrows. "Let's go suck together. It will be so much fun, come on!"

But I'm still reluctant. I don't want to embarrass myself on the dancefloor. Especially not in front of her.

"You are so hard-headed!" She huffs. "I just bought you a drink! You owe me a dance!"

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"No. I'm asking you to pay back the drink, 'Mr. Erik with a K'."

Before I know it, she drags me straight to the dancefloor. A dancefloor crowded with sweaty bodies, swaying to the beat of the music, their hands swinging in the air.

The night turns out so much more intriguing than I thought.

I came here to babysit.

But here I am. On the f*****g dancefloor. Dancing ridiculously and shamelessly. My head is mashing so hard to the beat. I can't remember the last time I got so thrilled in a club. To just let myself be reckless, shameless, stupid and young.

A rush of excitement surges through me with every beat.

But the most exciting part about this must be dancing next to this enthralling woman. Her hips swaying violently in the red dress as she screams the lyrics of the house music. She sucks at singing but she doesn't suck at dancing.

She lied.

Ruby suddenly stops dancing to look at me. Biting her lower lip, she snakes her arms around my neck and pulls me closer to her. She stands on her toes and whispers,

"Let's sneak out!"

And that's how I find myself at the parking lot. Sinning.

Her body pressing against mine. Passionately. Her lips touching mine. Electrically. Her fingers running through my hair. Roughly. Her legs circling my waist. Firmly.

I'm trying my best to hold her steadily. To prevent myself from getting drowned in the sea of passion. But with every touch and every kiss, I lose myself more and more to her...

I have never felt the allure of another woman this strongly.

I feel so weak. So breathless. It must be the tequila effect.

Or maybe the Ruby effect...

"Erik."

I feel the impulsive craving in my veins as she whispers my name, pulling her delicious mouth from mine.

"Let's go to your place," she says. "It's freezing out here."

I freeze on the spot.

Her statement gets me back to my senses in an instant. I set her back on her feet and pull away. I take off my denim jacket and wrap it gently around her arms.

Feeling nervous and cold in a plain black t-shirt, I shove my hands in the pockets of my dark jeans.

I'm immersed in a series of thoughts, contemplating if I should tell her the truth. But the truth is embarrassing...

Pulling my jacket closer around her arms, she asks me softly.

"What's wrong, Erik?"

I hesitate for a moment, my head falling to the ground. She takes a step closer to me and looks up at me.

"Talk to me, Erik..."

"I live with my mom."

Silence.

I expect her to mock me. I expect her to laugh at me. Most of all, I expect her to walk away

But she doesn't.

Instead, she grips my hand and tells me with a kind smile,

"My car is warmer."

She dumps my jacket at the driver's seat the minute we hop into her car.

We squeeze in the backseat as she sets herself on my lap. Her body nestles tightly against mine as I pull her closer to me. Her lips brush mine in a hot, fiery, passionate and demanding way. I kiss her back fiercely and wildly, trailing my rough kisses down her neck. She lets out a moan that sets my hunger and desires ablaze. I grab her body aggressively, resenting the red dress that blocks my way. I'm itching to tear it into shreds so that I can taste her...

Make her mine.

Her claws dig deeper into my hair, gripping my head firmly as if to keep me from escaping. The forest fire of passion between us burns more intensely as my hands violate every curve of her body.

Her hands travel down to my belt, ready to unleash the hungry monster beneath. It takes every ounce of strength for me to plead in desperation,

"Please stop!"

The blunt rejection makes her face turn red and she stops instantly to stare at me. The confused look in her eyes is a hard slap to my face.

But she suddenly beams.

With a little devious smile, she looks down at the huge bulge in my pants. It's embarrassing but in a twisted way, she finds it amusing.

"It doesn't want me to stop."

She bends to kiss me again. Reluctantly, I pull away and stop her.

"I mean it, stop! I can't do this!"

I glance out the window of her car, shame and guilt eating up my soul.

Still seated on my lap, she stares at me sharply and asks in a dangerously calm tone.

"Why?"

"I have a girlfriend."

|| || || || ||