2. First Conference Fling
First Conference Fling
Sheila could only stare at him, her mind blank.
“What are you doing here? How are you here?”
Derek ushered her to a pair of club chairs arranged together. Still shocked, she allowed him to help her into a seat before he took one for himself.
“My daughter’s staying with her mom tonight for a mother-daughter day at school tomorrow.
With the prospect of a night alone in my empty house, I decided to visit my old stomping grounds.
Alexander and I lived here for a year after college while he interned, you know.
So, I caught a flight out, and here I am. ”
He spread his arms in an open, friendly manner and grinned. She returned his expression.
“It’s just for tonight,” he added. “I head back home tomorrow afternoon.”
Sheila couldn’t get over her shock at his appearance. Of course, she thought about him innumerable times this week, even after the tenderness between her thighs abated. Hell, she fantasized about him earlier tonight.
But she needed to put some distance between him and her growing feelings.
“What if I already have plans for tonight?” she finally asked.
He shrugged as if last-minute plane tickets and hotel rooms were no big deal.
“Then I’ll have dinner at my favorite restaurant in the French Quarter, get some beignets in the morning, and fly home as planned. At least it’s more interesting than staring at the walls of my living room, questioning my paint choices.”
A small laugh escaped her as he intended, but then his expression sobered.
“Look, I know this is unexpected.”
He ran a shaking hand through his hair, and her heart softened, the stupid thing.
“It is,” she agreed.
“You thought you had a break from me,” he joked, “and here I am, showing up like a bad penny.”
She protested.
“That wasn’t what I thought at all. Honestly, I still can’t believe you’re here, and it’s a miracle I was walking by right then. I was on my way out to dinner with some friends.”
He straightened in his chair.
“Damn it. I didn’t mean to interrupt your plans. Never mind. Go do your thing, and I’ll visit some old haunts and head to my room. This was a stupid idea. I just thought…”
His voice trailed off uncertainly.
He was abashed, and Sheila delighted in seeing his normally well-groomed brown and gray hair mussed.
The silver fox look worked for him. His face bore the light stubble of a five o’clock shadow, which only served to make him more attractive.
Her nipples tingled in remembrance of the feel of that scruff on her most sensitive skin.
“You thought what?” she prompted.
“That it might be fun to pretend like we’re strangers, and I was the guy you picked up for your first conference fling.”
His words dropped between them and sucked all the air out of the room. Sheila sat in stupefied silence, too many thoughts competing for priority.
Derek fidgeted for a moment before he exclaimed, “It’s not what it looks like.”
Sheila took the bait. “What does it look like?”
“Like I’m checking up on you or jealous or something like that.”
She forced herself to answer in a cheerful voice.
“We don’t have that kind of relationship.”
Frowning, he said, “We’re friends, though. And friends are allowed to worry. But I wasn’t that worried. You’re smart and can take care of yourself.”
He leaned towards her, and his voice dropped.
“But I had this fantasy. You picked me up in the hotel bar, a stranger, and we did all the dirty things I wanted to do that first night but was too chicken shit to do. Once the idea popped into my head, there was no getting rid of it.”
He gave a casual shrug.
“Then there was a direct flight leaving at just the right time, and the hotel had a room. It was too good to pass up.”
Sheila sat with the idea for a moment. There was no denying her interest in his suggestion. It would be akin to a test run, and she could put her new skills into practice tomorrow night. Maybe Arthur would still be available, but he wasn’t the only man here.
She couldn’t deny the idea of roleplay titillated her.
Plus, there was comfort in enacting yet another sexual first with Derek.
If only she weren’t already afraid of caring too much for him.
That wasn’t the kind of relationship they had, and she knew better.
Unfortunately, her stupid heart had other ideas.
“And I thought we could recreate Alexander’s elevator story,” Derek added.
Her breath caught.
“What story is that?” she asked innocently.
His knowing smile made it clear he knew she was faking, but he didn’t call her on it.
“He was at a hotel here in the Big Easy, and this hot woman was already in the car when he got on the elevator. They were the only ones on, so they got to talking and flirting. Then the elevator stopped, and they were trapped for a couple of hours.”
He stopped and looked at her expectantly.
“Well? What happened?”
“I’ll tell you,” he said with a smirk, “at the bar. Buy me a drink, and I’ll give you the whole story. Buy me dinner, too, and I’ll act it out with you.”
His eyes smoldered, and she bit back a whimper. Her pussy clenched, eager for him to impale her on his girthy cock. Before she had the chance to respond, her phone chimed with an incoming message.
Grateful for the reprieve, she apologized and checked her phone.
“Are you still coming to dinner?” Melody texted.
It was the moment of truth. Sheila already knew what her answer would be, but she strung it out for Derek’s benefit. That was his punishment for unknowingly putting her heart through the wringer, but she was obviously going to go with him.
No way she was passing up on elevator shenanigans with the guy who could make her come in two minutes.
Decision made, she sent her reply to Melody.
“Sorry, something came up, but I hope we can hang out tomorrow night instead.”
“Perfect. See you in the morning.”
Sheila put her phone back in her bag and straightened her spine. With a confidence she didn’t feel, she met Derek’s gaze with a sultry smile.
“Let the games begin.”