Chapter Fourteen
I wake with a start and am immediately greeted with the heaviness of Bentley's body draped across mine. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, I see that it is just after four in the morning. As much as I want to stay, I know that I can't. I have already broken so many of my own rules tonight and honestly, I am a bit terrified by how quickly everything goes out the window where this man is concerned.
Carefully pushing his leg back, he rolls slightly on a heavy exhale but doesn't wake. I slip out of the bed as quietly as I can, doing my best not to shift the bed too much as I do. The last thing I want is for Bentley to wake up right now. I need to get out of here while I still can.
Fumbling blindly in the dark, I manage to find the door without incident and open it as carefully as possible before slipping out into the dimly lit hallway. It isn't until I locate my dress on the living room floor that I realize I left my panties somewhere in the bedroom. Not wanting to risk going back in there, I chalk it up as a loss and quickly slip my dress over my head before making my way to the front door to retrieve my heels and purse.
Not wanting to just disappear without a word, I make my way into the kitchen and search through a few drawers before finally locating a pad of paper with the hotel logo printed on it and a pen. I scribble down a quick message and leave it on the counter where I know he will see it.
Bentley,
Thank you so much for an amazing night.
It is something I won't soon forget.
XOXO
Logan
I re-read it one more time before finally making my way to the front door. While it seems a little juvenile, I'm not really sure what else to say. I wait until I am in the hallway before slipping on my heels and then quickly make my way to the end of the hall to the elevator.
Panic rises in my chest when I realize I do not have the elevator key but then I immediately relax when I see that I don't need it to go down. Hitting the button, the door slides open with no delay and the ground floor button lights up as it is the only option. Once the doors close and the car starts its decent downwards, I push my back into the cool glass wall, memories of last night flooding my vision.
I can't ever remember experiencing anything even remotely close to what Bentley showed me last night. I expected him to be more dominant, more demanding. A man who only wanted one thing. And while his dominance did show through in the way he commanded my body, it didn't feel like a one night arrangement with him. It felt like something else entirely.
We talked and joked and in a weird way, I feel like I connected to him on a level that I have not connected with another man before. Even though I know that nothing can or will ever develop beyond this experience, it doesn't make the sadness over that fact any less real.
The hotel is completely empty with the exception of a few employees that I pass on my way through the lobby. I feel like I can't breathe easy until I finally step out into the cool night breeze. I take a deep inhale and let it out, feeling like it's the first real breath I have taken since arriving here hours ago.
It takes me a moment to remember my ride over and the fact that I have no means to get home. Grateful that
Allure
is just a few blocks away, I set off in that direction. While sleeping in my dressing room is not ideal, there is a couch in there and I've done it before. It seems the best option out of any. I don't want to take a cab at this hour of the night and calling anyone is completely out of the question. How strange it is to sneak out on Bentley only to escape to the very place he owns.
It only takes me about fifteen minutes to arrive at the club. Using my employee key, I enter through the back and slip into my dressing room undetected. Sliding the lock into place, I drop my purse on the vanity and slip out of my heels before collapsing onto the small brown couch along the back wall.
Staring up at the ceiling, I do my best to try to shake the weird cloud that seems to be hovering over me. For whatever reason, something just feels off. I can't explain it or even begin to understand it for that matter but something just feels different and I am one hundred percent certain it has everything to do with Bentley Reed.
****
“So you just left? Just like that?” Andrea seems in complete disbelief after spending the last twenty minutes listening to me recap last night's events over the phone.
“What was I supposed to do?” I ask, slipping on a pair of black fitted capris and a gray tank top, thankful that I keep extra clothes in my dressing room but wishing desperately I had a shower to detox under rather than having to settle for a sink splash and perfume bath.
“I don't know, stay. Pretty sure that's what most normal people would do.” She laughs on the other end of the line.
“Since when have you known me to be normal?” I retort, laughing at myself.
“Good point. Only you could spend an incredible night with a gorgeous, rich and powerful man like Bentley Reed only to turn around and sneak out in the dead of the night with no intention of ever seeing him again.”
The moment the words leave her mouth, a hard knot forms in the pit of my stomach over the thought. I know the terms. Hell, I made the terms. But I can't help but panic slightly at the thought of never seeing him again. What the hell is wrong with me? Normally I would be the happiest person ever. I just spent an incredible night with an amazing man and got to walk away with no strings attached. So why do I feel like I just lost my best friend?
“Earth to Anna. Come in Anna.” Andrea laughs when she clearly realizes I have zoned out on her. Shaking my head, I try to regain some semblance of my normal self.
“Sorry.” I laugh. “I think I am still half asleep.” I lie. Lord knows she would have a field day if she knew the truth about my distraction. “So how is Vermont? Tell me everything.” I say, slipping on my flip flops before stepping out of my dressing room and quickly making my way into the back parking lot, thankful that no one seems to have noticed my arrival or departure for that matter.
“Oh it's wonderful.” She says sarcastically.
“Uh oh.” I laugh. “What happened?” I ask, turning left and cutting the back way down Nelson street towards Patty's studio.
“My crazy mother is up to her dramatics again. Nothing out of the ordinary. I'm just bored I guess. I am surrounded by all these gorgeous men at the pool everyday and have no one to ogle them with.” She pouts.
“What a hard life that must be.” I joke, turning left and then immediately right, quickening my strides as I go.
“Don't play. It really is the most unfortunate situation. Please tell me you will come up for a weekend. You have to.” She pleads.
“I don't know. I would love too but my schedule is packed this summer. I am working six days a week between the club and the studio.”
“Don't give me your excuses.” She immediately cuts me off. “Promise me you will work it out.” She says. “Promise me.” She injects when I start to protest.
“Fine. I will talk to Josh tomorrow and see what I can do.” I huff, knowing there is no way she is going to let me off the phone until I agree.
Squealing into the phone, she makes me promise to call her first thing Monday and let her know what weekend I will be coming. While I really can't afford to take off work, or a plane ticket for that matter, I also can't deny that getting away for a weekend to be pampered at a resort with my best friend might be just the thing I need to pull me out of my Bentley fog.
“I will.” I agree, coming to a stop just outside of the dance studio. “I gotta go though. I have a class to teach this morning. Call you later. Love you.”
“Love you too.” She sings into the phone before disconnecting the call. I quickly locate my keys and unlock the front door to the studio. Stepping inside into the eery quiet, I consider going into Patty's office to use the computer but decide that I need to grab a quick bite to eat first and immediately set off to the little coffee shop across the street that sits on the corner.
Ten minutes later, I arrive back at the studio, fresh cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin in hand. Setting my things down on the front counter, I jump slightly when my cell phone buzzes to life next to me. Looking down at the screen, I lose my breath when the name flashing across the screen is one I never expected to see there. Bentley.
Picking up the vibrating device, I stare at the screen, realizing almost instantly that he must have programmed his number into my phone sometime last night as it was not in there before. I didn't even think to give him my number, let alone get his. Why would I need it considering our arrangement?
Determined not to go back on what my original plan was, as much as it guts me, I let the call go to voice mail. Not checking it any further, I leave it on the counter and grab my coffee and muffin before heading back into Patty's office. I use the office phone to let her know that I stayed at Lo's, not wanting to go into any details regarding Bentley, and that I have arrived at the studio, before focusing my attention on finding a plane ticket to Vermont.
Finding a relatively inexpensive round trip flight two weeks from now, I scribble down the dates on a post it and set it to the side. I am almost positive that Patty will have no issue with me taking that Saturday off and I can't see Josh complaining too much considering the only day I would need off at the club would be Sunday. While I wasn't really thrilled about the idea an hour ago, seeing Bentley's name come up on my phone has somehow made the time away seem a little more urgent.
Patty finally arrives just after ten thirty and the rest of my morning and early afternoon is spent teaching a class very similar to the ones I took growing up. It's bittersweet being here. On one hand, I get to teach the one thing I love more than anything in the world. On the other, it's heartbreaking that I will never move past the teaching part.
By two o'clock, I am exhausted. I didn't get nearly enough sleep last night and the effects of my morning coffee have long since disappeared. I had planned on waiting for Patty to drive me home rather than having to take a cab all the way out of the city but the thought of staying here for another four hours seems torturous and as such, I finally cave.
It isn't until I step outside to wait on the cab that I look at my cell phone again. When I see that Bentley not only called me once but three additional times, my heart immediately picks up speed. But to my surprise, he left no voice mails. You would think if he was going to call me multiple times he would at least leave a message but nope. Nothing.
I glance up from my place in front of the studio to make sure my cab isn't here. With so many cars out and about, it's hard to tell if one stops or simply drives on by. Realizing that no one is waiting for me, I glance back down at my phone just as it begins vibrating in my hand. Bentley's name once again flashing across the screen.
Not sure what else to do, I simply watch it as it goes crazy in my hand. What is with this man? What part of one night and leave me alone did he have trouble grasping. “Aren't you going to answer that?” A deep voice washes over me and I immediately look up to find Bentley standing just feet in front of me.
Clicking off his phone, mine immediately stops buzzing in my hand. He slips his into his pocket and then studies me for a long moment. “If I didn't know any better, I would say you are avoiding me.” He smirks, closing the gap between us until he is standing directly in front of me.
“If I didn't know any better, I would say you are disregarding the terms of our agreement.” I say, meeting his gaze, unable to control the smile that pulls up my mouth because of the way he is looking at me.
“I see.” He says, reaching into his pocket. “Well, I only thought it right to make sure you got home safely and to return these to you.” He smiles wickedly as he pulls out a piece of black fabric from his pocket and dangles it on his index finger in plain view of anyone who cares to look.
“Bentley.” I cry, snatching my panties out of his hand. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I laugh, quickly shoving the fabric into the small confines of my clutch purse.
“What kind of man would I be if I kept what was not mine?” He asks, his smile growing wider.
“Always the gentleman.” I tease, fighting against my own smile.
“Have dinner with me.” He says, a statement rather than a question. Just as the words leave his lips, my cab pulls up behind him.
“I'm sorry, I can't.” I say, stepping past him. Turning back towards him just as I pull the cab door open, I can't help but notice the amused smile still stretched across his impossibly handsome face. It's like this is somehow a fun little game we are now playing and yet, I know in the end I will lose.