Chapter 6

I hide under the covers,scared to pull them off my head. I'm not sure what I'm going to see, because tonight could not have been real. Even though I already know it was. I can still feel Brooks all over my body.

I slowly pull the blankets down and peek out. When I don't see anyone, I sit up and look around the room. But still I don't see anyone.

My eyes go to the clock on the nightstand and I see it's still night. I must have fallen asleep for an hour or so after Brooks pushed me into orgasm heaven. I didn't even know it could be like that. I'd given myself a few over the years, but they were never like what Brooks did to me. I'm pretty sure I passed out after that last one, because I don't remember much.

Crawling from the bed, I scramble for the bathroom, looking for something to cover myself with. I snatch a robe that's hanging on the bathroom door, then freeze when I see myself in the mirror. I look like a freaking hot mess. My hair was in a messy bun but is now loose, and I look like I spent all night fucking.

I run my fingers along my collarbone and up my neck to where there is a line of little hickeys. I look down at myself and see tiny bruises forming on my hips and thighs. My core clenches at the sight of them, and I quickly close the robe to hide the evidence of what we did. I stare at my face in the mirror. My lips are puffy and red from the hours he spent kissing me.

"What have you done, Ella?" I ask myself.

I work for this man. I need to work for him for the next year. I'm already bound by the contract I signed when I got here. I don't even know him and I let him do all kinds of things to me. My whole body flushes. I can't face him. I might die of embarrassment.

He kept talking about giving me a baby. I don't know why, but it turned me on so hard I would have done anything he asked me to. I'd been lying in the tub fantasizing about what it would be like to be with a man like Brooks—to live in his house and sleep in his bed. To welcome him home every day after a long day at the office. Then he called and it all happened so fast.

"I can fix this," I tell myself. I'll get dressed. Then I can go find him and tell him we have to keep this professional. My body rebels against the idea and so does my heart.

I go in search of my clothes. While I went over paperwork and let the agency know that I was taking the Renshaw job, the movers put my stuff away. They instructed me this was my room, but as I start to open drawers I keep finding men's clothes. I open another drawer and finally find something that looks familiar. Maybe Brooks has so many clothes he has to use his guest room for the extra space.

I find a nightshirt and slide it on over my head before pulling out my favorite fuzzy slippers. After hanging the robe back on the door, I make the bed and straighten up a little. I try to tame my wild hair but settle on putting it in a messy bun on top of my head instead. It's the best I can do at the moment.

I stand there realizing there isn't anything left for me to do to keep procrastinating. I was half hoping that he'd show up and I wouldn"t have to go search for him. But it looks like I can't drag my feet any longer, even though my shyness wants to win out.

"Professional," I mumble to myself.

As I flip the bathroom light off a thought creeps into my mind. What if you're pregnant? I almost stumble over my own feet when the idea hits me. I thought about it last night, of course. But it was in the heat of the moment. What are the odds I really got pregnant after the first time?

The idea of having Brooks"s baby warms my body all over. Then doubt starts to creep in and I wonder what kind of father he would be. What would that make the two of us? For all I know I'm just another flavor of the week.

When I make it to the kitchen I don't see anyone, so I go back to my bedroom and find my cell phone. I don't feel right snooping through Brooks"s home looking for him. Plus, the house is giant. I might never find him. Maybe he left a message that he's going out to do something.

I only see a couple of missed texts from my mom. I send her one back letting her know I got settled in. She's disappointed that I already picked up a new job and won"t be home for a longer stay. I make plans to have lunch with her in a few days. I'm still on the fence about telling her what happened with Brooks. The money, the sex. It's a lot for twenty-four hours.

I cringe when I think about it like that. Why else would someone offer you a million dollars, Ella? That can't be it. A man like Brooks isn"t hard up for female attention. He can't be. He's not only handsome, but he's mega rich. And he's incredible in bed. He might have been the only man I've ever had sex with, but he's pretty freaking good at it. I thought your first time was supposed to be awkward and a fumbled mess. Even a little painful. It wasn"t any of those things.

The only rational explanation I can come up with is he has money to throw around and wanted to get this straightened out before his sister got here.

I debate texting him. I want to but think better of it. I wouldn"t text another client asking where they were. I head back to the kitchen but stop when I hear a knock on the front door. I pause, wondering if I should answer it. I live here now, I remind myself. Well, kind of.

I go to the front door and peek through. I see a woman standing there holding a bottle of wine.

I pull open the heavy door and the blonde stares at me in surprise. She's tall, probably a foot taller than me. She's in tight black spandex shorts and a bright yellow sports bra. The outfit implies she was going for a run, but the bottle of wine and makeup are saying something else.

"Where's Brooks?" she asks as she pushes in past me.

"I'm not sure," I tell her, feeling a little anxious. I'm not sure if I should have let her in or even opened the door. Not that I really let her in. She walked in as if she's done it a million times.

"I'll wait." She walks into the kitchen and I follow her. She starts opening the cabinets until she finds a wine glass and a wine opener. I stare at her as she pours herself a glass. She doesn"t offer me one. Not that I wanted one to begin with. I want to eat a snack and then sneak back to my room. Now I think I have to stay.

I can't leave this woman to wander around. She might be his friend or— I cut that thought off, not wanting to go there. I hadn"t even thought about him being with someone else after he said he wasn"t married and hadn't gotten someone pregnant.

Yet.He'd said. The single word flutters through my mind and my hand goes to my stomach. I could be.

"So who are you? Brooks never has women back to his place." Her eyes roam over me. "Are you like a little cousin or something?"

I look down at myself and remember that I'd put on my nightshirt that's covered in bunnies. Paired with my slippers I probably look young.

"No. I'm staying here to help when his sister comes. To help with the baby." She looks at me like I've lost my mind.

"He doesn"t have a sister." She rolls her eyes, bringing the wine glass up to her mouth but stops before she takes a drink. "You had sex with him, didn"t you!" she accuses.

I feel heat creep up my neck. "He doesn"t have a sister?" I ask, ignoring her other question. I'm not talking about sex with this random woman who may or may not be involved with Brooks. The thought makes my stomach turn. Why else would she be here so late with a bottle of wine? Isn"t that a booty call?

"Not that I know of." She sets the wine glass down with a hard thunk. I'm surprised it doesn"t break. "I don't know what you're up to, but Brooks is mine."

I'm not sure what to do or even say. "Maybe you should go. I don't think Brooks is here right now." I want her to get out of here. I suddenly don't feel so good.

"Ella." I almost jump out of my skin when Brooks"s deep voice fills the room. His hand lands on my shoulder and he leans down, putting his mouth next to my ear. "Go to your bedroom."

I stand there shocked for a moment, not wanting to leave them alone. But I also don't want to stay. What if he kisses her or something right in front of me?

"Now," he adds sternly.

With that final word, I race back to my room and shut the door. I flip the lock and then stand there, feeling stupid and heartbroken over someone I don't even know.