Chapter 4

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to force myself to forget Lily. But when I close my eyes, her image appears in my mind's eye like a photograph burned into my memory. Her long dark hair cascading down her back, her full lips and her knowing smile. I exhale, my heart beating faster with every thought of her.

As I look around the office, a decade's worth of work is laid out in front of me. Pride and accomplishment swells up. Yet all that effort seems so futile now. After reaching the pinnacle of success in this city, it hasn't brought joy or fulfillment. I'm chasing something, but do not know what. This isn't enough. I have the money and success, but is it truly worth more than finding that person you can give your all too? The person who can break down every single fucking wall you have built?

I get up from the floor and go to my desk, sitting in my chair and try to focus on my work. All the emails are backed up by now. I open my laptop and type, but can't concentrate. This girl is going to be the death of me. Her face, her voice, the way she moves. Everything about her seems to captivate me in a way I can't explain.

Fuck this! I need to get out and clear my head, so I grab my wallet and keys and head out the door.

I walk the streets of the city, looking in shop windows and people watching. Out of habit, I stop into Starbucks and grab a coffee, sitting at a table and trying to enjoy the hot beverage, but it's like my mind won't let her go. She isn't mine. She's too young.

I can almost bet she has done nothing other than vanilla sex and I'm not that man. The search for a woman that can handle me has been rough. Why do women say they are open to trying new things, but then when I take them home, they look like I'm trying to kill them?

Lily can't handle me. She needs to get out there and have her sexual awakening first and the way she didn't have confidence in herself in that elevator as I rake her in, tells me she isn't ready, no matter what my dick tells me.

The bell sounds above the door, and I can't fucking believe my eyes. This entire day cannot be a coincidence.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" I say, a little loud so she can hear me over the music playing over the overhead speakers.

She walks over, now in ass-hugging blue jeans and a black t-shirt. "What are you doing here? Come back for seconds, huh?"

Oh fuck girl, with you, I'd come back for millionths.

"Uh, I mean..." She blushed, and I couldn't help but want to see more of that flushed skin. "A second cup of coffee."

The flush on her cheeks is going to look even better on her ass. God damn!I can't let her go again. The universe has given me three chances and I can't let her walk out of this fucking coffee shop without asking for her number. "Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?"

Her eyes tighten. "Me? Wait, you are kidding, right?" She looks around the room. "I'm being punked or something."

I clear my throat. "Nope. There must be a reason we have run into each other three times today and I believe in manifestation. Do you?"

She bites her lip. "Yes, but..."

"So, put my number in your phone and then text me your address. What time should I pick you up?"

"Is seven too early?"

I shift in my seat. "That's perfect. Are you allergic to anything?"

She looks at me like that is such an odd question. "Not that I know of. Why?"

"Always good to know ahead of time." What I don't say is I need to know because if this does end up going somewhere, I need to be considerate of her, and some women are allergic to certain oils and lubes.

She puts my number in her phone and walks away. Her ass in those jeans is phenomenal. I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.