Charity Night (english)

4

It must be shortly after sunrise when I wake up again, as the sky still shines slightly orange through the window. At first, I'm a little confused because I'm not in my own bed. Somewhat unsettled, I look around and recognize the sparsely covered male body sleeping soundly next to me.

"Shit!" I curse softly to myself and cover my face with my hands. What was I thinking last night, going up to his room with him? A glance around the room reveals that I can't find my dress anywhere, and the memory of what we did on the hotel balcony only comes to me slowly. Embarrassment flushes my cheeks, and I decide that I need to get out of here as quickly as possible.

So I try to get out of bed as quietly as possible, and on tiptoe, I sneak to the balcony and grab my dress, slipping it on in one fluid motion. I spare myself the effort of putting on my shoes and quickly grab them along with my bag before hastily leaving the suite. Only too late do I realize that I must have left my bolero inside.

In the elevator, I slip into my high heels and then try to cross the lobby as inconspicuously as my gala look allows. Thankfully, there are a few taxis waiting outside the hotel, and I gratefully collapse onto the back seat of one of the cars, hoping that no one from the company saw me.

It's only now that I realize I've been holding my breath the whole time, and I lean back to find myself again. That night was crazy. I've never done anything like that before, and if I'm honest, I don't even recognize myself. It was my first one-night stand, and the consequence of that is that I've never quietly slipped away afterward. As much as it scares me... it was amazing. That anonymity probably played a role in why I let myself go so much and completely surrendered to him.

Funny what a little alcohol can do to you. I just hope I never have to see him again, and if I do, that he doesn't recognize me. It would be too embarrassing, as he must either be a client or a colleague of mine.

After a short ride, we arrive at my apartment, and I give the driver a generous tip for enabling my escape so quickly. I jump out of the taxi and sprint up the stairs to quickly slip through the door, making sure none of the neighbors catch me in this state. After all, it's not every day that I walk through the building in a gala dress.

The first thing I do when I enter is head straight to the phone and call my sister... She's naturally ecstatic, and her sheer enthusiasm that I wasn't as well-behaved as usual offends me in a way.

"Oh Charlotte, I knew we'd get you there eventually... And how was it? What's his name? Are you going to see each other again?" She bombards me with questions and squeals happily to herself. "Sophie, I don't know how to say this, but I just ran away this morning. I just didn't know how to face him, and besides, I have no idea who he actually is." I answer her questions honestly. "But if you really want to know... I had the best night of my life. This guy definitely knows what he's doing and how to make a woman happy."

My face has turned into a dark pink, and I'm so glad my sister can't see me at the moment. I stroll to the fridge and grab a bottle of wine. Normally, I rarely drink alcohol, and especially not in the early morning, but right now, I need a sip of that sweet drink desperately to take my mind off things.

After about three quarters of an hour, we end our call, and I decide to take a bath and spend the rest of the day relaxing, then go to bed early because Tom hinted that there would be a big announcement tomorrow.

Just before 10 p.m., I finally manage to put my book aside and turn off the light. But before I completely drift off to sleep, I think again of blue eyes and the large, soft hands gently stroking my body. And although it doesn't really happen, my whole body shivers, and I even wish a little that the handsome man from last night would lie next to me again.

Actually, this whole thing shouldn't confuse me so much, but somehow the mysterious stranger has captivated me. It confuses me tremendously that I feel such an attraction and that there was a certain connection between us. Besides, I'm a little curious about who he is because no ordinary employee of a company can afford the luxury of such an exquisite hotel room. So he must at least have a higher position, if not be on the executive level.

I toss and turn restlessly all night, and it's hard to think about sleep.

The next morning, unfortunately, it shows, and the bags under my eyes can't be covered up even with expensive concealer. After getting ready for the office, I slip into my blue suit and quickly grab my bag from the dresser. If I want to get a coffee, I really have to hurry now, as I'm already a bit late.

I decide to take the tube today because I would never arrive on foot on time, and without coffee, I probably wouldn't function well today. As I pass by, I grab the caffeinated hot drink and hurry into the large office building where our company is located.

Nadine, the receptionist, is already excitedly standing behind her desk, and when she sees me coming, she takes my coat and pushes me without warning into one of the conference rooms. "You're late... They've already started!"

I'm completely taken aback, and she directs me through the door and closes it behind me. As I look forward, everyone in the room is looking at me, and Tom shakes his head almost imperceptibly. Shit, this is not how you want to walk into a meeting.

With a flushed face, I apologize and sit down at the only free seat at the table, then turn my attention entirely to the man standing at the front who is just reading out the agenda.

It seems to be about the handover from the senior to the junior boss, and a small murmur goes through the room as Mr. Hyde stands up, turns to us, and looks at each of us in turn before beginning his speech. I can't follow his words when he calls his son over to him, and he looks at me alone... with those incredibly blue eyes!