Fear

39 • Risky request

The next morning, I woke up to the feeling of Tyler's arms wrapped securely around my waist. His steady breathing tickled my neck as he spooned me, still fast asleep. I shifted slightly, and the silk duvet felt different against my skin - smooth and slightly cool, a contrast to the warmth of his body pressed against me.

There was an unfamiliar sensation of skin against skin. Looking down, I realised I was naked, and so was Tyler. A slurry of memories from the previous night filtered through, but none of them were clear. My head felt heavy, and then I vaguely remembered having wine.

What happened last night?

Carefully, I disentangled myself from his embrace, trying not to wake him. He stirred slightly but didn't wake up.

As I stood from the bed, I noticed our clothes scattered around the floor - my black dress draped over the chair in the corner of the room, his shirt and tie in a heap by the bedside table, and my underwear on the floor by the bathroom, as if they'd been flung across the room. I blushed hard.

We had sex? Why can't I remember it?

I suddenly felt grimy and made my way to the en-suite bathroom for a shower, hoping the hot water would clear my mind.

Under the warm water, I stood for a while, trying to piece together the fragments of the previous night. I remembered the delicious Italian dinner, the wine, the laughter, dancing... and then, nothing else.

-

When I returned to the bedroom, feeling refreshed, Tyler was awake but seemed distant. He was sitting hunched over on the edge of the bed, half-dressed, staring intently at his phone with a furrowed brow. His fingers tapped nervously on the screen before he quickly put it away, noticing me standing there.

"Morning beautiful," he said, his voice a warm rumble, though his eyes carried a hint of distraction.

I walked over to him, a teasing grin spreading across my face. "Morning. I wanted to thank you, by the way... for everything you did yesterday. I loved it."

I tiptoed closer, noticing his tongue peeking between his lips as he lustily watched me. I placed my hands on his thighs and came closer, until my face was inches from his. "You know... I don't remember last night. Maybe you could remind me what happened?"

It was worth a try, I guess. Tyler's grin widened, but he shook his head, not giving in to my teasing. "Nice try. I've got work to do."
Disappointed but amused, I laughed softly.

Tyler finished getting dressed, buttoning up his white shirt and tying his tie with swift, deliberate movements. He gave me a quick kiss before heading out, leaving me with a slight lingering suspicion.

I spent the rest of the morning tidying our room. The scattered clothes, the lingering scent of wine, candles, and sweaty bodies - it all felt like a dream.

-

As the day wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Tyler. When I caught glimpses of him in the corridors, he seemed busier and more tense than usual, speed walking past me with a tense expression, closely followed by Jack.

I tried not to let it bother me, but the worry gnawed at the back of my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going on, something he wasn't going to tell me.

-

For the rest of the day, I decided to keep myself busy and headed to my therapy session with James. His office was a small, cozy room with warm lighting and comfortable chairs. I always felt at ease there.