Amber’s voice was steady, but the sharpness in her tone couldn’t be ignored as she took a step back, creating some space between them. She crossed her arms, a defensive posture, as if she were trying to shield herself from the intensity of the moment. Her gaze never wavered from Ryan’s, her eyes cool but piercing.“You said it was a mistake,” she began, her words measured. “And I agree with you. Believe me, it won’t happen again.” She gestured between the two of them, her hands moving in the air like she was drawing a line in the sand. “This is a business. A contract. I’ll fulfill my role, and that’s it.”The coldness in her voice surprised even her. She hadn’t realized how far she’d pulled away emotionally until she heard herself speak. But this was the only way to protect herself. To make sure she didn’t get too caught up in whatever it was that was still simmering beneath the surface.Ryan’s expression darkened for a moment, his gaze hardening as he processed her words. There was s
Amber sat in the dimly lit living room of the penthouse, her laptop open in front of her. The soft hum of the city outside blended with the faint click-clack of keys as she scrolled through the online course listings. She had been considering this for a while now—taking the plunge into something new, something different. Early childhood education. She had always been intrigued by it, and for the first time, Amber felt like it was a possibility.She clicked on one of the programs, her eyes scanning the details. The course seemed like the perfect fit: flexible, affordable, and comprehensive. It was a step toward something real, something she could build for herself. A future beyond the present, beyond everything that had led her to this point.Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, interrupting her thoughts. Amber picked it up, a small smile forming as she saw the message from Sophia.Sophia: “Hey, just checking in. I’m really proud of you for even considering this. You’ve got this, what
Ryan arrived home earlier than expected, the weight of the day still clinging to him as he stepped into the quiet house. A faint melody drifted from the terrace, pulling him in like a thread he couldn’t resist following.“Amber?” His voice was low, deliberate.As he pushed open the glass door, the sight before him stopped him cold. Amber was on the terrace, mid-pose, her back arched, her legs taut, her body sculpted by the snug shorts and fitted top she wore. The late afternoon sun kissed her skin, making her seem almost otherworldly.She turned her head sharply at the sound of his steps, her chest rising as her eyes widened. “Ryan? What are you—”He didn’t let her finish. His gaze was heavy, his jaw tightening as his eyes swept over her, lingering longer than necessary. His grip on the doorframe tightened, the line between frustration and something far more dangerous blurring in his mind.“We have a garden party,” he said, his voice rough, thick with an edge he couldn’t mask.Amber s
The car ride back from the outdoor party was tense, the kind of silence that crackled with unspoken words. Amber sat in the passenger seat, her legs crossed, her dress—a delicate white with soft yellow flowers—falling just above her knees. She looked effortlessly radiant, her dark hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders.Ryan gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched as he focused on the road. He could still hear the laughter from the party, the way everyone had gravitated toward Amber, charmed by her warmth and easy confidence.The kids had adored her. That was what annoyed him the most.He’d watched her crouch down to their level, her wedges digging into the grass as she played some silly clapping game, her laugh ringing out like bells. She had blended in so seamlessly, moving from one conversation to the next with a natural grace that seemed almost unfair. Even the client, a man Ryan had been trying to impress for months, had spent more time talking to her than to
Ryan returned home, furious with himself. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t gone through with it with the escort. The frustration was gnawing at him, and when he entered the house, the silence felt oppressive, like the weight of his emotions was hanging in the air.He walked into the living room and saw Amber standing by the window, a glass of bourbon in her hand. It was dark outside, the dim light from the streetlamps casting a soft glow over her silhouette. She was lost in thought, her expression unreadable.Ryan stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her before he stepped further into the room. He moved toward her, taking the glass of bourbon from her hand without a word, and took a slow sip, his eyes never leaving hers. The warmth of the drink didn’t help to cool the fire inside him. He set the glass down on the nearby table, and with a sharp, frustrated motion, positioned himself between her and the window.“Do you know where I’ve been?” he asked, his voice low but sharp, as if
Amber was curled up on the couch in the living room, a soft blanket draped over her legs. The mid-afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. In her hands, she held a thick book with dog-eared pages and a few notes scribbled in the margins. “Child Development: From Theory to Practice” was printed on the cover in sleek, bold letters.She was engrossed, her eyes moving carefully over the words, her brow slightly furrowed in focus. Amber wasn’t expecting anyone, so when the sound of the door opening broke the quiet, she nearly dropped the book.“Since when are you interested in that?” Ryan’s voice filled the space, laced with surprise—and maybe a hint of amusement.Amber quickly closed the book, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She avoided his gaze and muttered, “That’s none of your business.”Ryan frowned, stepping closer, his voice tinged with nervousness. “Are you… pregnant?”Her lips parted in disbelief before she burst into laughter, th
Ryan had spent the past few days trying to get through to Amber, making small gestures in an attempt to break through the wall she had built around herself. But she remained distant, her responses clipped, her demeanor cold. It was as if she wasn’t even trying.Tonight, he decided to push a little harder. He knew she wasn’t a fan of forced conversation, but he couldn’t keep pretending things were fine. She couldn’t keep pretending either.The evening started in silence as they both sat down at the dining table. Ryan had gone out of his way to arrange something special, enlisting Ms. Gladys to prepare one of Amber’s favorite dishes—something comforting, something that might remind her of better days. The soft lighting from the chandelier cast a warm glow over the room, but Amber remained unmoved.Ryan couldn’t stand it anymore. He cleared his throat. “I saw you’re really serious about that course.”Amber froze, her hand hovering just above her glass. She turned to face him, her express
Amber stepped out of the bathroom and her gaze landed on Ryan, sprawled casually on her bed, a comfortable yet predatory confidence in his posture. He held something in his hand—a glint of plastic caught her eye, and her heart raced, not entirely from surprise."Is this how you've been able to get by without fucking?" His voice sliced through the silence, low and teasing, eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her blood pulse.Amber’s breath hitched for a moment, caught off guard by the bluntness of his question. The dildo dangled between his fingers, almost a mocking gesture, and she felt a heat creep up her neck. It was brazen, yet there was an unspoken challenge in his tone, one that hung heavy in the air.A million responses danced on the tip of her tongue—deflections, retorts, laughter—but all she could manage was silence. The room seemed charged with electricity, the tension thick enough to cut.Ryan surged from the bed, the mattress creaking under his weight as he cr
Amber avoided Ryan like the plague. It had been a week since she began finding reasons to distance herself, excuses piling up as if trying to build a fortress between them. He hadn’t said much at first, probably assuming she needed space. But tonight, as they sat across from each other at the dinner table in their large, cold house, Ryan finally snapped.“What’s going on, Amber?” His voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. He leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto hers.Amber felt her heart stutter. She hadn’t expected him to confront her so soon. She fumbled with her fork, pushing the food around her plate as if it would give her the answers she needed.“Nothing’s going on,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.“Bullshit,” Ryan countered, his tone frustrated but steady. “You’ve been avoiding me for days. You won’t even sleep in the same bed anymore. What the hell is going on?”Amber clenched her fists under the table, fighting the urge to look away.
As they entered the penthouse, the silence between them was palpable. Amber felt a knot form in her stomach, her thoughts still swirling from the gala and everything that had happened—the unexpected appearance of Jessica, the ex-fiancée, and Ryan’s tense reaction when she appeared.Amber had tried to brush it off earlier, but now, in the quiet of the penthouse, it was harder to ignore the knot of jealousy that had been steadily growing inside her. Watching Ryan’s reaction to Jessica had stung more than she expected, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more between them than Ryan was letting on.She slipped off her heels, the sound of them hitting the floor echoing through the otherwise silent apartment. Ryan stood by the door, his posture stiff, not looking at her.Amber crossed the room, unable to keep her emotions in check. “What was that back there, Ryan?” she asked, her voice tight with tension. “You acted like you were about to tear Jessica apart.”Ryan turned to fa
Amber returned to the ballroom, her head still reeling from the heated exchange in the conference room. Her body still buzzed with the electric tension of the moment she’d shared with Ryan, but now, as she made her way through the crowd, everything feltdifferent. His hand rested possessively on her waist, guiding her through the maze of guests. It wasn’t affectionate or comforting, just a firm reminder that she was there beside him, but not truly with him. They moved among the people, exchanging pleasantries and mingling, but it felt as though Ryan was miles away, both physically and emotionally. His mind wasn’t on her, it never was.Amber’s thoughts circled back to what had transpired in the conference room. “Amber, sweetheart, don’t start games you know you can’t win.” His words echoed in her mind, each syllable colder than the last. She had hoped for more between them, had allowed herself to believe that there could be something real, something beyond the cold contract that bound
Amber moaned into the kiss, melting against him as his hands moved down her back, lifting her up and pressing her against the cold, hard wall of the conference room. He ran his hands up her thigh-high stockings, feeling every inch of her silky skin. His fingertips left a trail of goosebumps on her thighs, causing her to shiver with anticipation.Ryan's tongue and lips trailed down her neck, sending chills down her spine. She gripped his shoulders tightly as he reached for the zipper on the back of her dress, lowering it in one swift motion.The black satin fabric pooled at their feet, leaving her in nothing but a matching black lace bra and panties set that accentuated her curves perfectly.Ryan's eyes darkened with desire as he took in the sight of her half-naked body, his breathing ragged. "You're so beautiful," he whispered before claiming one of her erect nipples between his lips through the lace.Amber moaned as he teased and sucked on each peak in turn, sending electric shocks s
Amber was talking to a man who couldn’t stop staring at her, his eyes roaming over her body, taking in every curve of her black satin dress.Ryan was at the bar, his jaw tightening as he watched. He could feel the irritation building, deep in his chest. He didn’t want to admit it, but the jealousy was there, gnawing at him. The longer he watched, the more he hated the way the guy was looking at her. He started to regret coming to the party in the first place.He had known from the moment he saw her in that dress that the night was going to be a problem. The dress wasn’t even that daring. It was modest compared to what most of the women were wearing tonight. But it didn’t matter. It was her. The way she moved, the way she held herself—she owned the room. And he hated that she was giving all that attention to someone else.Ryan downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp, his eyes never leaving Amber. He stood up, his movements deliberate, and walked toward her."Brady, I see you've met
Ryan stood silently at the edge of the bed, watching Amber's serene, unguarded form. Completely nude, he moved silently towards her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Gently, he pulled the sheet down, revealing her smooth skin and delicate form.His fingers trailed along her inner thigh, moving gradually closer to her center. He applied light pressure, ensuring his touch was gentle but deliberate. With each stroke, he aimed to stir her from sleep, carefully watching her reaction. He started by caressing her thighs, then moved upwards, his hand gliding over her stomach before finally reaching her slit.Amber moaned softly in her sleep as she felt the touch, her body instinctively responding. She woke up with a start, her eyes snapping open, locking onto him with a mix of surprise and something deeper, more knowing."I see you're awake now," Ryan said with a smile on his face. "I've been dying to taste you again." Before she could say anything, with the help of a sleepy Amber, Ryan t
The London skyline stretched out beyond Ryan's hotel room, a hazy blend of historical architecture and modern skyscrapers. He leaned against the glass, his phone buzzing in his hand. A message. From her. Amber.Ryan's lips curled into a smirk as he unlocked his phone, her name lighting up his screen.Amber: Do you miss me yet? Or are you too busy exploring all the pleasures London has to offer?He chuckled, feeling a surge of excitement at her bold words. His fingers hovered over the screen, debating his response before typing back.Ryan: Trust me, I have plenty of time for both. But right now, all I can think about is the way you taste and feel.Her reply was immediate, as if she had been anticipating his words.Amber: Is that so? Maybe we should put technology to good use and give each other a little preview of what's to come when we're reunited.Ryan grinned, eagerly accepting her proposition.Ryan: Oh, I'm all for that. Show me what you've got, Amber.The next message that came th
Ryan was already tired of being at the party. John Broodworth was an insufferable bootlicker. Tom and Ryan exchanged a glance, both equally fed up with hearing his endless stories. Ryan discreetly checked his watch once more.Amber was further ahead, chatting effortlessly with a group of women. As always, she excelled at small talk. Ryan couldn’t help but admire how stunning she looked in her emerald-green dress. Tonight, her hair was styled in a classic updo, and though she looked breathtaking, Ryan silently admitted to himself that he preferred her hair down.With a low grunt of irritation, he excused himself from Broodworth’s presence and made his way toward his wife. Lightly touching her arm, he said, “Amber, darling, there’s someone over there I’d really like you to meet.”Amber turned to him, nodded gracefully, and bid farewell to the women she’d been conversing with. Noticing that Ryan was leading her out of the ballroom, asked him, “Where are we going?”“You’ll see,” Ryan repl
Ryan wasn’t sure when the shift had started, but the air between him and Amber had softened in recent weeks. It wasn’t something dramatic or sudden, but subtle and steady, like the first thaw of winter giving way to spring.It was in the small things—a passing smile, the way her shoulders didn’t stiffen when he entered a room, the way her gaze lingered just a second longer than before. The house, which had once felt like a battleground, now felt... lighter.Tonight was no different. The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Ryan stood in the kitchen, watching Amber as she pulled two mugs from the cabinet, her movements easy, unguarded. She’d offered to make coffee, a gesture so simple yet so unlike the woman she’d been when they first married.“Dark roast or decaf?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.“Dark roast,” he replied, leaning against the counter with a small smile. “You’re spoiling me tonight.”Amber smirked, pouring the freshly b