2 One Night With A Stranger

His hand brushed against my arm, and suddenly, he pulled me closer. I felt my back against the wall, his body close to mine. Before I could react, his lips moved toward mine. I turned my head at first, but then—something in me gave in.

His lips found mine, and before I knew it, my hands were in the air, lost in the moment. He kissed me deeply, and I responded. I pushed him onto the bed and joined him. Passion took over. We made love. I felt it. I liked it. I didn't want it to stop.

We were both exhausted, and I ended up spending the night in his room.

The next morning, my phone buzzed repeatedly. Luca was calling.

I sat up slowly, the room spinning just slightly from the wine. I looked around for Gabriel—but to my surprise, he was nowhere to be found. His clothes, his phone, even the faint scent of his cologne—it was like he had vanished into thin air.

I blinked, confused. Did he just leave me here?

As I started to get dressed, there was a sudden knock on the door. My heart jumped.

For a second, I froze, unsure who it could be. Quickly, I fixed my hair, adjusted my clothes, and walked to the door, hesitating only a moment before opening it.

It was the receptionist.

"Good morning, ma'am," she said politely.

"Good morning," I answered, trying to act normal.

"I was just checking if everything is in order. This room was marked as signed out," she explained, eyeing me gently.

"Oh—yes. Everything's fine. Thank you," I said, forcing a smile.

Just then, Emily appeared behind the receptionist.

"Hi," she greeted casually, then turned to the receptionist. "Hey, good morning. Have you seen a light-skinned lady pass by this hallway today?"

"I'm sorry," the receptionist replied. "No, I haven't."

"Alright. Thank you." Emily nodded and walked off.

I waited a few seconds, then quietly stepped out and followed, keeping my head down as I made my way back to my own room. Once inside, I locked the door and leaned against it, my hands shaking as I picked up my phone and called Luca.

He picked up almost immediately. "Hi baby."

"Hey," I said, trying to sound relaxed. "Sorry I missed your calls. I was so tired I fell asleep."

"It's alright. Hope you're good this morning," he replied gently.

"Yes, baby. But I missed you," I said, swallowing hard. "I felt so alone yesterday."

But even as I said those words, Gabriel's touch flashed in my mind. I tried to push it away.

Just then, Emily knocked on my door. I opened it quickly.

"I've been looking for you all morning," she said. "I even went to the kitchen, thinking maybe you were getting breakfast."

"I was just feeling bored, so I went to the poolside for some fresh air," I lied, hoping my face didn't give me away.

"Oh, okay," she said casually and walked off.

The next few days passed in a blur. It was now only four days until the wedding. My girls and I were full of excitement—shopping, dancing, and laughing like everything was perfect. But one person was missing from the fun: Emma.