A CONTRACT ENGAGEMENT

She maneuvered into her parking spot and dashed inside, ready to do battle. Abby wasn’t home. Thank God. She wasn’t sure she wanted to explain this to Abby.. At least not yet.

She hadn’t missed Julian’s reaction to her sexy, feminine lingerie. It was her one indulgence or what she deemed a silly indulgence since her sex life was so staid in the last few years that no one but her had a prayer of ever seeing what her underwear looked like.

Hopping on one foot as she stepped out of her clothing, she went over to her drawer to find the most sinful set of lingerie she owned. She settled on pink. What was more feminine or soft looking than pink? Even growing up with boys hadn’t erased the girly from her. And since she was a redhead, wearing pink clothing wasn’t an option. But pink underwear she could do.

Unsure of whether she’d return to her apartment before going to work the next day-and she did like to be prepared for anything-she threw an outfit into an overnight bag along with her toiletries and a lavender bra and panties.

She did a quick check of her messages and then did something she never did. She turned off her phone and tucked it into her overnight bag. Tonight was hers. She needed no reminders from the business world. If she was going to indulge in fantasy, she was going whole hog.

As she hurried out of her room, Abby came into the apartment, carrying a bag of groceries. Nina stopped walking when she saw Abby.

“Urhmmm, hey” she said.

“Hey Nina,” Abby replied. “Are you going back to work? Didn’t you just get here?”

Nina nodded. “Yeah I just got back” she replied, “But I’m heading out again”

Abby nodded and dropped the bag she was carrying. Her eyes took Nina’s outfit in, then landed on the bag she was carrying.

“I take it you won’t be returning tonight. Judging by that bag you’re carrying” she said.

Nina nodded. “Yeah, something like that,” she replied. Abby already knew about what happened between her and Julian at the island, and yet she didn’t understand why she was feeling weird about it right now.

Abby’s eyes narrowed, and then she gave Nina a knowing smile. “You are spending the night with a guy, aren’t you?” she asked, grinning.

Nina gasped. “Now why would you just assume that?” she asked. “I mean there could be a million reasons why I could be carrying this bag, and your mind just goes straight to that? Tell me, what’s it like inside your head? I’m genuinely curious” she said. “It must be a very messed up place”

Abby hissed and folded her arms. “First of all, I know you. And I know that look on your face… It’s the look people have on their face before they do the walk of shame”

“The walk of shame?” Nina repeated, smiling at her friend. “What the hell does that even mean?”

“Yes. The walk of shame” Abby repeated. “And I won’t be explaining so if you don’t want what the walk of shame is, that’s on you. You looked like you were sneaking out of the apartment and you jerked in surprise when you saw me. Now why would you be surprised to see me? I live here… That’s all I needed to know what was happening… And it’s you, you don’t do stuff like this often and I can see through you. Trust me. I know these things.”

“Of course you do,” Nina said sarcastically.

“So who’s the lucky guy?” Abby asked, and then when Nina hesitated, she added, “You’re already seeing someone else? I thought you liked my brother,”

“Yes… no…. I mean…. I do… but…” Nina stammered.

“So why are you going out with another guy? My brother isn’t good enough for you? You know he likes you, right? Why don’t you want to give him a chance?”

Nina remained quiet. She stared wide eyed at Abby before Abby finally realized what was going on.

“Ohhh… it’s my brother isn’t it? That sneaky bastard. You’re going to see my brother”

Nina smiled a little and nodded. “I was too embarrassed to say anything. This isn’t weird for you, is it? I mean…. Me and your brother…..”

“Oh no it’s not. Actually, I think it’s good for both of you. If he’s going to be with someone, I’m happy it’s you. Besides, I thought you guys weren’t together… that’s why I assumed you were going with someone else… Or has something changed?”

Nina shook her head. “No. Nothing has changed… I mean, we are not together… We’re just….”

“Ohhhhh… I understand” Abby said, interrupting Nina and nodding her head.

“What exactly do you understand?” Nina asked.

“You guys are having bonus night?”

Nina frowned. “What?” she asked. “How the hell do you come up with this weird phrases you use?”

“Oh you know… Bonus night” Abby repeated.

“No… I don’t know what that is”

“You know when two people who have been dating each other or sleeping together break up…. And then they decide to get together for just one night of passion…..” She dragged the word ‘passion’ ridiculously and then she stared at Nina, like she was supposed to be used to the term. “….. Bonus night” she said again.

Nina couldn’t help but smile. “You know someday, you are going to tell me how you come up with these ridiculous terms,” she said.

“Everyone knows them. You’re just very old fashioned. You don’t go out… Maybe this is a good thing for you actually” Abby replied.

“You know what, I don’t have time for this. See you later”

“Yeah, have fun,” Abby said. “And tell Julian I’m going to kill him when I see him…”

“I’m sure he’ll be very scared” Nina replied as she headed out.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

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She left the apartment and hurried out her door to the street where the driver waited. He ushered her into the backseat and they drove away into traffic.

It amused her how exciting she found the whole experience. She could be a mistress at the beck and call of her über-wealthy benefactor, discreetly bundled into a private car and rushed to meet him at an undisclosed location. This was weird, wrong and exciting at the same time.

“Get it together, Nina ,” she muttered to herself.

Lord, but she did lose all her brain cells when it came to this man. If she wasn’t careful, she’d throw away all her independence and start greeting him at the door every evening, wearing a kitchen apron with oven mitts and a piping-hot casserole dish. Oddly but the image wasn’t all that distasteful. For the first few seconds anyway.

She laughed outright and it had the effect of someone popping her thought bubble with a sharp pin. The kinda things Julian made her think about were so funny and weird.

The driver looked up in the rearview mirror, and she valiantly tried to look back with a straight face. If he only knew the absurd thoughts she was processing.

If she was truly the naughty girl of her fantasies, she would have ridden over with only a trench coat covering her sexy lingerie. Then when she walked into Julian’s room, she could discard the coat and watch his reaction.

The idea certainly had merit, and if she ever received another invitation such as tonight, she’d give it serious consideration. Or not, she reminded herself.