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ChapterOne
Perfect Stranger
‘If you aren’t early, you are late.’ It is a creed that Jonah Samson had lived by. In this situation, his creed didn’t apply. He was expected to arrive in a suite at the Lancaster Boutique in downtown Toronto at nine p.m. Not a moment before. At exactly eight-fifty-seven, he entered an empty elevator bank.
The mirrored walls reflected a man that was the epitome of unbothered confidence. Dressed in all black. His dress shirt had the first two buttons undone and was tucked into a pair of slacks. He held a small black travel bag. To the untrained eye, the ensemble looked casual. However, the devil was in the details. Jonah was a man that was used to the finest things in life. So, this outfit designed to appear casual would probably set the average person back a few months' rent.
Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t help but inspect himself. He could easily pass for a man on the way to a meeting. Well, in a manner of speaking, he was. Although maybe the more appropriate term would be an encounter. He couldn’t believe he was about to do this. Not that he would change his mind, he was already committed. Besides, he wasn’t the only person to be considered.
Jonah placed his hand in his pocket and came in contact with the black key card for the room he was headed to. Not to be confused with the ‘black card’ that set this whole situation in motion. It had been a week since he had come into possession of it.
“Hey Jonah, it has been too long.” His cousin, Azul, greeted. He had come into town for a firefighter training event. So, the two of them were catching up with an evening out. They were starting with dinner. Jonah had suggested Fusion, an Aaron Ma restaurant. Azul had declined.
“What?” Jonah had been confused. “I thought the guy was your favourite chef.”
“Ahh, he’s fine. Let’s go someplace less bougie. A place with some good cold brews.”
That was how Jonah found himself at a Sports Pub. Not his usual fair, but the food was good, and Azul and he had always gotten along well. When Jonah’s family arrived from the Philippines when he was nine, they stayed in Nova Scotia with Azul and his family for almost two years. The two may not have been close as they would like to be, but when they got together, they got on well.
Once the round of drinks had been ordered. Azul finally asked, “Is the divorce all final?”
“Yeah. All it took were a couple of signatures, a lump sum check, the house, and her SUVs. We are now both finally free of each other. After twenty years, our coupledom is severed.” Jonah had shrugged. It seemed that he did that a lot lately. Especially concerning the dissolution of his marriage. Oddly, his feelings about the divorce itself were not rooted in deep emotion. Either negatively or positively. After a year of their lawyers going back and forth, he was just glad they finally settled it.
Their beers were upgraded when they relocated from the sports bar to an upscale cigar bar. They decided to do a whiskey tasting. By the fourth drink, Jonah was no longer looking for the subtle notes in drinks. He was just throwing them back.
Azul looked as sober and coherent as a judge. That’s what he got for drinking with his big assed cousin. Giving him an assessing look, Azul patted his jacket pocket. “I brought along something for you. I know you play it cool, but you’ve been going through a lot.” The look of concern was so sincere Jonah had to shake his head, to ward it off.
“This is shit I can’t tell Corey. See what happens when you marry your best friend’s little sister? After I lost Crystal, I did some messed up shit. I didn’t deal with it… well. My outlet was… unhealthy.” Azul had an odd mix of a wistful and sad look. His cousin had found two great loves in one lifetime. Jonah didn’t begrudge him. Azul wasn’t squandering his chances. He was crazy about his wife and children and had already checked on Amber once tonight.
Jonah never would have thought of doing that with his ex. The love he had had was not earth-shattering. His marriage, like most things he did, was a calculation designed to further his goal of success. Since the separation, his encounters had been few and far between. Sure, he got off, but it wasn’t memorable. A rut. It felt like he was stuck in a rut. Even explorations of his more dominant nature hadn’t sparked passion.
Azul continued, “…anyway, there was this Fire Chief that comes in from New York. He gives me this black card. Tells me I look like I could use some of those services. All mysterious and shit. I forget about it for a few weeks.
Then one night I jump on the card’s website. After answering some questions, they set me up with my ‘fantasy’ woman and scenario. The problem was I asked for the opposite of what I wanted. I’d already had my fantasy, fucked it up, and was running. The experience was decent but left me kind of hollow.
Anyway, after that, I learned one thing. My ass needed therapy. And that is what eventually led me back to Amber.” There was a story there… Jonah didn’t know Azul and his wife had a history.
Before he could ask, Azul pulled the card out and slide it across the table to him. “When we decided to meet up, I pulled out the card and brought it with me. Listen, give it a shot. My advice is don’t blow the opportunity. Lean into the experience and seek the one thing you’ve always wanted.”
Perhaps it was the drinks. Or maybe it was the need to feel something… anything. The moment they parted ways, Jonah found himself on the site. He knew exactly what he wanted. Rather, whom he wanted. She was the one that got away. Rightfully so. It was his hope that he could see her in two days at their high school reunion. It would be nice to have worked her out of his system by then. Okay, it was unlikely. After twenty-five years, he hadn’t managed to do it.
The elevator dinged, indicating that he had reached the designated floor. His steps were measured as he walked down the hallway. It was modern, sleek, and opulent. The décor was beige and gold. The floor didn’t contain many rooms. So, it didn’t take him long to reach the door. Jonah checked his watch, making sure that he wasn’t early, and then he pulled out the card and gained entry.
The room was quiet and a vibrant contrast to the hallway. The colour scheme was red and black. It screamed sensuality and whispered seduction. He slipped his shoes off at the door and placed the bag to the side. For the first time tonight, he smiled. Suddenly, this wasn’t something he was doing to go through the motions. No. He was looking forward to what happened next.
Although he couldn’t see the other occupant, he could sense that they were there. Jonah left the living area and entered the bedroom. The room buzzed with anticipation. Laid out for his pleasure was a beautiful woman. His step faltered at the door. From where he stood, the prone form was an exact match for what he had requested. Neither spoke, but he could tell by her body language that she had sensed his arrival. He probably should say something, try to put her at ease, but he had no words. Even if he made an utterance, it wouldn’t put her at ease. He wanted to utterly ravish and devour her. It was best he didn’t articulate that.
Jonah took a moment to admire the woman lying on the bed. She was exquisite.How did they get this so right?
Everything he desired lay before him.As requested, she wore a skirt. A white business shirt hugged her generous breast and was tucked into a black pencil skirt that stopped just at her knees. Her bronzed, toffee-coloured legs were thick yet toned and seemed to glow from whatever she had moisturized them with. Her toes were painted a soft pastel pink.
From her feet, his gaze switched to her head. Thick black tight coily curls were fanned out on the pillow. Jonah had purposely saved his perusal of her face for last. The black satin eye mask covered a portion of her face, but he inhaled deeply in shock. Despite the concealment of her eyes, Jonah now knew this wasn’t a stranger.
Not a stranger at all. She was the object of his wet dreams since he was a teen. Hell, if Jonah was being honest, she still headlined some of his most erotic nocturnal desires. This fantasy he set up was because of her. Brontë Moore. Now here she was, ready, willing, and available.
Except, Brontë had her own fantasies. She had requested a perfect stranger. Jonah was anything but.
ChapterTwo
