"What?" He looked in my eyes and I gestured with my chin to the door. He turned to check and his body tensed.
He helped me cover up and then stood up, facing the door.
"What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I didn't know you had anyone here..." the woman said.
Was it another employee who had decided to use the apartment?
"Christie, get the hell out of here."
He strode to the door, taking the woman by the arm and trying to push her out of the bedroom. Before she left, she stared at me where I lay on the bed, pulling the sheet more tightly against me.
Was it his ex?
I quickly dressed, pulling on my bra and hastily throwing on my dress, struggling to zip it back up before he returned. While I pulled on my sweater, I listened to the heated words being exchanged between them – words I couldn't make out clearly but which included weeping on the woman's part.
It had to be the ex-fiancée.
Whatever mood had existed after our encounter was now decidedly dead.
Josh came back into the bedroom and shook his head.
"I'm so sorry, Ella, but I have to take her home. She's drunk."
"Who is she, if you don't mind me asking?"
"My ex."
I sighed. "I thought so. She had a key to this place?"
"She used to work with me."
I nodded. "I'm sorry. This is awkward."
He came over and stood at the side of the bed, taking my chin in his hand.
"You didn't have to get dressed. The place is yours for the night. You can stay as long as you need. I have to take her home."
"Okay."
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, then brushed a lock of hair off my cheek.
"Thank you," I said. "For everything."
"No, thank you for coming out with me tonight. I apologize for her. She's overly invested and can't let go."
He kissed me again and then left.
Once I was alone, I sat on the side of the bed and debated what the hell to do. It wasn't like me to go home with a man I just met and have sex, but in addition to the fact he was utterly the hottest man I had ever met, there was something about Josh that made me feel I could trust him.
He was funny, ambitious and smart. And very rich. Maybe he was my own Mr. Big.
I hoped I'd see him again. It made all the crap I'd been through in the past few days worthwhile. But at the same time, I felt weird about staying in the apartment.
I texted Steph.
ELLA: Can you book me a hotel room at the cheapest hotel you can find? I need a place to stay for the night. I mean the cheapest hotel that doesn't rent by the hour. I'll transfer you the money as soon as I get access to my account.