George shrunk slightly. “Your usual policy is to not respond to one night stands... especially those from a wedding...”
“Where is it, George?”
George licked his lips nervously. “It’s already in the trash. With your usual policy...”
AJ looked over at the waste bin near the bathroom door. It was suspiciously empty. George followed his gaze.
“I gave the trash to the maid so she wouldn’t disturb you,” George said slowly, refusing to look up at AJ.
“George, I want that note.” AJ glared at his assistant. He wasn’t angry at the other man so much as at himself. He should have gotten the woman’s information the moment she smiled at him. “She was amazing.”
“Amazing?” George’s eyes widened. AJ knew he’d never said that about any of the other woman George had found him with.
“Yes. Amazing,” AJ reiterated. “All I have of the girl of my dreams is her shoe. Her very large shoe. I want that note.”
George swallowed audibly. “I’ll go hunt down the trash, sir. I just hope the maid hasn’t put it in the dumpster yet...”
AJ raised his brows at George. The dumpster
was not about to stop him now.
“I’ll find it, I swear,” George promised. “But you have to get dressed.”
“Dressed? I canceled all my meetings.” AJ crossed his arms.
“Yes, you did.” George handed him a suit. “Except the board doesn’t accept your cancellation of their meeting.”
“Oh, shit.” He had forgotten about this meeting. Or rather, he had blocked it out because it was going to be terrible. It was about the lawsuits going on with his company and how he was addressing the current scandal.
“It’s in an hour. You should get going,” George advised.
“Find me that note,” AJ growled, swinging his legs out of bed. The empty side called to him again, reminding him of just how much fun he’d had the night before. How happy he’d been.
He paused before standing, the shoe still in his hands. It sparkled like glass in the sunlight pouring through the windows. Last night had been so wonderful. He’d never felt a connection with another human being like he did last night. It was more than just physical, though the physical had been pretty damn amazing. Being with her, he’d forgotten his worries. He could honestly say that he had been happy last night.
He looked down on the metallic, shimmering shoe still in his hands.
There had to be a note. George had to find it. Last night had been too amazing for it all to just disappear in a puff of smoke and magic.
Doubt settled on his shoulders for a moment. What if she was married? What if she was already seeing someone else? What if last night were just a wild fling for her and it wasn’t the connection he so felt it was? What if she didn’t actually leave a note for him, not because she forgot or George lost it, but because she didn’t want him to find her?
His grip tightened around the shoe.
No, he told himself. It doesn’t matter. I’ll find her anyway.
If she was married, he’d let the whole thing drop and never bother her again. If she couldn’t be his, then he would just remember this as a great one-night stand. But...
If she could be his... If he could feel this way all the time...
AJ closed his eyes, and for a brief moment, let himself hope for happiness.
11
AJ
Two weeks later...
AJ sipped at his morning coffee as he sat down at his office desk and started his day. The leather seat creaked slightly as he leaned forward to turn on his computer and the smell of dark roast filled his nose. It was his third cup but he still felt groggy, like his brain wouldn’t turn on.