A New Bedfellow

Before boarding the plane, I told Florence everything. When she heard about my situation, she waved it off and organized a party for me.

She invited all our old friends, saying it was to welcome me and chase away the bad luck. We were in high spirits, enjoying ourselves, when suddenly the door swung open.

A sharp scream echoed through the room.

"Woah, it's Ambrose Steele!"

"Oh my god, it really is Ambrose!"

"Quick, pinch me—am I dreaming?"

Ambrose chuckled and said, "I was just next door for a business meeting. Heard you were having a party, so I thought I'd drop by and join the fun."

His face held a gentle and refined smile, but his gaze landed in a corner of the room.

Coincidentally, Florence and I were sitting in that exact corner.

Our eyes met briefly, and I quickly looked down, feeling somewhat flustered.

Florence leaned in close to my ear, and she whispered in a teasing tone, "Mabes, do you think he's here because of you?"

I must have been a little drunk because, for a moment, I found the man walking toward us incredibly attractive.

He was noticeably taller than Ralph, and his tailored suit accentuated his refined figure. I could almost imagine the solid muscles beneath his clothes.

"Mabes, look—he's coming over!" Florence's voice snapped me back to reality.

I quickly averted my gaze and interrupted her. "Flo, stop talking nonsense. I haven't been in touch with him for years."

She grinned mischievously, stood up, and whispered in my ear, "You may be indifferent, but his feelings are clear."

Ignoring my awkward expression, Florence boldly called out, "Ambrose, would you mind giving Mabes a ride back to her hotel?"

I glanced at Ambrose politely, assuming he would decline. But as our eyes met, he smiled and said, "Sure, leave it to me."

"Ambrose, thank you so much!" Florence exclaimed.

After he agreed, she leaned into me again and whispered, "Mabes, forget that trashy Ralph. He's not worth it.

"Look at Ambrose. He probably has some serious skills. Maybe it's time you tried something new?"

I glared at her in exasperation while stealing a glance at the man sipping his drink nearby, praying he didn't hear her.

"Flo, stop talking nonsense!"

"I swear on my honor—he's definitely here for you."

Afterward, Ambrose really did take me back to my hotel.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and thanked him, "Thank you for bringing me back."

Ambrose smiled at me before replying, "Mabel, there's no need to be so polite with me."

I paused mid-step as Ralph's words with his friends from earlier suddenly flashed in my mind.

On a strange impulse, I turned around and asked, "Ambrose, would you like to come up for a cup of coffee?"

The hotel was bustling at night, and the hallways were filled with couples lost in their affection. He followed behind me, but he suddenly grabbed my hand and cornered me against the wall.

He kissed me. Already tipsy, his kiss left me somewhat breathless.

"Ambrose, there are so many people here..." I stammered, unsure if my face was burning from embarrassment or alcohol.

He glanced around, then wrapped me protectively in his arms.

As the door to the room opened, Ambrose pushed me against it, tilting my chin upward. "Mabel, you can still stop this if you want."

"Why?" I looked up at him, stood on my toes, and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You've kissed me and held me already. Isn't it a little late to say that now?"

His long fingers traced over my flushed cheeks. "Mabel, you're not getting away from me now."

Our first time didn't even make it to the bed. The cold, hard wall dug painfully into my back, and I bit his neck in frustration.

"Ambrose, do you even know how to be gentle?"

His heated hands rested on my back, and his voice was low and restrained as he whispered in my ear, "Mabel, I'm sorry… I can't hold it back anymore."

It didn't take long for me to understand exactly what he meant by that.

Afterward, he carried me to the bathtub, holding me as he carefully cleaned me up. Watching the seriousness on his face, I couldn't help but ask, "Ambrose, how long has it been since you've been with a woman?"

His movements were so gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting me.

"You're the only woman I've been with," he said.

The curiosity on my face instantly vanished, and I was surprised by his response. After a long pause, I felt an unexpected wave of emotion crash over me.

"Ambrose, I..."

I started to lose control of my emotions. Maybe I shouldn't have dragged him into this mess.

"Ambrose, about what happened tonight..."

Seeing my tears, he clumsily tried to wipe them away. "Mabel, it's not your fault. I couldn't control myself."

"I should have said no to you."

"Mabel, what's the point of saying that now? It's already happened."

His words only deepened my guilt, making me want to crawl into a hole and slap myself a couple of times. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I needed to leave immediately.

He seemed to sense my intentions. Leaning down, he cupped my face with both hands.

His expression was soft and his gaze was steady as he muttered, "Mabel, now that you've slept with me, you'll have to take responsibility for me."