Dictated Desires

"Hey Sarah. Yes it's me. Just went to get some air. Thought I'd catch the sun but it is a bit chilly so I came back, " Emily lied as she headed to her bed.

"It is cold. Let me go back to dreaming. Talk to you when I fully wake up, " Sarah said with a yawn.

"Okay. Later, " Em said as she got into bed.

Emily lay motionless, staring at the ceiling as the soft morning light crept through the curtains. Her body felt different. She was sore in all the right places and every small movement sent fresh waves of heat and shame through her. The taste of Asher still lingered on her lips. He kissed the way he walked; controlled but deeply.

The memory of his deep, commanding voice whispering "Mine" against her ear swirled in her brain. She wasn't his but the word had made her wetter. This wasn't supposed to be happening. He wasn't supposed to affect her like that.

She turned her head and saw that Sarah had gone back to sleeping peacefully in the other bed. Relief washed over her. At least her friend hadn't asked too many questions when she slipped back into the room at dawn, heels in hand. She had been afraid that she would be found. It was not like it was the first time she was sneaking in from a night out. This was different in a way she didn't want to discover.

She closed her eyes and summoned sleep but it did not come. The only thoughts that assaulted her mind were of her under Asher, moaning and calling his name loud enough to have him cover her mouth with his palm. After tossing and turning for some minutes, she quietly slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. She locked the door and leaned against it, breathing hard. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. Maybe she could really catch the sun rise now instead of just laying there with dirty thoughts.

Her phone buzzed on the counter. She looked at the screen. There were three messages from Asher.

Asher: You okay? I woke up and found you were gone.

Asher: I wanted to eat you out one more time. Would you like to come back?

Asher: Talk to me, Emily.

Her heart clenched tightly. She wanted to reply. She wanted to tell him how alive and sexy he had made her feel. And how he was the first man to ever give her multiple orgasms in one night. Instead, she deleted the messages one by one and blocked his number. This had to stop before it ruined everything.

The shower was scalding hot. She scrubbed her skin until it was pink. She was trying to erase the scent of him and the feel of his hands pinning her wrists. She couldn't shake the way he had taken complete control of her body as if he knew deeply. It was unsettling how good he could make her feel. That was not what she had signed up for and she scrubbed harder to rid the experience off her mind and body. But the memories only grew stronger and phantom hands continued to caress her. She remembered how he had flipped her onto her stomach, fisted her hair, and driven into her with one thrust. Her legs trembled at the memory of how easily she had came apart for him.

Tears mixed with the water on her face. It was embarassing how much she wanted to run back to his bed and let him devour her again. This was not her. She did not do more than one night, especially not with men who looked calm but dangerous. He could burn her, and she knew that. And it was the reason she was so determined to keep her distance.

By the time she emerged from the bathroom, Sarah was awake and scrolling on her phone.

"You came back really late," Sarah said with a raised eyebrow. "Everything alright?"

It looked like Sarah really didn't remember them having a conversation.

"It was almost dawn Sarah. I was not sleepy so I went for a walk in the garden. It is really beautiful at night. You should see it, " Emily lied again.

Sarah didn't look fully convinced but dropped the subject. "I will tonight. We are leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Yes. We are catching the afternoon flight. I really enjoyed my stay here," Em answered.

"I did too. Maybe someday we can afford to vacation here," Sarah wished.

"If we get rich husbands, we will have the funds," Emily chimed."

"Anyway, dress up. We have to go downstairs for some food. I am famished," Sarah said as she changed into a lounge set.

They joined the others for breakfast on the villa terrace. Cassie looked radiant. She was glowing with happiness as she leaned against Reggie. The love between them was beautiful and obvious.

A few minutes later, Asher walked in. He looked composed and sexy. He was wearing a simple white shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders. His hair was a bit shaggy and he had the morning stuble.

He greeted them before siting down beside Reggie.

His eyes found Emily a minute later. The intensity in them made her stomach tighten. She looked down at her plate, suddenly unable to eat.

Throughout breakfast, his gaze kept returning to her. When their eyes met across the table, heat flared between them. Emily excused herself early, claiming she was coming down with a headache.

She spent the rest of the morning pacing, guilt eating at her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Asher's face above her, felt his weight pressing her into the mattress. She wanted him again, maybe more than once. That realization terrified her more than anything.

Her phone buzzed with a new number. She knew it was him.

Unknown: Don't run from this. We need to talk.

Emily stared at the message for a long time before typing back a single word:

Emily: It was a mistake.

She blocked the new number too.

But she knew better than anyone else. Last night hadn't felt like a mistake. It had been inevitable. They had been dancing around each other for a while. There texts had been a bit polite before, but there had been sexual inniendos from the onset.

The guilt followed her all day. She watched Cassie laughing with Reggie and felt tears prick her eyes. She was happy and Emily knew that she could never get that kind of happiness in her life.

Asher didn't approach her again that day, but she felt his presence everywhere. The tension between them was thick and was not going to dissipate soon.

That night, alone in bed, Emily's hand slipped between her thighs. She remembered every command, every thrust, every growl. She came whispering his name, then cried quietly into her pillow until sleep finally claimed her.

This secret was going to destroy her if she wasn't careful.