Unwanted Heat

Nicholas

“Mr. Parker, may I have a moment?” Melody knocks on my door.

“Quickly.”

“I have a Mrs. Bridget Wilder on the line requesting a meeting with you to discuss an upcoming charity gala you are attending, how would you like me to handle the call sir?”

“Bridget Wilder?” I pause surprised that she would be calling to request a meeting with me. “I believe she sits on the board with my mother for the charity; she probably wants to solicit a donation for the event. Squeeze her in where you can but for no more than half an hour. I don’t want to get trapped listening to how much some charity needs my donation for hours on end.”

“Yes sir.”

Usually my mother handles the requests for this charity since she’s on the board but I know she has been very busy lately with another one that she’s trying to raise money for. I think it’s odd that Bridget would request a personal meeting with me to discuss the donation though, typically a phone is all that is needed, given that I regularly donate to most of the charities my mother is sitting on the board, for including the one that I am scheduled to attend next.

My thoughts are quickly diverted as my outlook calendar alerts me to another meeting that is starting in a few minutes in the board room. My day is filled with meetings, conference calls and reviewing reports just like every other day. I love what I do; I love analyzing trends in the market, helping companies succeed and even trying to predict what the market will do next. As is the case most days, before I know it the sun has set and I’m the last person in the building besides Carter. I leave PFS, return home for a late dinner and then spend a few more hours in my office. This routine is what my life consists of lately; the only change is when I have an event or business dinner to attend. It may seem boring, but the long hours are what have made PFS the success that it is. It wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful if I only worked the typical eight hour day that most employees in America work. Instead, I average ten to twelve hours in the office each day plus another three to five hours per night at home.

As is the case most nights, sleep doesn’t come easy for me. When I finally manage to fall asleep, I find my thoughts focusing on the beautiful brunette Carter and I met on the street months ago. Only this time I don’t picture her as she was that day on the sidewalk, instead she is standing naked in front of me, her hands bound behind her back with a simple red piece of silk. She’s waiting for me, her body is calling out to me, begging for my touch. Her nipples are hardened as the anticipation of what is about to happen arouses her even further.

I take a step towards her, not able to keep myself from touching her for another moment but the space between us increases. Another step towards her, yet she is further away than she was moments ago. I quickly take three steps forward, my hand reaching out to touch her but again she remains just out of reach. Frustrated, I run to her but this time she completely disappears and I’m left standing in a cold dark room with a dirty mattress on the floor in the corner of the room.

It’s nearly three in the morning and I find myself wide awake. I contemplate going for a run, but I really don’t want to wake Carter up. I shouldn’t give a fuck… I pay him to be available when I need him, but even I’m not that cold hearted to wake him up in the middle of the night and pull him from the warm bed he shares with his woman.

I’ve never experienced what he has-I’ve never slept in the same bed with a woman. My nightmares have always prevented me from being able to do that. I remember once when I was little, my parents took us somewhere… to this day I can’t remember where we were going or why but we were in a hotel room and Austin and I had to share a bed because there were only two beds in the room with my parents taking the other one. I don’t remember the nightmare that night and can only assume it’s a variation of the one I have every night. What I do remember is waking up to find Austin wrapped in my mom’s arms crying and my dad rushing into the room with a bag of ice.

Apparently during my nightmare I had given him a black eye and nearly broke his nose when he tried to wake me up. Both of my parents were quick to tell me that it wasn’t my fault and Austin forgot what happened, instead making up stories that he would later tell his friends about how he was injured. I have never forgotten that day or the way my parents looked at me when I woke up. They weren’t angry but their eyes were filled with pity though. Since that day, I have vowed to never give them a reason to look at me like that again. That was the last time I ever slept in the same bed with someone. Every trip after that my parents made sure to reserve a room with an extra pull out bed or a rollaway for me.

“I’d like to leave in ten minutes for a run,” I notify Carter a little before five which is what I have decided is an okay time to wake him.

“Yes sir, I’m ready when you are,” he responds quickly, obviously knowing my preference for early morning runs.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.