The Purchased Mistress

There is a lot to be said for the state in which life unfolds. Some are happy to live day by day, drifting in a simple breeze so to speak whereas others are driven by burning ambition, to exceed themselves at each turn. And some...well some live in a state of perpetual unhappiness with the state of their lives, wishing to move forward but not sure how to proceed. Those few, my friends, are those who sadly, have no idea what they need or what they want.

Then again, life is always shifting. New choices to be made and with every new choice, a new path in ones destiny is forged. The drifter will spend many hours rehashing past choices, always wondering "what if" and for that reason alone, they are drifters. I honestly believe that if you continue to live in the past, if you refuse to let go, accept and move on from the choices you made, you will never accomplish anything and instead will just watch life pass you by as you drift in the same spot.

I should know. I wasted a valuable year just drifting. A nicer person might point out that I used that time to discover myself. My wants, needs and wishes. And in a way they are true. My past dreams were simple by comparison and when a twist of fate dumped a whole new set of options in my lap, I spent a great deal of time wondering 'what if' and hashing out what I wanted.

In the end, I believe I found my direction.

The few following years, I threw myself into my studies and spent a great deal of time with my new family. Logan, Maggie and Angus were the best thing to ever happen to me. When I started getting apprehensive about my course load or my very own intelligence, one of them was always there to put me back on track. They were my sanity and salvation.

I am quite pleased to say hat during the first year, I also made a set of new friends. Girlfriends. Oh I had Gwen for sure, but I hadn't seen her since that fateful day and somehow, it wasn't the same. 

As for Logan and I...he never pushed. He kept his word and won my trust forever. Our nightly routine became a fixture in our lives for the following year at least. The man is a saint for sure. 

In my second year, I met Tony. And once again, I felt like I was somehow cheating on Logan. I didn't mean to string him along or give him false hope but over the past year of innocent cuddles and tv watching, our relationship somehow fell into a brotherly/friendly catagory.

I care for Logan, I really do. And I know he was waiting for me to feel comfortable and for me to go to him...but sometimes a woman just needs more. Sometimes you just need to feel wanted, body and soul.

And Tony...well Tony gave me that for sure....

"Paige! I think that hotty is totally checking you out!" loud whispered Megan next to me. I had met her in my first semester during a complimentary history course I had taken. She wasn't the most inconspicuous person when drunk.

'Wha?' I so elegantly muttered while I shifted around to look at what she was talking about. "Oh boy..."I muttered to myself. The guy in question was tall, a little over six feet, and had mop of shaggy brown hair. He was broad shouldered and a set of arms to die for. Not as good as Logan's but definitely in the running.

The kicker was the smoldering look in his smoky grey eyes as he seized me up. Where ever his gave landed, my body felt on fire. Cade, for all the attention he had given me, had never made me feel so hot!

"Shit! He's coming here! What do I do?" I asked in a panicked voice and turned to the....now empty seat. Seems Megan decided to skee daddle on me. Wonderful.

"Hey there, your friend leave you stranded?" asked the sexy stranger.

"Seems like." I answered non commitally to the empty seat next to me. I kept staring at it as if it would hand over some secrets. I guess I concentrated on it too long because soon after, the polished wood was replaced by a pair of legs in some well worn jeans.

"How bout I get you a drink to compensate?" he offered when I looked up at him, right in his blazing eyes.

"Thanks but I think I've had enough already." I picked up my phone I had left on the table and got out of my chair. He stood with me.

"Alright, how bout a coffee then to help sober you up before the ride home?" he asked again. 

"Coffee?" I'm sure I gave him what amounted to the gimlet eye. 

"You don't like coffee?" He asked innocently. Almost to innocently. I could see the corner of his mouth jerk slightly as if he was fighting off a smile.

"Oh no worries about that. I have an affinity with coffee. Just a first to be asked for coffee at two in the morning after refusing a drink." 

"If my goal was to get into your pants, I assure you I would have tried something else, but you..." he eyed me up and down again, his eyes going half lidded while he bit on his lower lip. My gut gave a jerk in appreciation. "You are not someone I just want a quick lay with. Oh no, not at all." he whispered, slowly raising his gaze back up my body. Where his eyes rested, my skin felt burned.

He made me feel sexy, riske...like I could own the world. I don't know what possesed me after that, I just let instinct take over. I stuck my hand in his front pocket where I had seen a distinctive bulge. I pulled out his self phone and while giving him my own half lidded look, I plugged in my number into his contacts.

"Call me when you have a clearer head and I might just take you up on it." I whispered as I leaned and put the phone back in his pocket. I swear I saw his pupils dilate and just when I went to pull back, he gripped the back of my neck in one hand and pulled me forward, his lips crashing down on mine.

I couldn't help it, I moaned and I could have sworn he growled. His kiss was harsh yet tender, hot and intense. And over far too soon. He let me go just as quickly as he grabbed me. I licked my lips, feeling the residual tingle while he stared down at me.

"Soon then." I murmured and left the bar.

I slept in my own room that night...