He was every parents dream for their daughter. He came from a good home, earned a good living as an attorney and had nice manners. It seemed like every girl’s dream. But as the wedding got closer, I grew more nervous. I started to wonder if I had made myself into who he wanted me to be, instead of who I really was. I started picturing myself having 2.5 children with a white picket fence and having lunches with PTA moms who wore sweater sets.

In the time we had been together, I had stopped singing with a band and went to school to get a music degree to teach. As my wedding date got closer, I was starting to question myself on why I had done that, when I really loved being in my band. Michael and Sienna didn’t get along, and he didn’t like me traveling at night to different clubs, so I eventually gave it up, even though he never actually asked me to.

One morning I woke up with a panic attack. I realized that something was missing in our relationship and that something was me. So I sat down one night to talk to Michael about what I was feeling and he completely flipped out. He blamed it all on my last visit to NY to visit Sienna and her filling my head with crazy unrealistic singing dreams. But the truth was, Sienna never said a word to me. She accepted me for whoever I was and didn’t try to change me.

I told him that I didn’t want to teach and wanted to join a local band again.

He told me that his wife was not going to be a stupid band slut traveling around town with a bunch of men. We argued back and forth and then things got really loud and heated when he realized that I had already made up my mind. The next day I felt badly about the way that we had left off, so I went to his office to talk to him and walked in on his secretary on her knees.” I stopped and thought for a moment and Jack tightened his grip around me.

“I left and he tried to apologize again the next day. Eventually, when I wouldn’t accept his apology, he got mad again and spilled that he had been sleeping with his secretary for more than a year anyway. I moved all of his stuff to the front lawn by the time he tried to come home from work that night, and had the locks changed.” I paused and regrouped from telling my sad tale. I forced a happier voice “Everything happens for a reason. I quit my job teaching and started singing again last month. It’s just a job as a house singer at one of the Heston Hotels, but it’s a start on my trip back to me.”

Jack was quiet and didn’t say anything for a moment. “You work at one of the Heston Hotels?”

I laughed, thinking it was odd that of everything that I had just told him, that was the part of my story that caught his attention. Men.

“Is that really a question that you want to use your second chip on?”

“Definitely.”

“Yes, I work at Heston Hotel in New York City. That’s how I was able to afford this fancy schmancy Heston Resort, they give a great employee discount.

I moved to New York from Boston last month.

I’m starting all over and doing what is right for me for a change. I’m going to start singing with Sienna again once in a while too, now that I am back in the same city again.”

Quiet again. I turned to look at him and his face was unreadable. He looked into my eyes and gently brushed the hair on my face back. Then he kissed me. A different kiss from last night, not a passionate, groping kiss, but a beautiful tender kiss. It took my breath away. I couldn’t remember the last time a kiss stirred so much inside of me. He watched me intently as I recovered from the moment.

“Room service or Restaurant?”

I smiled at him. I wanted more than anything to say room service, but I was enjoying making him work for it a little bit.

“Restaurant.”

He looked at me seriously.

“Whatever you want babe. But wear a dress and forget the underwear. I want to know that it won’t take me long to bury myself deep inside you after dinner.”

I probably should have been offen-ded by his crudeness, but instead it turned me on. Two could play his game. “I’d like to use my first question.” He arched one eyebrow intrigued in response.

“Do you prefer to be on the top or the bottom?” I thought I volleyed his serve.

His response was fast and dead serious. “I prefer whatever makes you yell louder when I f**k you harder than you’ve ever been f**ked.”

I gasped at the instant visual that his words inspired in my head. Damn, I needed a cold shower.

He stood and held out his hand to help me up. He didn’t let go when I stood; instead he pulled me hard against his chest and looked down into my eyes. “And I’m going to have you both ways tonight anyway.” He smiled an evil victorious smile and grabbed my hand and started to walk into the resort.

Chapter 4

I drank a glass of wine, as I got ready in my room for dinner. I was glad that Jack said he had to take care of some business before dinner, because I needed time to pull my thoughts together. Sienna made plans to have dinner with Tyler and we were singing at the top of our lungs as we blasted music from my ipod. I truly missed those moments, where we were both happy and singing and dancing. I didn’t even realize how long it had been since I felt so carefree and happy.

I picked out a pale blue strapless dress that hugged my curves in all the right places. It was the dress I knew looked good on me and always brought me compli-ments. My legs looked long and lean under the short skirt and the pale blue showed off my dark tan. Last time I wore it, Michael had told me that the pale blue color in the dress matched my eyes perfectly. I left my long hair down, framing my tan face. The dress made me feel pretty and gave me confidence. Oddly, I wasn’t feeling as nervous as I had expected to for my dinner date, and, more specifically, what was to come after dinner.

I was feeling good and closed my eyes as I lost myself singing along with one of my favorite songs, when I turned and saw Jack standing in the doorframe. He took up most of the doorway and looked freaking amazing.

“I was enjoying the show.” His voice was low and husky.

“How long were you standing there?”

“Sienna opened the door for me on her way out. You look f**king incredible.”

I shook my head at his compliment and smiled, pretending I found his words harsh. “You have such a way with words.” They may not have been the most eloquent words, but I felt them somewhere deep inside of me. His words were raw and honest.

My comment didn’t faze him in the slightest. “If I take one step into this room, I won’t get to enjoy that dress and we definitely won’t be going to a restaurant. So let’s go before I eat you for dinner.” Even though he said it in jest, I knew he wasn’t really kidding. I grabbed my bag and went quickly to the door. I opened my bag to put my room key in and a dozen condoms that must have been crammed in came popping out.