A Designed Affair by Cheryl Barton

about her being with Mike tonight that wasn’t sitting right with her. Maybe all those sleepless nights of thinking and dreaming about him were coming to the surface because the air between them tonight was unlike any other time they had been around each other.
    If she were not mistaken, when they were dancing, Mike had been making circles on her back in a caressing motion, which in her mind was a very intimate move. Maybe he did it without thinking, but it had an effect on her that got her body tingling with want, stronger than she’d ever remembered having before. Being so close to him, her body immediately reacted.
    The mixture of his cologne, how close he was holding her and the way he was crooning in her ear, had her thinking about sheets, nakedness, passion and screaming. She had managed to keep her body in check for most of the evening and neither of them made mention of the phone conversation they had that could have meant a few things. She was both hoping that he would and that he wouldn’t bring it up. She wanted to clear the air and let him know how attracted she was to him, but she didn’t want to be the only one who felt that way.
    Loren wasn’t sure they could go beyond friendship and keep the friendship intact. When he’d walked away to speak with Jase, she had hoped to get herself in check before he came back. She was doing a good job of it until she looked up and noticed him returning and those warm, fuzzy feelings returned. She needed to get out of the restaurant and away from Mike. Just thinking about him had her close to exploding. She needed release of the worse kind, but now was not the time to walk herself into trouble and then end up with Mike helping her with her release. She watched him return and the closer he got to her, the hotter the temperate in the room seemed to get. Her last thought before he reached her was that she was in trouble.
    Mike made his way back over to the table to get Loren.
    “Are you ready to go?” he asked.
    “Yes I am.”
    Mike helped Loren stand and placed her hand in the crook of his arm as they made their way through the crowd to the front entrance.
    “Where did you park your car?”
    She pointed across the street to the parking garage.
    “I’m parked on level three in the garage.”
    “Good, I’m in there on level one,” he said.
    Mike escorted Loren across the street and up the elevator to level three to her car.
    When they reached her car he said, “Drive me down to my car so that I can follow you home to your condo. I want to be sure you get in okay since it’s very late.”
    Loren nodded. He was a gentleman. Mike may be the biggest man whore she had ever met, but he was also the most respectful man when it came to how he treated a woman and took great care with her safety. When they reached Mike’s truck, Loren noticed his hesitation before reaching for the handle to get out.
    “Thanks again for a nice evening Mike. I’m not only talking about the business part either. I really enjoyed your company.”
    Mike turned so that he was completely facing Loren when he replied.
    “I enjoyed your company too. I also want to say one more time tonight that you look beautiful.”
    “Thank you,” she said blushing.
    After exiting her car, he leaned back in before shutting the door.
    “I’m going to follow you to your condo and when you’re inside with the door locked, send me a text so I’ll know everything is okay.”
    “Mike you don’t have to do that. My condo has paid security and they always make it a point to be sure the women are safely escorted to their doors.”
    “Just do it for me please?” he asked
    “Okay, I will.”
    Before he shut the door, Loren thanked him again and then he was gone.
    True to his word, he followed her to her building and when she was safely locked inside her unit, she sent him a text letting him know she was in. From her living room window on the fifth floor, she could see him drive off. She was finally able to