I pretended I had not heard Nick and walked over to the iPod. I turned the volume right up to drown out any further attempts to talk.

I pulled my clothes on, then turned off the iPod before I walked to the door I peered out the door before opening it all the way. Nick had left, which was a relief. However I still had to take my wet underwear to the laundry.

I left the room and tiptoed down the hall and across the lounge floor to the laundry. However, my attempt at avoiding Nick was thwarted when he walked inside from the balcony.

“You shouldn’t be a filer.” He said simply, as he walked in to the kitchen and opened the obscenely large black fridge. He took out two cokes and walked over to me. He held out one of the cans.

“Huh?” I replied confused, taking the can from him. Was he firing me?

“You should be on my books. Booked talent, ready to sign.” He explained walking over to his table. “You’re amazing. Literally” he finished sitting down.

My mouth hit the floor, and I could feel my eyebrows raising at his words.

“No.” I said, without thinking.

“Why not?”

“Just no. I’m not a singer.” I replied, although I had to admit that the prospect of music as a job sounded amazing.

“I’ll politely disagree. You’re a singer. You’re an amazing singer Sarah.” He exclaimed with a passion that surprised me. He really did have a love for discovering new and wonderful things, but he was barking up the wrong tree this time.

“Too bad, I’m not interested.” The last thing I needed was eyes on me. My father couldn't know where I was.

After that Nick didn’t say anything else about putting me on the books, and we didn’t mention the morning, or the kisses either. Which was a relief.

Before I went to bed I dried my work clothes and lay them out on the desk chair in the room. I slept well. Better than I’d probably ever slept. It wasn’t because of the expensive furnishings though, I’m happy with subtle and humble, it was because for once in my life I actually felt safe.

Once I got up I dressed and done my hair and make up before leaving the bedroom. Nick was making what looked to be French toast.

“Morning Sarah.” He said with a chirpy voice, turning from the oven he placed a plate of French toast and bacon in front of me where I sat at the breakfast bar.

“Morning,” I replied. “thanks for breakfast.”

“No problem.”

Without another word Nick finished cooking and then sat down beside me.

We ate in silence and when I finished I ran off to brush my teeth then came back to wash the dishes.

“You don’t have to do those,” Nick said “I have a dishwasher.”

“You’ve given me a place to stay, let me wash some measly plates!” I shot back with a chuckle. I reached in to the water and grabbed the next thing, only to be greeted by a searing pain in my hand.

“Argh!” I screamed, pulling my hand from the water, Hot water splashed on to my work shirt and blood spilled from the palm of my hand on to the sink and floor, luckily avoiding my clothing by an inch.

“Fuck. Sarah are you alright?” Nick shouted getting up from the breakfast bar. He ran in to the kitchen and grabbed a towel then pressed it in to my hand

“There must have been a knife in the sink.” I said feeling stupid, I should have checked.

“God, I am so sorry! I should have kept my dishes on the bench. Fuck. Take your shirt off.” Nick ordered softly, Confused and in pain I looked up wondering why things had taken this kind of turn.

“huh?” I replied.

“I’ll chuck it in the drier while I grab the first aid kit.” Nick explained.

I attempted to undo my buttons with my left hand, but it was almost impossible, the eyes were small and the buttons were big. I looked up at Nick, without another thought he took his hand from the towel “Put pressure on the cloth.” He urged as his fingers moved to my top.

My eyes didn’t leave his face, and I forgot about the pain because even though this was only happening because I’d cut my hand. I was turned on. The feeling was natural, but new. A ripple from the splash I'd been ready to make the evening before.

Nick's fingers slightly brushed against my white bra and I had to bite my tongue to hold in a moan, he was barely even touching me, but it felt explosive.

As he reached the last button he looked up at me, our eyes met and I bit the inside of my cheek out of nerves. Nick moved my left hand out of the shirt, taking it away from the cloth for a moment, but his eyes stayed with mine. He did however, look down to gently for a second as he pulled the shirt it delicately off my right arm.

I stood there exposed, my boring white bra on display, but surprisingly I didn’t mind. In fact I was pleading silently for him to kiss me again. Nick returned with a first aid kit, gently he took my right hand and removed the blood soaked cloth. The cut wasn’t deep, which was a relief.

“It won’t need stitches.” He murmured, grabbing some gauze and a bandage from the kit.

“Okay.” I replied, my throat was caught on my breath and my body was aching for something it had never ached for. The feeling was foreign to me, and I wasn't sure how to process it.

Nick gently applied the bandage then threw away the rubbish and zipped the first aid kit back up. The dryer wasn’t finished yet, so I stood there in my bra, with Nick looking at me, a hint of red in his cheeks. I smiled and rubbed my right arm before leaning against the bench.

“Are you blushing Mr Jackson.” I teased, making a joke of the situation seemed the only viable solution at this point

Nick’s mouth opened slightly, he licked his lips and his right eyebrow twitched. He had a certain reaction when I would call him Mr Jackson, a reaction that both humored and excited me. I looked away. I didn't know much about any of this, but even I knew I was playing with fire.

“I don’t blush.” he replied his voice tight.

“Your face disagrees Mr Jackson.” I joked.

“You need to stop calling me that.” Nick said, his voice full of frustration.

“Nick,” I said slowly “I’m Sorr-”

Before I could finish, nick’s mouth was on mine, his hands grabbed at my hips and lifted me up on to the bench. Yes, It was wrong in every respect. Yes, we’d agreed to forget the events of the previous day, Yes, we'd agree to start with a clean slate, yet here we were. Making all the same mistakes as the day before.

Nick moved his head back slightly and I worried that he was going to stop, instead his lips trailed down my neck and along my collarbone. His hands cupped my breasts and I let out a soft sigh, the explosive feeling I’d had when he’d been helping with my shirt had magnified by a hundred and I lost every piece of shyness and inhibition as I curved my body in to his.

“These pants, they need to come off.” Nick grunted, moving his hands to my hips. He picked me up, my legs wrapped around is waist in response. He carried me to the guest room, and placed me on the bed.

He stood up, pulling my pants off as he did so, leaving me naked from the waist down. My sudden lack of inhibition caused me to reach out with my left hand, I pulled Nick back to me by his tie. His lips crashed down on mine once more. It was then that I began shaking involuntarily partly because I was afraid, but mostly because of the anticipation that was building. Nick picked up on it and he stopped for a moment resting his head on the soft rise of my left breast.

“Are you alright?” He whispered, his voice seemed staggered, his breathing was labored and shallow.

I nodded, unable to form intelligible words. All I knew was I needed him. Nick smiled, and gently pulled me up until I our faces were aligned. He moved his arms behind my back, his fingers expertly undone the clasp of my bra, he pulled the flimsy piece of material from me and threw it to the floor.

He kissed every inch of my body, the new sensations sent me in to a never ending shuddering explosive minefield. As my climax began to subside, Nick entered me, causing me to call out again in fulfillment.

With every thrust I thought I might die from pleasure until finally I reached the peak again, this time with Nick, who fell in to my body, shaking with me.

The reality of what we’d done didn’t begin to sink in right away.

The afterglow was too strong and I found myself having delusions of grandeur again, only this time my delusions were about finding love with Nick.

Suddenly though, like a bolt of lightening it hit me and I sat up, mortified at my behavior. I’d had sex with a man who was engaged to be married. What made it worse was deep inside part of me wanted him again. I slid off the bed, and grabbed my bra and pants and high tailed it to the en-suite.

Moving on with my life and putting my past behind me was one thing. I didn't need to prove I was capable of human contact by sleeping with the first man who'd come along however and that is exactly what I had just done.

“Fuck.” Nick muttered as I closed the en-suite door.

I leaned up against the door, and sighed deeply.

Still as much as I wanted to really regret my actions, I couldn’t. Given the last hour again, I’d have done the same thing. I’d never felt like a woman before, I’d never felt sexy and desirable. I’d never wanted to. Around Nick though, something in me set alight, a fire pit of sexual yearning and It had only just begun burning.

I walked over to the corner shower unit and turned the water on. I showered with one hand out of the water, and dressed again. I hopped out and stood in front of the mirror just staring at myself, trying to accept that this was all happening. I'd never wanted to feel anyone's touch before, until now.

Aside from everything else I had to thank my lucky stars that I had been on birth control since I was 15, because In our haste, we'd neglected to use any protection. The last thing I needed right now when I didn't even know what was going on in my own head was an unplanned pregnancy.

I left the bathroom and walked back in to the bedroom. Nick was gone from the bed. He’d chucked my work shirt on the desk chair though, so I grabbed it and put it on, buttoning up the shirt as best I could with one hand. I left the bedroom, my hair and make up redone and walked back in to the kitchen.

Nick looked up at me and he looked rueful. He regretted what had happened, and it was then that I finally felt guilty.

“We should probably go, we don’t want to be late.” Nick said grabbing his keys.

“Nick I think I better find some place else. Uh, maybe you could give me an advance on my first wages?” I asked, In light of Nick’s apparent regret, I needed to get out of this place.

Nick looked at me funny though, he was frowning and looked a little sad. Finally he shrugged and then walked to the front door.

“Fine, I’ll get Julie to sort it.” He replied icily.

“Thank you.”

Nick and I didn’t talk the entire elevator ride down to the basement, and the tension alone was enough to make me want to walk to work, unfortunately, because we’d spent a hour ‘mucking’ around, it wasn’t an option. Of course the car ride was ridiculously short. When he parked at work I jumped out of the car as quickly as I could.

“Sarah, get back in.” Nick warned, his voice was softer than it had been back at his place, but only just. I sat back in the leather seats and stared at the dashboard. Making eye contact this close to Nick was asking for a world of trouble, I’d be throwing myself at him within seconds.

“About before, I can trust you not to say anything.” He asked, as if ‘before’ was a phone call I’d heard that I shouldn’t of, or a document I’d read that was confidential, not a highly personal, sexually charged moment between two consenting adults.

“Of course.” I replied feeling a little annoyed that he’d had to ask.

“Good.”

I hopped out of the car and walked across the parking lot to the elevators. I prayed one would come down and I could ride up alone, but by the time the elevator reached the bottom and the doors opened, Nick was standing behind me. I walked inside and pressed myself up against the wall. I didn’t dare look up. The tension was so thick, that even a knife wouldn’t cut it.

When the elevator doors popped open, Nick walked briskly out without saying a word. I felt a pain in my gut, hurt? Sadness?

He’d used me, he’d used me as a stand in for his fiancee and I’d let him. Even worse, I'd wanted him too. I really was a sucker for punishment.

I walked in the other direction to my cubicle and sat down. I rest my head in my hands for a minute and sighed deeply.

“Hey, you!” a slightly familiar voice called out, I turned around to be greeted by Joshua. He leaned up against the frame of the cubicle and smiled.

I attempted to smile back, but I could tell it came off a little flat.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better, do you happen to know of anyone looking for a roommate?” I asked trying to be hopeful.

“Actually I do. I house share with a couple of workers here. We’ve recently had someone move and we need a fourth roomie.”

A genuine smile crossed my face and I perked up a little. This was perfect, an actual house, not a motel and not a completely inappropriate penthouse suite.

“I don’t have any furniture, I’ve literally been living out of my suitcase since I arrived.” I noted, hoping it wouldn’t be a problem.

“It’s a furnished room, ya know what, how about I bring the others to meet you at lunch and we’ll work out the details!” Josh smiled, his hand gently touched my shoulder and I nodded.

Finally something was beginning to go my way.

Joshua left me to my work and I pushed the Nick and the events of the morning to the back of my mind, although the cut to my hand was some what of a constant reminder.

Around 11am my in-box bleeped.

To: Sarah Jenkins SJenkins@Bookedout.com

From: Nikolai Jackson Nikolai@bookedout.com

Subject: In regards to our earlier conversation.

I deposited $1000 into the bank account listed on your pay roll records.

Next weeks payslips have been calculated and I was unable to change it.

You do not need to pay this money back.

Nick.

I’m not sure what made me see red. So I decided it was a mixture of everything. The sex had meant nothing to him, and now he was trying to basically pay for it! I felt sick to my stomach and hit reply with out thinking.

To: Nikolai Jackson Nikolai@bookedout.com

From: Sarah Jenkins SJenkins@bookedout.com

Subject: Prostitution.

Really. You’re trying to pay me.

Ha! That would teach him.

To: Sarah Jenkins SJenkins@Bookedout.com

From: Nikolai Jackson Nikolai@bookedout.com

Subject: Unacceptable

If you have a personal problem with me, I implore you to come speak to me about it.

If you speak to me like that again I will be forced to give you a verbal warning.

Nick.

Ugh! He was infuriating! He'd insisted on turning an advance into a hush payment, How had he expected me to react to it?

To: Nikolai Jackson Nikolai@bookedout.com

From: Sarah Jenkins SJenkins@bookedout.com

Subject: Sorry.

Not really, I’m not sorry. You can take your money and shove it up your ass.

After I hit send I immediately regretted it, I knew I was overreacting about the money, he didn’t really see it as paid for sex, did he? Surely it only felt that way to me.

A few minutes later my phone began ringing. I picked it up and politely said who I was, full well knowing it was Nick.