1
“You’re Mr. Awesome?” I repeat. I just can’t believe what I’m hearing.
Thoughts race through my mind, the consequences of this truth. It means
that he knows everything—all that I’ve said about him to Mr. Awesome, all
the horrible stuff. And more … so much more.
“Yes,” he says. “It’s me. It’s always been me. There’s no one else
behind that account and those emails. Just me.”
I shake my head. “Why?”
He takes a step forward in an attempt to defuse the situation. It’s not
working, though. “You want to know why I signed on to that app and
started texting you, or you want to know why I didn’t tell you?”
“Why are you telling me this now?” I ask, my lips trembling from
anger.
“Because you were angry at me, and then you wanted to say goodbye
to Mr. Awesome. I couldn’t just let you go. I had to tell you the truth before
you’d call quits on … well, both of us.”
“So, Mr. Awesome is just a fake persona to you. Just like all your other
fake shit.” I fold my arms.
“No, it’s not fake. It’s really me,” he says. “I like what we have, Sam.”
“Had,” I interject.
He purses his lips. “I don’t want this to be over.”
“Yeah, well you should have thought about that before you lied to my
face.”
“I didn’t lie to you, Sam. I just didn’t tell you.”
“Why?” My voice is getting louder and louder. I’m so pissed off right
now. How could he lie to me like that?
“Because I was afraid of what you’d think of me if you found out. Like
now. But I knew that one day I’d have to tell you. I just didn’t think it’d go
this far.”
“You didn’t think I’d actually want more than just a stranger on the
internet? Or a one-time fling with Mister King himself?”
“No, that’s not what I mean …” He scratches his head and sighs.
“Goddammit.”
“So this was all just some innocent experiment to you. All fun and
games.”
“It was, yes, but now it’s so much more than that.” He steps closer
again, which makes me back away. “Please, don’t be afraid. You’re backing
away from me. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I don’t want you to touch me.”
“Why? I’m still me. I’m no different than before.”
“Yes, you are! It’s like … two people just merged into one, and I can’t
cope with it, all right. I just can’t.”
“Okay.” He holds up his hands. “I’m just trying to explain.”
“Explaining won’t erase what I’m feeling now. How betrayed I feel.”
“But it will help you understand,” he says, frowning.
“You used me, Leo. First, for your wife problems, and now, for your
sexual pleasures.”
“Oh, c’mon, it’s not like you didn’t enjoy it.”
I frown. “I did, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that you put
your own needs first.”
“I know, and I’m sorry for that. That’s why I’m trying to come clean
and make it all up to you again.” He smiles gently. “I care about you, Sam. I
don’t want to see you hurt. Especially not from my doing.”
It’s quiet for a second.
“You … you’re the one I’ve been talking to all this time,” I murmur,
gazing off into nowhere. “I told Mr. Awesome, you, everything about my
boss.”
Leo muffles a laugh. “Yeah, that was quite the experience. Funny, too.”
My cheeks turn red instantly. “Oh, shit.”
“What? Don’t worry about it.”
“How can you say that? I called you a fucking asshole, and I told Mr.
Awesome that I hated you!”
“Yeah, that was kind of bad, but I had it coming,” he muses. “It was
interesting to read what you really think of me. It put things into a whole
new perspective.”
“That was personal stuff, Leo. You weren’t supposed to see that.” I
sigh and slam my hand into my face. “Ugh, why was I so stupid to tell a
‘stranger’ all that stuff?”
“You aren’t stupid. Don’t hit yourself over it.” He takes my hand off
my face, which makes me lean back. “It’s normal to hate your boss,
especially if his name is Leo King.” He leans forward to look into my eyes.
“I don’t care. It only makes me like you more.”
“But you … oh, God, all those conversations. And the … things.”
“Things … Oh ….” He nods slowly, his lips curling up into a smile.
“You mean that thing you did in the bathroom, as well as on the airplane …
and in your room.” The more he says, the bigger his smirk, and the redder
my face. “I know everything. I’ve seen it all.”
“Oh, my God …” I mutter, swallowing.
“I made you do all those things, Sam. You liked it. I liked it. We both
had fun.”
“But you saw my ass, and my vagina, and my boobs on that freaking
app!”
“And in the hotel, don’t forget that one,” he muses.
“Is this all one big joke to you or something?” I sneer. “Stop being so
cheerful.”
“I can’t, I’m sorry. I just feel so relieved now that you know. It’s like I
finally get to share all my dirty thoughts with you. Only, I already did and
fuck, it was hot.” A huge grin spreads on his face.
I punch his shoulder. “Stop it. Stop enjoying this so much. I’m feeling
horrible over here.”
“Sorry,” he says again. “But you gotta admit it is a bonus to know it’s
me instead of some random dude you don’t even know.”
“I could say goodbye to that random dude and never hear from or see
him again! You? Not so much.”
“Why would you want to do that? Are you ashamed of what we did?
There’s nothing to feel ashamed about, Sam. We’re two consenting adults,
enjoying life.”
I frown. “I don’t know. This just … it feels wrong.” I mull on it. “I just
can’t put one and two together.”
“Would it help if I started calling you Princess from now on?” he jokes.
I roll my eyes. “Not helping.”
“You just don’t want to admit that you liked what we were doing and
now you feel caught in the act.”
“No, I’m not!”
He points at his face, circling around his cheeks. “I can see you getting
red, you know.” He laughs. “It’s okay. It happens.”
I growl. “Stop. Just stop, okay.”
“Is it that hard to see me as Mr. Awesome?” he asks.
“Yes! I can hardly believe it, let alone digest the fact that I told you all
my secrets.”
“Don’t worry about that. I don’t care if you said something bad about
me. I’m not mad at you. I won’t use it against you. And I certainly won’t
share the pictures. Your secrets are safe with me,” he says.
I frown, biting my lip. “Look, I wanna believe you, I really do, but it’s
too hard for me to trust you right now. Not after I find out the guy who was
the only escape I had turns out to be my boss. That, and the fact that you
lied to me about your wife, makes it impossible for me. I’m sorry.”
He sighs, looking down at the ground. “I understand. Do you want me
to leave?”
“No, I just … I have to think about this.” I grab my phone and my bag.
“Where are you going?” he asks, when I walk toward the door.
“To my best friend. You can stay here if you want. I don’t mind. It’s
not like you don’t already know everything there is to know about me. I
might not trust your words, but I know you aren’t a burglar out to steal my
shit. Not that there’s much to steal, so go ahead.”
He chuckles. “If you count taking panties as stealing, then I am the
dirtiest mugger you’ll ever see.”
I roll my eyes. “Sniff away. As long as you put them all back again.”
“I can’t make any guarantees.”
“You do realize that this conversation makes me want to kick you out
anyway, right?” I say, opening the door.
“I know.”
“You want to be kicked out?”
“It wouldn’t be wise for me to stick around when you’re not here …”
He winks. “You wouldn’t be able to resist my charm when you come back.”
“Oh please, as if,” I say.
He walks toward the door and stops to look me in the eye. “You know
me. Once I want something, I won’t stop trying to get it.” A devilish smirk
appears on his face. “Even if I have to grovel through the earth to get it and
jump through fiery hoops to be forgiven.”
I muffle a laugh. “We’ll see about that, Mister.” I make a gesture so
that he can walk out. “Let’s go.”
“I like it when you call me Mister … it reminds me of a few app
conversations I had with a lady who just loves Doritos.” He licks his lips.
“Although I prefer Sir even more.”
I frown, blushing, and then I push him out the door. “Okay, time to go
before I smack you on the head.”
“Oh, kinky!” he says, grinning as I push him out to the pavement. “I’ve
not been on the receiving end of ass whooping before, but this should be
fun.”
I push him forward and growl. “You just love to get a rise out of me,
don’t you?”
He turns around while walking. “Just as much as you do out of me,” he
says, tilting his head.
“Don’t you have to get to work or something?” I taunt. “You’re the
CEO, after all.”
“Business will run just fine without me, Sam. I can come and go
whenever I please. I don’t need to be there every second of the day,
especially not when I have something far more important to do. Like you.”
He playfully raises his brows.
“Well, I guess the company will go down quickly then,” I jest.
“The only thing going down quickly is you. I’ll make sure of that
later,” he says. Then he salutes me. “I’ll see you later, Miss Webber.” He
winks. “Or should I say Princess?”
“Not in public!” I hiss, making fists.
“Next time in your bedroom then,” he says. “No apps. No emails. Just
you and me, Princess.”
“My name is Sam!” I yell after him as he walks away.
I can still see him laugh, which pisses me off. And then he yells, “I’ll
make sure to bring the Doritos!”
