THE CONTRACT WIFE: A ONE NIGHT STAND BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE

Zara’s POV

Together with my friend Antoinette, I settled onto the stools of a dimly lit bar. Lively music pulsed through the air and the clinking of glasses made me realized that I was in a perfect place to relax and unwind.

We ordered our drinks and Antoinette started to talk about men. When the warmth of the alcohol began to seep into my veins, laughter bubbled up easily and I felt my worries melting away like snow in the spring. We had fun with our drinks until I turned around and saw the man who just entered the bar.

It was Lucas Blackwood, my ultimate crush since college. My heart almost skipped a beat as I watched him saunter inside with his brooded eyes scanning the room. He seemed tired and sad! I had never seen him so sad before so I wondered what happened to him.

“Zara, are you alright?” Antoinette’s voice was a distant murmur and her words competed with the excited thumping of my heart.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” I stammered and my voice betrayed the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Then once again, I turned to check on him. Lucas found a seat at the far end of the bar. When a waiter served his drinks, he was staring at it. For a moment, his drink remained untouched in front of him. Although, I never had the chance to win his heart, the thought of him being upset gnawed at me like an itch I couldn’t ignore.

“Zara! Look!”

I was startled when I heard Antoinette’s voice, and then she casually mentioned seeing Lucas in the bar. I just smiled in response because I didn’t want her to know that I had been watching him since he arrived.

“This is your chance, girl. Go and talk with Lucas. He seemed to be alone,” Antoinette suggested.

“No way,” I refused because I knew that Lucas had a girlfriend, a model named Giselle, and I didn’t want to flirt with an engaged man. “What about you?” I asked her a few minutes later.

“Don’t worry about me. Have you forgotten that this bar belonged to my cousin? I will not be alone,” she assured me.

For a moment, I was terrified of approaching Lucas. It had been a long time since we saw each other, and I was afraid he would send me away with a simple wave of his finger. He was always like that every time he would dismiss someone in front of him. I believed it would be embarrassing!

“I’ll be right back,” I mumbled to Antoinette, and then my legs propelled me forward before I could think twice. The alcohol emboldened me and made me feel invincible at the moment. Then, without further ado, I slid onto the stool next to Lucas.

“Zara Delafontaine? What are you doing?” he asked.

I was surprised when he called me by my full name. So, he remembered me. “Hello, Lucas Blackwood,” I purred while feeling a grin tug at the corners of my lips. Then, his gaze shifted from his drink to me.

“Please leave,” he stated.

“Is everything alright?” I asked and my heart was beating so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

“Not really. Just a rough day, but I’m fine. I just need a drink or more,” he replied.

“Aren’t you lucky tonight? I happen to be an expert at turning bad days around,” I informed him and a chuckle escaped from his lips.

“Are you alone?” he asked after sipping his drink.

“Nope, I am with Antoinette but something came up and she went ahead of me,” I lied so when he scanned the bar, I became nervous. When he narrowed his eyes, I was tempted to check the area where Antoinette and I were sitting earlier. Fortunately, the woman was not there. She probably went to talk to her cousin.

As the night wore on, Lucas and I talked and then I flirted with him shamelessly. The bar around us faded into a background blur as we became lost in our conversation. The night had taken an unexpected turn because of too much alcohol.

We talked, laughed and with every passing moment, my heart felt more alive. Then, as our conversation deepened, my hand somehow found its way to his thigh. It was a subtle touch and almost unconscious. His eyes flickered and his expression suddenly became hard to read. With a simple touch, I could sense that that something had changed in him and I could feel the tension between us.

“Let’s go,” he suddenly said while grabbing my hand.

I was hesitant to let him lead me toward the bar’s exit because of Antoinette but then I realized that I wouldn’t get another chance to be with Lucas Blackwood. So, I followed him without looking back or worrying about Antoinette.

Once outside the bar, he brought me to his car. I didn’t question his motive and entered the vehicle as soon as he opened the door for me. Before he drove away, I glanced at him, and I was instantly amazed at his chiseled jawline.

The city lights painted streaks of color across the night sky and I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was just a dream because it was too good to be true. Then, the engine purred to life and we left the area.

A few moments later, we arrived at a towering penthouse and he helped me out of the car. He brought me to his private space!

“Come in!” his voice was deep when he invited me.

What’s wrong with me? Why his deep voice would cause my heartbeat to quicken? Pushing the door open, I stepped inside and I was immediately captivated by his luxurious place. My eyes locked onto the room’s setup. His place was beyond magnificent!

“Lucas, when did your voice become so deep?” I asked as my steps led me toward the massive bed.

The soft lighting inside the room allowed me to take in the opulent furniture and the grandeur of the bed itself. Then, a rich, masculine fragrance filled the air. It was a scent I loved in him, but I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t change his cologne after all these years.

“Lucas,” I murmured his name as I drew closer to the bed but because of the alcohol I had earlier, I suddenly felt my body growing warm. Without thinking twice, I began to adjust my clothes to cool down a little bit.

Once again, I glanced around the room, but this time, the sound of running water caught my attention. When did he go to the bathroom? I was so deep in thought earlier that I didn’t notice when Lucas left to take a shower. A playful grin spread across my face as I waited for him.

After a few minutes of waiting, a tall and breathtakingly handsome figure emerged from the bathroom. The subdued lighting accentuated his well-defined chest muscles, glistening with droplets of water. He was truly a sight to behold, then his gaze locked onto me.

“I’m feeling hot… I want to undress right now,” my lips parted slightly as the words tumbled out, surprising even myself.

I couldn’t fathom why I suddenly felt like my body was on fire. Then, as if in a daze, I collapsed onto the floor. Through my haze, I saw him discard the towel, giving me an unexpected glimpse of his nakedness. He immediately extended his hand to help me up.

“Lucas,” I murmured, my arm instinctively draping around his neck.

“Rest for a couple of minutes. I will take you home later. Perhaps, do you need a shower? You are sweating,” he noticed.

“Yes, please,” I replied, and then I allowed him to take me to bathroom to have a cold shower.

However, the cold shower didn’t even help. I was still drunk. When I got out of the bathroom, the subtle aroma of wine mixed with the sweet fragrance of the evening air swirled around me. As I gazed up at him, everything felt hazy and surreal. Confusion clouded my thoughts and I struggled to make sense of the situation.

“Hey, what are you doing?” he asked.

I wanted to respond but my mind was a whirlwind of sensations and it was difficult to form a coherent response. I heard his words but they felt distant as they were coming from another world. Giggle escaped my lips as I tried to focus on his face and my senses were heightened by the intoxicating atmosphere.

“What do you think you’re doing right now?” he asked again.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“I felt uncomfortable and hot, Lucas,” I replied, and my voice was barely audible. Leaning in, I pressed my face against his chest, and an odd sense of relief washed over me. With my eyes closed, I allowed myself to be carried away by the moment. As he looked above me, I clung to him, while silently yearning for his touch.

“You are drunk, Zara,” he pointed out.

My body was warm and the alcohol cursed through my veins like liquid fire. It was as if my thoughts were being pulled in different directions, so I struggled to piece everything together.

“Kiss me, Lucas,” I found myself pleading, the words spilling out without thought. “Please, Lucas Blackwood, let’s do it,” I mumbled.

“Oh God, woman! Are you sure?”

I nodded in response and before I knew it, I was pressed against him and he immediately conquered my mouth in a ravishing kiss. The world around us seemed to fade into insignificance as Lucas and I shared that electrifying kiss.

It was as if time had stopped, and all that mattered was the sensation of his lips against mine. As our lips moved in a passionate dance, I decided to surrender everything to Lucas Blackwood.

His touch was both tender and urgent when his fingers traced a fiery path along my skin, leaving a trail of sensation that sent shivers down my spine. My heart raced in tandem with the rising tide of emotions. When he deepened the kiss, every nerve ending on my body seemed to come alive. Then, my fingers found their way into his hair, and I pulled him closer as if I could merge my very soul with his.

“I want you, Zara,” he said when he let me go.

“I am all yours, Lucas,” I replied, and then my eyes widened in shock when I realized that we were already in bed.

He was on top of me and his legs tried to nudge mine in order to separate them. When I obliged, he conquered my lips once more before he thrust into me. I winced in pain at his invasion and he was also shocked to know that he was my first.

“I love you, Lucas,” I said while enduring the discomfort of his hardness inside me.