Husband With Benefits

"I still remember that day. It was the worst day of my life. Full of disappointment and greyness. My grades were plumetting by the day, my parents seemed to always be fighting and I was losing hope. And then he entered my life, changing it forever."

Emery sighed and closed her eyes, the scene from that day still fresh in her mind as if it had just happpened yesterday.

Her friends had dragged her for a seminar. It was meant to be a distraction for her and a learning experience. Both were a waste to her however. She was just not interested. The seminar promised insights into the burgeoning market, a beacon of opportunity for the growing artist and what not. And there she’d been dragging her feet. Her mind elsewhere.

"Come on Emery! Don’t be a spoil sport. Do you know who the guess lectuter is? It is Seb Frost.

"Seb Frost?" Emery had echoed, her tone tinged with indifference. "Who cares?"

"He’s supposed to be incredibly handsome," her friend Rachel gushed, eyes shining with anticipation. "And brilliant too! You might actually enjoy this seminar, Emery."

Emery rolled her eyes and let her friend drag her there. It made no difference to her either way. Let Rachel be happy.

As they settled into their seats, she decided to at least go and wash her face, make her feel a little awake or else she might fall face first during the seminar. Hurriedly, she whispered to Rachel to hold her seat and raced away to the washroom.

Once inside the washroom, she stared into her tired eyes and sighed, carefully washing her face before reapplying the makeup. She needed to get a grip.

And then it happened as she walked outside and straight into what felt like a wall. She tried to look up, and see who she had collided with, only to feel a painful tug at her ear. Her earring had snagged in this person’s suit jacket.

A gasp escaped her lips as she recoiled or tried to, the snag causing her more pain as her hand instinctively reached for her earlobe. But before she could retreat, his voice, gentle and soothing, halted her in her tracks." Wait a minute. I’ll just..." she felt him free her earring from his jacket, a whisper of a touch of his fingers agains her hand, made her shiver, turning her face red.

"Are you okay?" His words hung in the air, and as she looked up, met his gaze for the first time, and time seemed to stand still.