Until You Loved Me. Brenda Novak

busy saving up for the wedding. But now...I figured I might as well splurge.”

      “Those are some great brands.” She took her seat across from Ellie. Amy had called several times to talk about last night. Rather than answer her friend’s questions over the phone, she’d simply invited Amy to join her for an early dinner. Amy’s salon was close to the restaurant, so it was convenient, and meeting up allowed Ellie to postpone returning home, where she’d have to face her regular life.

      “Are those new sunglasses?” Amy asked.

      “Yeah. How do you like them?”

      “They’re stylish. You look amazing.”

      “Thanks.”

      A waitress came to greet them and ask for their drink order.

      “So...what happened last night?” Amy asked once they were alone. “I assumed you were joking when you texted me about leaving with someone, but I went by your place on my way home, and you weren’t there. Kind of scared me, to tell you the truth. I was afraid I’d contributed to something that put you in a tricky spot—or worse.”

      When Ellie felt herself blush, Amy’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What? Don’t tell me you did go home with someone!”

      “Yes.”

      “Who?”

      “Some guy at the bar.”

      “Some guy? You don’t know his name?”

      “Hudson.” Ellie watched carefully for Amy’s reaction. “Does that ring a bell?”

      There was no recognition. Either Amy was the best actress in the world, or she wasn’t behind Hudson’s picking up Ellie. “No. Why would it?”

      “I thought maybe he was a friend of yours.”

      “I’ve never met anyone by that name.”

      “Then it happened naturally.” Ellie found that hard to believe. There’d been prettier girls at the club. Ones with more curves, too—and gregarious personalities. Why hadn’t Hudson chosen one of them?

      Amy’s smile spread wide. “Tell me about it!”

      Ellie waited until their server had returned with their water and they’d placed their dinner order. Then she explained how Hudson had bought her a drink, joined her at the table and asked her to go for a walk.

      “You went out on the beach with him.”

      “For a couple of hours. I thought that should be safe. There weren’t a lot of people around that time of night, but I could’ve gotten someone’s attention if anything felt...off.”

      “You must’ve felt safe.”

      She remembered how he’d saved her from a tumble beneath the inky black waves. “Completely.”

      “So then you agreed to go home with him?”

      “After a couple of hours we wound up at his hotel. And it wasn’t just any hotel, either. He must be a high-powered businessman or someone else with money, because he had the most luxurious suite I’ve ever seen. I’ve never stayed in a place like that. There were these expensive perfumed soaps, you know? I almost put them in my purse. I doubt he would’ve noticed since it was obvious he hadn’t even been in the extra bathroom.”

      “You should’ve done it.”

      “Probably. Anyway, the towels were thicker than any I’ve ever felt, and there were monogrammed robes with slippers in the closet. It was pretty impressive.”

      “Wow. So he was good-looking and rich.”

      “Yes. And he had other assets, too.”

      Gripping the sides of the table, Amy leaned forward. “Are you talking about what I think you’re talking about? You didn’t actually sleep with him, did you?”

      Ellie felt her face heat even more.

      “You did?” Amy gasped.

      She nodded. “And it was absolutely incredible.”

      Amy’s jaw dropped as she fell back in her seat. “I can’t believe it. So he was normal? Didn’t do anything that made him seem weird or made you uncomfortable?”

      “No. I’ve never been touched like that. It was the best night of my life.”

      “Wow!” Amy leaned forward again. “Going home with a stranger doesn’t always work out so well. I hope you understand that.”

      “Good thing. Otherwise, I’d go clubbing every night.”

      “I’ve never seen you like this,” she said with a laugh.

      “I’ve never been like this.”

      “It was that good.”

      “Better than good. But I don’t have a lot of experience. So maybe it was just better than Don.” She stopped for a second, remembering her boyfriend before Don, and changed her mind. “No. Anyone would think that was about the best sex can be.”

      Amy acted as if she didn’t know what to say. “You could knock me over with a feather right now.”

      “I was shocked myself. I never dreamed I was capable of being that reckless.”

      “Speaking of reckless...” She lowered her voice. “Please tell me you used protection.”

      Ellie glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “Of course. We used the condoms Leslie shoved in my purse.”

      “Condoms...plural?”

      Ellie cleared her throat. “He, uh, recovered quickly.”

      “Whoa. Okay, but...he didn’t have any birth control of his own?”

      “None. We would’ve had to stop and buy some if Leslie hadn’t given me those, so it worked out perfectly.”

      “And here I thought it was more of a joke when she gave us those. I certainly didn’t use the ones she shoved in my purse, but she got a kick out of making you blush. She told me she’s never met anyone who can still turn red over things like that.” She clasped her hands together on the table. “But back to your...experience last night. What man goes to a club and picks up a girl without having any condoms?”

      A man wearing sunglasses, which was also odd, but she didn’t mention that part. “He’s traveling. I guess he didn’t expect to need birth control while he was here.”

      “That makes him seem even better. Obviously he wasn’t cruising the club just hoping to get laid.” Her expression turned pouty. “I wish I could’ve at least caught a glimpse of him.”

      “You didn’t see us because we slipped out the back.”

      “Why would you do that?”

      She shrugged. “He said it was too crowded in front.”

      “And no one tried to stop you?”

      “He’s pretty tall and imposing, and he moves with...authority. I don’t think there are too many people who’d dare get in his way.”

      “There are guys who get paid to do that. They’re called bouncers, remember? You can’t walk out the back of a club.”

      “I’m not sure what to tell you. Hudson spoke to some guy, and the big man guarding the back door let us out.”

      “Hudson, huh?” Amy pulled out her smartphone. “Hudson who? Let’s see if we can find him on social media.”

      “I don’t know his last name.”

      She raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”

      “We weren’t focused on that sort of thing.”

      “Isn’t that basic?”