After spending so long in solitude, I always hoped that something would happen on these peaceful nights. 

And tonight, my wish was finally granted...

As I stepped out of the shower, I heard the urgent vibration of my phone. Curiosity consumed me; who could be calling at this hour? I caught a glimpse of the number on the caller ID and my heart immediately began to race! 

My finger glided over the answer button as I feigned composure, "Hello?"

"Shall we meet tonight?" he asked.

"Now?" I queried.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"But isn't it too late?" I hesitated.

Silence followed.

After a few seconds, he spoke, "It's up to you." And before I could respond, he hung up the phone.

As I held the phone that ended our conversation, I felt dazed for a few seconds.

But at that moment, his face and all that had transpired between us flooded my mind. Without a second thought, I hastily groomed myself, grabbed my bag, and set out into the night.

......

After roughly half an hour, I arrived at his doorstep in a small neighborhood and tentatively knocked on his door. Shortly after, the door was opened and there he stood in front of me. At that moment, he was reeking alcohol. With a crimson face, his towering body leaned against the door. His eyes were dreamy and hazy; I knew clearly that he had drunk too much.

"Oh, you actually came," he chuckled and sneered, staring directly at me. I must say, just one glance at his face could make many women fall to their knees.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm down a bit. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and barked, "Come in!" Before I could even react, he forcefully dragged me into the living room. Then, he kicked the door shut and locked it!

He quickly embraced me, burying his face in my neck while the smell of alcohol engulfed me. I decided not to hold back anymore and dropped all pretenses. I melted into his arms and initiated a passionate kiss on his lips. We knew each other's bodies well enough that no words were needed. We tumbled onto the couch and tangled in each other's arms.

This rhythm inevitably made me think of those cliche stories where someone's grandparents, parents, brothers, or sisters were lying in the hospital needing expensive surgery. At a dead-end, they stumbled upon a domineering CEO, who bought them for millions of dollars for a night. Then they started a corny drama of love.

But my story with him was far from it.

His name was Bowie Harford, and mine was Lesley Everest. We hooked up on a giant cruise ship a year ago.

A year ago, I hit a low point in my life. Not only was I backstabbed at work, but I also found out that my boyfriend was cheating on me and doing drugs. My career and love life were in ruins, and my whole existence seemed to be in shambles. In a desperate attempt to clear my head, I signed up for a six-day, five-night cruise.

That night, I drowned my sorrows in the yacht's bar, glass after glass, losing track of my appearance. But, to my surprise, my reckless behavior caught his eye. When he approached me and I turned around, I was struck by the realization that there's a certain kind of handsome man that was beyond measure—a kind that left you weak in the knees. So, under the spell of alcohol, I shamefully succumbed to his advances. We were complete strangers, yet we found ourselves entangled in a primal act of desire.

The feeling was both breathtaking and awe-inspiring. And so we continued to see each other. As the dates went on, the relationship between me and him evolved into a "friends with benefits" situation – no strings attached, no emotions involved, just raw lust.

Just like tonight, as I closed my eyes, I could vividly feel his wild outburst, nearly tearing my body apart. It was as though a great mountain was pressing down on me, rendering me powerless against the force of his unbridled passion. I was utterly helpless, completely consumed by the tempestuous onslaught. Every shred of my sanity was lost to this raging storm.