As I stood looking at myself in the mirror, it was beyond obvious that something else had been going on in Erik’s room. My hair had half fallen out of the ponytail it was in. My shirt had been inside out, and my cheeks were flushed from the excitement. I was grateful that Brianna hadn’t decided to question me more about what had happened. I would have certainly been fired if I had been caught.
Erik peeked his head out of his room and looked around before shrugging his shoulders as if asking who had been out there calling for me. I shooed him back into his room. As he closed the door, he pressed two fingers up to his lips like he was kissing them and then blew it my way. It was not what I had expected from him, but I smiled and waved for him to shut the door.
BILLIONAIRE IN REHAB PART IV
Chapter Eighteen
Erik
For the first time in as very long time, I had made love to a woman who I actually had feelings for.
I liked it. I wanted her again. For a moment, I wanted to just check myself out of the facility, run over to her house, and make love to her constantly for the next week. But I couldn’t do that. Cassidy wouldn’t have been excited to see me if I left treatment, she would be pissed.
It was exciting to have something with a girl who also wanted to be sober. I seriously doubted I would find many girls like that on the West Coast in the party atmosphere I lived in. I didn’t sleep much that night, although I did eventually fall asleep from total exhaustion.
I was actually a little relieved when Cassidy didn’t work the next day. As much as I wanted to see her, I wanted to finish up my plan for my father and brother, and I had to call my old partner Spencer to have some help with the logistics of everything.
“Hey, Spencer,” I said when he answered his phone.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my kickass, sober friend,” he said with enthusiasm. “How the heck are things going?”
“Really good. I’m getting healthy, making plans for the future. I think this is probably the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.”
“I’m really glad, Erik. This isn’t just about work, you know. You’re my best friend. I can’t have you keeling over and leaving me with all these hot single girls alone,” he joked.
“So, tell me more about this movie studio deal,” I asked as we talked some more.
Spencer went on and on about all the benefits of getting into business with the new studio. Even though he had given me details before, I hadn’t really listened to him much. This time, I was clear headed and felt ready to really analyze the situation.
It was a wonder that I had ever been able to make decisions while I was drinking and using drugs. But most of my use had escalated after I sold my company. In my early days of business, weekend drinking was my only main issue.
I gave Spencer all the details of what I wanted done with my family, and he promised to make it happen. There weren’t many people in the world who I would have trusted with access to my money, but he was one of them. Spencer was more fiscally responsible with his money than I could ever imagine being.
After my phone call, I went to groups, did the homework Jarrod had assigned, and in general felt like I was kicking ass at this whole treatment thing. It had started to feel like my normal routine and I was getting comfortable.
Groups no longer stressed me out. I knew what I wanted to get out of them, and for the first time, I had started to really think about attending AA meetings when I got home. Even though I wasn’t a religious man, I had started to
rely on the input and support of others and could really see how that would help me as I remained sober.
It was a great day, and I liked that Cassidy wasn’t around, although I couldn’t wait to see her again. What we had started was unusual and taboo, but I didn’t care. There was something powerful between us, and for whatever reason, we had been brought together.
I was more focused than I had been even in the previous week. Now, I was only a few short weeks away from going home and I had to work as much as I could to take advantage of my time there. Some of my work came from working out in the gym, though, and not just sitting in groups.
The weights and treadmill were a great way of blowing off steam, and I started to see how people became addicted to working out. There was a definite high that came with getting your heart rate up. It was like the effect of a drug, but with no down side. Instead of causing harm to your body, working out was actually making me stronger and healthier. I loved every second of it.
When Cassidy showed up for work the following day, I felt like a teenager. She smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but smile back. We kept our distance and didn’t stop to talk much during the first half of the day. I knew she had work to do; she knew I had work of my own to do. But just seeing her and how she looked at me had me thinking back to that night in my bed.
I wish it had lasted longer. I wished we would have been able to spend the entire night making love. But having her for the time I did was good enough for the moment.
“Come here,” I whispered as I walked back toward my room from group and she came out of the back storage room.
I reached for her and pulled her into a small doorway of the hallway. My hand pressed against her hip as I pulled her close to me. Instantly, my whole body was aroused and wanting her naked in bed again. I couldn’t help myself as I leaned in and let my lips touch hers quickly before I released her to go about her work.
“That’s it?” she teased.
“For now,” I replied.
It was true, it was only a taste of all I wanted to do with her again and again. But after our moment together, I felt renewed and like I had been given a jolt of adrenaline that would get me through the rest of the day.