No Strings Attached: Trapped By My One Night Lover

"This is the divorce agreement. Sign it. From this day forward, we'll have nothing to do with each other." Isabella Dawson laid the document on the table, her expression composed and her voice as calm as still water.

Seated opposite her was Ryan Harding, the man who would soon become her ex-husband. The moment the word "divorce" reached his ears, his brows furrowed deeply, and impatience was written all over his face.

"Isabella, quit this ridiculous act! I've spent all these years giving you the very best life I could. I've only been busy with work lately and haven't had much time for you. Is that really not enough for you to throw a tantrum? And now you're actually using divorce to threaten me?" Ryan snapped, struggling to rein in his temper. In his eyes, Isabella was trying to get his attention.

Isabella met his gaze without the slightest trace of emotion. After sharing five years of her life with him, the warmth she once held for him had long since faded. "Sign it before I come back tomorrow, and return the money my parents left behind. Otherwise, don't blame me if I stop taking the high road and things get out of hand."

With those final words, she turned on her heel and walked away without looking back.

The front door slammed shut behind her. Almost immediately, Isabella heard Ryan violently sweep everything off the table before erupting into a furious roar. Yet none of it stirred her anymore.

The day Ryan chose to betray their marriage by getting involved with Sylvia Bennett, an intern at his company, marked the end of their marriage. Sylvia had even arranged for her to catch them together, ensuring the discovery would be as painful as possible.

Isabella had no desire to create a public spectacle. After her parents lost their lives in that devastating car accident, Ryan had remained by her side and given her comfort during her darkest days. She still appreciated the kindness he had shown her back then.

Those memories stayed with her, and because of them, she wanted their marriage to end with at least a little dignity.

...

That evening, a lively party was being held at a villa inside a luxurious resort.

Loud music thundered through the room as everyone else reveled on the dance floor, but Isabella sat apart, numbing herself with drink after drink of hard alcohol.

By the time she had drunk more than she could remember, her eyes became unfocused, and a rosy flush spread across her cheeks from the alcohol.

Just then, a stunning woman in a figure-hugging red dress walked over, settled beside her, and gently took the glass from her hand.

"Bella, why are you torturing yourself like this over a man?" Brynn Clarke, Isabella's closest friend, said with an irritated sigh, though every word came from genuine concern. It pained her to see Isabella so broken.

Leaning weakly against Brynn's shoulder, Isabella finally broke down in tears. "We've been together since our college days. I married him as soon as we graduated. I handled everything at home while he built his company. How could he betray me?"

"I've said it before—some men just can't keep their pants on. Forget him. I'll find you someone far better. Since he cheated on you, we'll make sure he regrets it deeply."

Brynn helped Isabella to her feet. Isabella sagged against her friend's side, her eyelids so heavy she could barely keep them open.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere you can lie down and rest."

As Brynn supported her and led her toward the staircase, Isabella seemed to regain a sliver of clarity and slipped free.

"You're right! I'm finding myself a man too. Why should I stay loyal after he cheated on me? I'll find a man. No... make that three!" Still mumbling to herself, Isabella staggered forward, only to lose her balance and bump straight into someone.

She instinctively stumbled backward, but before she could fall, a strong arm circled her waist and drew her firmly into a broad chest.

Her mind was still clouded by alcohol. She slowly lifted her head and was greeted by the face of an extraordinarily handsome man.

His features were flawlessly sculpted, and his skin was smooth and immaculate. Although his eyes carried an icy sharpness, the tiny beauty mark beneath one of them gave this distant man an irresistible touch of charm.

The alcohol seemed to fuel her boldness. Wrapping both arms around his neck, Isabella beamed at him with a radiant smile. "Brynn, weren't you supposed to find me a man? I don't want anyone else. I want this one."

The moment those words left her lips, Brynn froze. She sized the man up and realized she had never seen him before.

The stranger, Isaac Higgins, kept one hand around Isabella's slender waist as he narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glimmer flickering within them. "Miss, spending the night with me doesn't come cheap."

"So what? I've got money. Are you coming with me tonight or not? If you aren't, I'll just find somebody else," Isabella huffed, clearly displeased as she shoved him aside and started to walk away.

Before she had taken more than a step, Isaac reached out and caught her wrist. He effortlessly pulled her back into his arms.

Without another word, he lifted Isabella into his arms and strode out of the villa, leaving Brynn rooted to the spot in complete disbelief.

"Hey! Who the hell are you?" Brynn shouted anxiously as she hurried after them, only for several bodyguards to appear from nowhere and block her path as firmly as an iron wall.

Inside the confined space of the car, Isabella found herself straddling Isaac as they became completely absorbed in a long, heated kiss.

The mingled scent of liquor and his cologne only muddled her thoughts further.

Instead of pulling away, Isaac continued to tease her with one lingering kiss after another, slowly drawing her deeper until she found herself wanting him more and more.

At some point, the car came to a halt. Isabella couldn't remember when they entered the building because her attention never left Isaac. She kept her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, kissing him again and again.

"Isabella, do you even know who I am?" Isaac asked as he held her by the waist, lifted her onto the table, and reluctantly put a little distance between them.

His gaze remained fixed on her, looking every bit like a predator barely managing to restrain its instincts.

Isabella's breathing turned ragged, her chest rising and falling rapidly as desire shimmered in her unfocused eyes. She stared at his lips, now slightly swollen and tinted red from their kisses, before leaning toward him once again.

Isaac stopped her midway, leaving her with a faint look of annoyance.

"If you don't want to, I won't force you," she murmured drunkenly. "I'll just find someone else."

Those words clearly struck a nerve. A faint crimson slowly spread to the corners of Isaac's eyes before he pulled her back into his embrace and captured her lips once more.

His hand slid behind her neck as he kissed her with fierce intensity, leaving no room for escape.

Still wrapped in each other's arms, they eventually made their way into the bedroom. After pressing Isabella gently beneath him and lowering his lips to the side of her neck, Isaac spoke in a deep, magnetic voice that sent a shiver down her spine. "Isabella, remember this... My name is Isaac Higgins."

...

Bright sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, causing Isabella to stir in bed with a pained frown. As she slowly blinked her eyes open, the first thing that registered wasn't the events of the night before, but the pounding headache that came with her hangover.

The instant her mind cleared, every memory from last night came rushing back like a tidal wave.

She jerked upright in bed and quickly glanced around the room.

Only then did she realize she was in what appeared to be a luxury hotel suite.

The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom, causing Isabella to swallow nervously as her heart skipped a beat.

Only yesterday, she had demanded a divorce from her husband, yet before a full day had passed, she had ended up spending the night with a complete stranger.

The thought of how she had practically dragged him into bed, how he had made love to her until she had begged him to slow down with tears in her eyes, made embarrassment wash over her from head to toe. She wished the floor would simply open up and swallow her whole.

She had absolutely no idea how she was supposed to face the man she had shamelessly thrown herself at the night before. Taking advantage of the fact that he was still showering, she hurriedly got dressed, gathered her belongings, and quietly slipped out of the suite without making a sound.

Before leaving, she rummaged through her handbag, pulled out the cash she had on hand, and placed two hundred-dollar bills on the bedside table as payment for all his hard work the previous night.

She could only hope they would both treat it as a one-night stand and go their separate ways, as if none of it had ever happened.

The sound of running water soon ceased, and Isaac emerged from the bathroom with a bathrobe loosely wrapped around him. The moment he noticed the empty bed, his gaze shifted to the bills resting on the nightstand, and his expression darkened.

A biting chill radiated from him, and a dangerous glimmer of anger flashed across his eyes.

His jaw tightened as irritation surged through him. Never in his life had anyone dared sleep with him, leave money behind as though he were for hire, and disappear without so much as a goodbye.