the rover
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Traversed the planet, when heaven sent me
I saw the kings who rule them all
Still by the firelight and purple moonlight
I hear the rested rivers call

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I returned home at sunrise after a few more hours of working with him. The golden hue in the sky soothed my senses, and all of the tension that had built up between us was now a distant memory. Now I had to wait a whole week before I could experience all those emotions again.

I put on an old vinyl as soon as I got into my apartment. It was my father's; he used to love blues music so much, and I suddenly remembered how Mr. White mentioned loving it as well.

Etta James sadly sang about how she'd rather go blind than see her man with someone else, and I instantly thought of Mr. White's wife. She must've been used to her husband's popularity, because Mr. White had no problem inviting me to their home.

I was so jealous of a person I barely knew. What the hell was wrong with me?

Everything was wrong with me. It was already stupid of me to fall so hard for a married man twice my age. I felt even dumber for signing a contract that trapped me in his arms while gravely limiting our relationship.

I went to bed at eight, only to wake up three hours later due to my poor sleeping habits. The air still had that pleasant morning scent to it, even though noon was approaching. I made myself some eggs and checked my phone.

DAWSON

Hey, gorgeous. I'm just making sure you remember about the charity party and that you promised to go with me. xxx

Oh, shit. The freakin' charity party.

Thankfully, Dawson was there to accompany me. Going alone would have been embarrassing. Every year at the start of spring, Paul and Carla hosted a charity ball. They were both orphans, so charity was very important to them.

I replied with 'pick me up at seven,' followed by the winking emoji, knowing exactly how he'd react on the other end of the phone. I felt a little bad about playing with that boy's heart, so I didn't push it too far, even though he was the playboy between the two of us.

DAWSON

Mom and dad are going nuts, 'cause Mr. White will be there with his wife. They'remaking a very generous donation. You should see dad; I've never seen him so cheerful.

I looked at the screen for at least ten long seconds. Suddenly, the thought of going to that party made me anxious. It wasn't like I didn't know that I'd meet her someday. I didn't expect it to happen so soon. I replied again with laughing emojis but there was absolutely nothing to laugh about.

I chose the most pretty gown in the closet. It was a long velvet sleeveless dress in a deep black. It adhered to my body, making it look curvier than it actually was. It complemented my plump buttcheeks nicely, and I felt sexy in it. The push-up cups even made my breasts look tasty. It's not like I had planned to torment him with this, but if I did get any type of reaction, it would've been enough.

'It's not like I'm asking for an affair or anything.' I said in my head. If I couldn't have his hands all over me, I'd have his eyes all over me.

I let my hair down with my left side pinned and the right side curled into soft red waves. I looked like Jessica Rabbit if she was a depressed londoner with lustful feelings for a taken man.

While I waited for Dawson to arrive, I watched the cars speed by and smoked my first cigarette of the night. The first of many to come. He was probably on his way right now because it was almost seven. Dawson was very punctual, just like Paul. Almost maniacally punctual.

There he was, parking his BMW right in front of my house. He looked stunning in his black tuxedo. His dark brown hair was neatly combed to the side, and his face was freshly shaved. I could smell his lavender shampoo as soon as I opened the door.

Dawson kept his lips parted for a moment, unable to utter a word. He was looking at me like any grown man would, and for a short instant, I felt desirable.

"You look beautiful, 'Rey" He finally complimented me and I answered with a sweet kiss on his cheek. 'It's okay to let yourself go for once, Audrey', I told myself. Was I wrong to wish for a romantic evening?

"Thank you, Dawson. You're not so bad yourself."

And just like that, I picked up my purse, my satin black shawl and we left in his car.

Paul's house was no laughing matter. He inherited the mansion from his grandfather when he was a young boy, and he has treated it as if it were his child ever since. Carla stood next to him, dressed in a lovely olive green gown that complemented her blonde curly hair and hazel eyes. They looked like a couple, and that was probably the reason why Tina was so bitter, despite the fact that she was clearly the most beautiful woman at the party and Paul undoubtedly noticed it since he kept turning to look in our direction. Her white silk mermaid dress reached her feet and hugged her gorgeous curves, how could I blame him for peeking? Everyone was looking at her but she only reciprocated his gaze. I could sense that there was tension between these two and that something was beginning to develop.

Mr. White's arrival interrupted my train of thought. He came out of a large black car and kept the car door open for his beautiful wife. The woman stood up from the car and walked beside him, matching his cold manners even though they were both smiling. She also had red hair, though it was a little lighter than mine, and she kept it in an elegant, tidy bun. I was on the verge of exploding with jealousy over her, especially after he turned and gave her a tender kiss on the cheek. Then we unintentionally locked eyes. The moment he noticed me, I abruptly turned my head away as if I were a thief.

"Is everything okay, 'Rey?" It was Dawson's voice coming from behind as he placed his hand on my waist to guide me through the hallway. When I returned my gaze to Mr. White, he had his jaw clenched and angry eyes fixed on Dawson's hand, as if he wanted to incinerate it. He had no right to be that jealous. What a hypocrite.

"I'm fine. Should we grab something to drink?" I focused my attention on Dawson, clutching his forearm with my slender, pale hands. He nodded and led me over to the prolonged table where the drinks were placed in a row. I chose to stick with red wine because anything else gave me headaches. I was served a glass of Pinot Noir, made a toast with Dawson, and drank as we went around greeting everyone one by one. We eventually had to stop at Mr. White's table as well and all I could remember was his laugh. It didn't look natural, but maybe it was my jealousy speaking.

"Good evening Mr. White." I secretly thanked Dawson for handling the situation because I wanted to speak as little as possible.

His wife got up from her seat and waved at my date. "Dawson, hello. You look very different tonight." While she commented on Dawson's outfit, I finally managed to glance back at Mr. White and gifted him with a smile of my own. He returned the smile, but it was short lived. When he saw Dawson's thumb caress my waist, his gray irises vibrated with rage once again. It was as if we were having a conversation without having to say anything.

"...right, darling?" We both had no idea what she was on about.

"Sorry, dear, I wasn't listening."

"I was inviting Dawson and his girlfriend to dinner."
I blushed, which enraged Mr. White even more. "Oh, Mrs White, you're mistaken. Audrey isn't my girlfriend." I gulped. This situation was so awkward for everyone but that clueless woman.

"She's not? You look so intimate."

Dawson seemed flattered.

"We can come to dinner as friends, right 'Rey?"

"Sure." I nodded and forced a smile that never met my eyes.

"I'll be right back." I muttered, not so confidently, before fleeing the situation and heading for the balcony. I was in desperate need of some alone time with a cigarette right now.

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