A night with the wrong twins

Chapter 1

"I'm almost there..." I gasped between heavy breaths. "Damn. I'm so close."

"Good," I purred in his ear. "Be a good boy and come for me."

His hand tightened around my waist. He thrust harder into me, deeper, until the pleasure grew into something unstoppable. My fingernails dug into his back as I trembled beneath him, my back arched, waves of ecstasy rolling through every fiber of my body. Sparks shot up my spine. For a moment, the world shrank to nothing but heat and release.

"God, you're incredible," he murmured, his face buried in my tousled hair. He pulled out and dropped down beside me. Our heavy breathing filled the quiet hotel room.

For a long while we lay there tangled in the pillows. A soft laugh escaped me, and he joined in, a deep, warm sound. That was when the familiar feeling of contentment began to spread through my chest.

"That was..." I began.

"...incredible?" he finished for me. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at me with a lazy smile that made my heart stumble.

I traced his jawline with my fingertips. After years of searching, I had finally found him. William Gates. The man who had once saved my life. Now I was lying here in his arms, exactly where I belonged. A warm, bright feeling of joy welled up inside me.

"You can take a picture if you want," he teased. He twisted a strand of my hair around his finger, kissed my cheek, and then slid out of bed.

"Maybe I will," I replied. My eyes followed the strong lines of his back and the firm curve of his backside. New desire stirred in me. But when my gaze reached his right shoulder, everything inside me froze.

The skin was smooth. Completely flawless.

The warm feeling vanished on the spot. An icy emptiness spread through my stomach. I slowly sat up, blinking in shock. This couldn't be. I remembered that dark scar so clearly from our night together. I had traced it with my fingers in the dark. This man had nothing there.

"So?" he asked, turning to me with a raised eyebrow. "Shall I freshen up and make breakfast? Or shall I have you for breakfast again and call room service instead?"

At first I said nothing. My thoughts were racing. He looked exactly like William. He felt like him. But that missing mark changed everything.

This was not William Gates.

The truth hit me like a blow. I had tracked him down, climbed into his bed, and given myself to the wrong man. Nausea rose in me. How could I not have noticed sooner? How could I be so careless after all those years of waiting?

I forced out a light laugh and slid out of bed. "I don't think I'll stay for breakfast. I have a long day ahead of me." I kept my voice steady as I gathered my clothes from the floor. "But this was exactly the wake-up call I needed."

I dressed as fast as I could. He was faster. His arms wrapped around me from behind and pulled me back against his chest. His breath brushed my neck. I felt him growing hard again.

"Stay a little longer," he whispered. "I'll take care of your work."

On any other day the offer might have tempted me. Today it made my skin prickle with guilt and regret. I slipped out of his grip and gave him my most seductive smile. "Maybe you'll see me again. Who knows?"

"Or you could come over for dinner," he said, stepping closer as I finished dressing. "I make fantastic pasta Alfredo."

I grabbed my bag. "We'll see."

He grinned and ran a hand through his hair. That smile looked so much like William's that my heart ached.

I reached the door but paused with my hand on the frame. I needed answers. I turned and looked him in the eye. "By the way... after all this, I never actually learned your name."

"After you picked me up in the hotel bar and drove me out of my mind?" He laughed.

I managed an embarrassed smile. "Yes."

"I already know yours, Miss Jennifer Morrison."

My heart dropped. "And yours is?"

"Wilson," he answered smoothly. "Wilson Gates."

Gates. The same last name. They looked far too much alike for it to be a coincidence. He had to be William's brother. Or his twin.

"I guess I'll see you around, Wilson Gates." The lie came easily to my lips.

I slipped out before he could say anything more. My legs carried me hastily to the elevator and on to my car in the hotel parking lot. The moment I sat behind the wheel, the full reality crashed down on me. I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel and groaned.

"How could you sleep with the wrong guy, Jennifer?"

I stayed like that for several long minutes. Then I took my phone and ran a few quick searches. The truth stared back at me: Wilson Gates was William's identical twin brother. William had been abroad for months, closing a major deal for the family business. Wilson had been here in Chicago the whole time. Nobody knew when William would return.

I started the engine, ready to drive away from this disaster. Before I could pull out, my phone chimed.

It's Wilson. Just wanted to make sure you have my number, Princess. See you soon.

I stared at the message. My thumb hovered over the screen. One part of me wanted to delete it and pretend last night had never happened. Another part knew this mistake wouldn't simply disappear. Not when Wilson Gates was already reaching out. And not when William could return at any moment.

I laid the phone face down on the passenger seat and drove out of the parking lot. One reckless night had just complicated everything I had worked toward for years. Forgetting it was not going to be easy.