One Night, One Baby

The city skyline glittered like a promise, a thousand golden lights reflecting off the rain-slick streets of Manhattan. The hum of late-night traffic mixed with the muffled beats of music from nearby clubs.

Aurora Sinclair had never been one for reckless decisions. She was the kind of woman who planned everything-her career, her future, every step carefully mapped out.

But tonight?

Tonight, she was making a mistake.

The kind that burned through reason, the kind that had her walking through the grand entrance of The Lexington Hotel with her pulse racing.

Because tonight, for the first time in her life, she didn't want to think.

Didn't want to be careful.

Didn't want to remember that in the morning, everything would go back to reality.

Her heels clicked against the marble floors as she stepped into the elevator, her reflection staring back at her in the gleaming gold doors. Her dark curls spilled over her shoulders, her crimson dress hugging her curves-more daring than anything she'd ever worn.

Her stomach twisted with nerves, but beneath it was something else.

Anticipation.

Because waiting for her upstairs was the man who had set this all into motion.

Damien Lexington.

The name alone carried weight. A billionaire. Heir to the Lexington empire. CEO of a corporate dynasty that shaped the skyline of New York.

She hadn't known who he was when they met at the bar earlier that night. She'd only known the magnetism. The way his piercing grey eyes had locked onto hers like a silent dare. The deep, velvety voice that had sent a shiver down her spine.

One drink had turned into two. A flirtatious challenge. A slow burn of tension that had crackled between them like a live wire.

And then his low, husky words:

"Come upstairs with me."

No promises. No expectations.

Just one night.

The elevator chimed, the doors gliding open to reveal the penthouse suite.

Her breath caught as she stepped inside.

Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the entire length of the room, offering a breathtaking view of the city. The decor was sleek, modern-black leather furniture, crystal decanters, warm golden lighting.

And in the center of it all, standing by the bar, was him.

Damien.

Tall, impossibly confident. A crisp black shirt stretched across broad shoulders, sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal strong forearms. His sharp features were unreadable, but his gaze?

It devoured her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension between them was electric, heavy with unspoken intent.

Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, Damien set his glass down.

"You came," he murmured, his voice like smoke and whiskey.

Aurora's lips parted. "You expected me not to?"

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "I wasn't sure."

She took a step forward, her pulse thrumming. "And now?"

His gaze darkened, a flicker of something dangerous and irresistible in his eyes.

"Now," he said, closing the distance between them, "I don't intend to waste a single second."

-

The night unraveled in a blur of heat and desperation, of whispered moans and tangled sheets.

Damien was everything Aurora had never allowed herself to want. Intense. Consuming. Unapologetically dominant.

And she let herself be reckless, let herself feel.

For one night, she belonged to no one.

For one night, she wasn't the woman who always played it safe.

And then morning came.

-

The first thing Aurora felt was warmth-the comforting weight of the silk sheets against her bare skin. The scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air, mixed with something distinctly him.

She blinked against the early morning light, her mind sluggish as memories from the night before crashed back into her.

And then-panic.

Her breath hitched. She wasn't in her own bed.

She wasn't even in her own apartment.

Her heart pounded as she turned her head-and found the bed empty.

Damien was gone.

Her stomach twisted. For some reason, she hadn't expected him to disappear so quickly. But she shouldn't be surprised. They'd agreed-no expectations, no complications.

Still, something about the cold emptiness beside her felt... hollow.

Shaking it off, she forced herself to sit up, gripping the sheets around her. The penthouse was silent, the only sound the faint hum of the city beyond the glass windows.

And then she spotted it.

A neatly folded note on the bedside table.

Her pulse skittered as she reached for it, unfolding the expensive cardstock.

Three words, scrawled in sharp, confident handwriting:

No second rounds.

Aurora's breath caught.

So that was it.

No goodbyes. No polite conversation.

Just a reminder that whatever had happened last night meant nothing.

A sharp, bitter laugh bubbled in her throat.

Of course. What had she expected? That the Damien Lexington would actually want more than just a night?

She tossed the note aside, the paper fluttering to the floor.

Fine.

She had no interest in chasing after a man who had already walked away.

This was what she wanted-one reckless night, no strings attached.

No regrets.

Aurora took a deep breath, steeling herself as she slipped out of bed and gathered her scattered clothes. Within minutes, she was dressed, slipping back into the woman she was before last night-a woman who didn't let emotions get in the way.

By the time she stepped into the elevator, she'd convinced herself she would never think about Damien Lexington again.

But life had a way of laughing at her plans.

Because four weeks later, when Aurora stared down at the positive pregnancy test in her shaking hands, she realized one brutal truth.

One night changes everything.