Anger flushed Brian’s cheeks as he paced the length of his hotel room. He didn’t know why this was bothering him so much. Leighanne was going on a date. So what? He wanted this separation and everything that was going to come with it. He wanted her to move on, didn’t he?

It wasn’t the fact that she was going on a date. It was the fact that she seemed to be doing it simply to punish him and flaunt it at him. If she thought that this was the way to get him back, she was wrong. Way, way wrong.

She got herself all dolled up and then sent him a picture—obviously taken by someone else—of herself and her date dancing at a local restaurant that they used to frequent as a young married couple. Brian clenched his jaw as he re-read her message.

This is what separation looks like. I hope that you’re enjoying your decision.

Brian shook his head and threw his phone down onto the bed as he walked past it. Leighanne knew that he was too busy to date now even if he wanted to—not that he did. She was trying to make him jealous. She was playing games. Brian hated games. He wished that this whole thing could just be easy. He wished that if a relationship wasn’t meant to be that God would never let it happen in the first place.

He still didn’t understand why he was so angry. He didn’t know if he should take this as a sign that maybe he wasn’t as ready to end his marriage as he thought that he was. The thought of Leighanne kissing another man, or worse, was nauseating.

Brian could almost picture another man’s lips on Leighanne’s mouth and then moving down to kiss that spot under her ear that drove her crazy. He could almost see her long legs wrapped around another man’s waist. He could almost hear her scream another man’s name.

Suddenly, it felt like the walls were closing in around him. Brian shook his head to clear the thoughts. He grabbed his room key off of the bedside table and exited his room as quickly as he could. It was late and he had an early morning the next morning, but God help him, he needed a drink.

Brian hurried to the hotel bar and took a seat. The bartender greeted him, and Brian ordered a beer. He finished that one quickly and then ordered another… and then another until he could finally understand just what it was that AJ used to love about that feeling. And then, he ordered another.

A couple of hours into his drinking binge, a young brunette took the seat next to him at the bar. She smiled flirtatiously. Brian smiled back awkwardly and then turned back to the beer that was on the bar in front of him. The woman ordered something fruity-looking, took a sip, and then turned back to Brian.

“So, what’s a good-looking guy like you sitting down here at the bar all by yourself?”

Brian smiled and chuckled to himself. “Even good-looking guys need to escape.”

The brunette nodded and took another sip of her drink. “I can understand that.”

“What about you? Beautiful women need to escape sometimes, too?” Brian asked softly.

The woman shrugged. “I’m more running away than escaping.”

“Should I be worried about that?” Brian asked with raised eyebrows and a hint of a smile in his eyes.

She shook her head and laughed. “I wouldn’t be. I’m pretty gentle.”

Brian laughed softly as he finished off his beer.

“That’s good to know.” He extended his hand across his body to introduce himself. “I’m Brian.”

“Noelle,” she replied softly. “It’s nice to meet you. What are you in Germany for?”

“Business,” Brian replied quickly. “You?”

Noelle laughed softly to herself before replying, “Pleasure.”

Brian smiled and tore his gaze away from Noelle’s deep blue eyes. “I wouldn’t have guessed,” he joked sarcastically. “Where are you from?”

Noelle shook her head. “That’s against the rules.”

“I didn’t know that we were playing a game.” Brian smiled. He was already beyond the point of wondering what he had gotten himself into.

“There’s always some kind of game going on, isn’t there?” Noelle replied softly. The bartender approached just then noticing that Noelle’s glass was close to being empty. “How about a couple of shots for my friend and I? Something hard.”

The bartender nodded and walked away.

“Are you trying to get me drunk, lady?” Brian teased playfully.

Noelle raised her eyebrows. “I think that you’re doing a pretty good job of that yourself.”

The bartender brought the shots back and placed one in front of each of them. “Ready?”

Brian nodded and smiled to himself. No, he wasn’t acting like a 30-something-year old married man, but right then that was okay with him. They tapped the shot glasses against the bar three times and then downed the liquor easily.

“Ah,” Brian groaned and the burning liquid ran down to his stomach. He then raised the glass to the bartender and signaled for two more.

Brian and Noelle downed shot after shot until the world around them blurred. Neither of them was used to this kind of drinking. Noelle had given up the college-party lifestyle once she was in medical school; Brian had just given it up out of age. It felt nice to be able to let loose again.

At last call, they ordered one last shot and then Brian paid the bill. He stumbled when he tried to stand up and then laughed like it was the most hilarious thing that he had ever done. Noelle did the same when she attempted to stand, but in her red, high-heeled shoes she was unable to catch herself; she fell right into Brian’s arms. They both giggled like school children for a moment until they caught each other’s eye. A shot of electricity ran through Brian. He brushed Noelle’s long bangs off of her forehead and then traced the contours of her lips gently with his thumb.

Noelle, never the one for drunken subtlety, wrapped her arms around Brian’s neck and kissed him, softly at first and then with a growing intensity and passion. Even drunk, the warmth that Noelle felt running through her was like nothing that she had ever felt.

Brian pulled away slowly and then leaned down to peck her lips once again. “It’s been fun, Noelle.”

Noelle nodded and reluctantly let go of Brian’s neck. “It doesn’t have to end, you know.”

Brian nodded slowly, pained by how quickly he was sobering up. “Yeah, I’m afraid that it does.”

Noelle shrugged and then smiled a bright smile. “Okay, I’m going to walk away now, but I’m on the 23rd floor. 2301. You have a few minutes to change your mind and come on up.”

Brian was staying on the 23rd floor, too. In fact, everyone on the tour was staying on the 23rd floor. That fact didn’t quite register with Brian. He saw it more as a sign than a possible hindrance.

Brian gazed at the beautiful woman that was walking away from him. Her tight, skinny jeans hugged every curve of her body. The leather vest she wore over a partially unbuttoned white top showed a perfectly arousing amount of cleavage. She was gorgeous and she wanted him. Just for that one night, just for that one moment.

Suddenly, Brian found himself jogging to catch up to her.

“Wait,” he called softly as he took her hand gently into his own. He then pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.

“Lead the way,” he whispered into her mouth as they begrudgingly broke the kiss.

Noelle smiled and laced her fingers with Brian’s. She, too, was glad to be distracted for just that one night, just for that one moment.