I found Andrew in the kitchen. Listening to a muffled jazz tune, he was cutting something.

"What time is it?" I asked him.

"Two in the morning," he answered, pointing behind me.

I turned around and saw the clock on the wall. I sat down on a high chair, right in front of Andrew.

"You're prettier without makeup," he said.

"Yeah, I saw myself in the mirror before I washed my face."

“I saw you before the smeared makeup. Sorry, but I couldn't find your bag.”

Compliment, though! That's very supportive!

“I want to go home. I just don't know the address.”

I was going to say I'd call a cab, but then I remembered my phone. Although there's some change in my coat pocket, it should be enough for the subway.

"Stay until morning, I'll drive you myself."

"I can't now, I've had a few drinks and I can't drive."

"Can I stay until morning?" I sneered.

"You can stay until the next night," I was graciously allowed.

I hummed, showing my attitude towards what was happening.

Diana broke off the engagement. Her father is my father's partner. I was asked to rid the girl of an alfonso…" At this point I burst out, clenching my fists in anger, and he continued, ignoring my indignation: "Before that, Alex was courting the chief accountant. She is a prominent woman, but more than ten years older than him.

"I'm glad you're happy with what happened," I said.

"Don't be angry, just think how fortunate everything turned out for you. Eat."

Andrew put a plate of meat, cheese, and vegetables in front of me and added a glass of wine to it. I looked at him suspiciously: what else he had mixed in....

“Drink calmly. With whiskey, it really turned out stupid. Hera told me that you already have nervous stress, and here you have a whiskey. Now you’ve slept, calmed down a little, but it’s still better to eat first.”

Almost without taste, I ate a couple of slices of meat and a tomato. It was strange: Andrew and I were seeing each other for the first time, and he didn't mind me staying the night.

"I'd better sleep a little longer," I decided.

I didn't really want to sleep, but my leg was aching. I decided it would be better if I lay down and distracted myself, hoping to find a book or magazine in the room. Judging by the bandage, I had a sprain, but it would take a couple of days.

"I'll help," Andrew decided. – "Don't argue. If you don't feel sorry for yourself today, tomorrow you won't be able to walk at all."

He was right, and I let myself be picked up in his arms. The room was also dark. I didn't know where to turn on the light, and Andrew just hadn't seen fit to do so. Darkness, a bedroom, and a man – the combination made me a little uncomfortable, and I hastily tried to move away from him, leaning on my sore leg. I staggered; Andrew picked me up and pulled me against him. His breath traveled down my neck, and my legs weakened for another reason.

The lock on my dress moved, and a trail of light kisses traveled down my back. The dress fell to my feet, followed by my bra. Principles and moral attitudes also scattered to the corners of my consciousness and lurked so that I couldn't find them. The world shook, changing our position in space. The weight of a man's body added to the kisses. He pulled me under his thighs and pulled me to him, pressing me against his groin.

Consciousness made one last attempt to stop it. To order the barely familiar man to stop. But the first push put an end to extraneous thoughts. His hands, his lips seemed to have time everywhere, the movements becoming sharper, faster, more passionate. All that was left to do was claw at the sheet, scream, and then try to breathe.

Reality ceased to be clear, lost color, feeling, and contours, and even blacked out for a while.

While I was trying to catch my breath, get my thoughts in order, and not burn with shame, Andrew kissed my shoulder, got up, and walked out. Wrapping myself in the blanket, I jumped up. For some reason, I couldn't find any of my things, not even my dress. I couldn't run out of the apartment in a blanket!

"A shower will do us good," Andrew informed me.

I shuddered and tried to hold onto the blanket that was crawling away. Andrew was slowly but surely getting rid of it. It was too late to say anything about shame, and even more so to educate him about the fact that we didn't know each other very well.

"What shower? I have a bandage," I mumbled

From the context, I realized that Andrew was planning to shower together. I was right. Scooping me up in his arms, he carried me into the bathroom and sat me down on the pouf, then, unwrapping the bandage, imprinted a few kisses on my knees.

"Looks like this isn't going to be just a shower," I realized.

"What are you doing?

It was the stupidest question I could think of, but I asked it anyway. I wanted some way to show that I wasn't a willful puppet. But the result wasn't very good.

“What am I doing? Oh, what I'm doing today, and what I'll be doing tomorrow...."

That sounded promising. I was confused. He pulled me to him and kissed me. The thought, "What am I doing?!" flashed at the edge of my consciousness, but I quickly pushed it away. Myself. Could I ever lose my head for once in my life? Finally putting all doubts aside, I responded to the kiss. Andrew pulled me off the floor and stepped under the jets of water. I shrieked in surprise and instinctively wrapped my legs around his hips.

“Good girl," he murmured.

I snorted and kissed him myself, wrapping my arms around his neck. The water was warm, but it felt icy against his skin.

"We were going to take a shower, weren't we?" I asked.

I wriggled out of his arms and grabbed a washcloth and shower gel. I needed to cool down a little. Every time he touched my skin, it seemed to burn. Andrew took the washcloth, ran it over my back and chest, and thinking the washing was over, threw it on the floor. He picked me up and pushed my back against the wall.

"We're going to fall here," I whispered.

Andrew grinned and pushed forward. I exhaled and arched my back in surprise, clutching at his shoulders. The world split into before and after. Finally, lost, I bit his shoulder. Andrew growled, and his movements became stronger and sharper. I dug even harder into the skin on his back, leaving deep nail marks. Andrew exhaled and bit my earlobe.

We didn't fall to the floor after all. Andrew slowly sank to his knees, letting me go.

" Well, now we're washed! " I said.

Andrew laughed and pecked me on the temple. I moved sluggishly, my strength gone. I hope he's taking me to bed.

It was a great escape. I had never felt more ashamed than I did that morning. I struggled to free myself from Andrew's embrace, gathered my clothes, and, dressing on the fly, jumped out of the apartment. Now I didn't even understand what came over me! Probably, my resentment toward my lover, alcohol, and the remnants of pride played their part. Nothing raises self-esteem as much as the opportunity to feel desirable!

Providence decided to take pity on me: I had change from the grocery store in my coat pocket, and I managed to catch a cab almost immediately. My leg didn't go away, only swelled more. Not all of my underwear had been collected, some of it had been left in enemy territory, and my stockings had disappeared even earlier, so I felt as if I'd jumped out into the street without clothes.