Two hours after I fell back asleep—
Knock.
Not loud.
Intentional.
I sat up immediately. New city. New building. Midnight knocks don't get ignored.
"Hello?"
A pause.
Then her voice.
"Hey… it's Jane. Toya's with me. We're sorry for bothering you."
I stood up, disoriented.
"One moment," I said. "Just give me a second."
I don't usually sleep with much on. I pulled on my pants quickly, ran a hand over my face, tried to wake my voice up before opening the door.
When I did, they were both there.
Different energy than before.
Less laughter.
More focus.
"What's up, ladies?" I asked, keeping it even.
Jane held my gaze.
"The weed kicked in," she said softly. "And… we were thinking about you."
There are moments in life when instinct and discipline collide.
This was one.
I didn't speak right away.
Toya stepped slightly closer. Not aggressive. Not forced. Just intentional.
"You seem like a good guy," she added. "We don't want complications. Just… a moment."
Freedom comes with choices.
And sometimes the choice isn't about morality.
It's about alignment.
I felt the pull.
The ego boost.
The raw, biological reaction.
But I also felt something else—
Awareness.
This was my first week in a new city.
A new life built on clarity.
On control.
On ownership.
Did I want my first real story here to begin with impulse?
I stepped back slightly.
"Come in for a second," I said—but calmly.
They entered.
Door closed.
Silence filled the room.
The air was heavy, but not chaotic.
Jane touched my arm lightly.
"Relax," she said.
But I wasn't tense.
I was thinking.
This wasn't about temptation.
It was about trajectory.
Old me would've moved fast.
Let adrenaline decide.
Let the moment write itself.
New me pauses.
I looked at both of them.
"You're passing through," I said. "And I just got here."
Toya studied me carefully.
"So?"
"So I don't want my new life starting blurry."
No judgment.
No preaching.
Just truth.
There was a shift.
Not anger.
Respect.
Jane exhaled first.
"Most guys wouldn't say that."
"I'm not most guys," I replied.
The energy softened.
They weren't offended.
Just recalibrated.
We sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes.
Talked.
Laughed lightly.
Let the intensity dissolve into something human instead of physical.
Eventually, Toya stood.
"Alright, Dave," she smiled. "You're different."
"Or disciplined," Jane added.
"Maybe both."
They left as quietly as they came.
The door clicked shut.
And I stood there alone again.
Heart steady.
Mind clear.
Desire isn't weakness.
But direction matters more than desire.
I laid back down.
This time, sleep came fast.
Not because I was exhausted.
But because I had chosen who I was going to be in this city.
And that choice felt stronger than impulse.