Chapter 2 #2
“So, what was that all about on the phone?” he asks, angling back a bit, yet still uncomfortably close.
“Aren’t you nosy?” I pop a brow as some of the stress leaves my shoulders.
“You were practically giving the whole bar your life story, baby girl.”
He gives me a crooked grin, roughing his fingers through his voluminous strands, and I instantly shudder at the sentiment, at the way those large hands move.
“If you wanted to keep things a secret…” He leans into my ear, his lips a drop away. “You probably should’ve used your inside voice.”
My body breaks with heat and goose bumps from the soft seduction flickering in his tone. I’m not sure if there was sexual innuendo hidden in those words, but it sure felt that way.
I grow even more conscious of his proximity, and each time he talks, it sounds like he’s reading a dirty poem.
“Yeah, well, rough day,” I mutter, trying to hide behind this intense attraction as he pulls back.
“I’m sorry.” His flirting is now gone, replaced with a wave of concern.
“Me too,” I sigh, remembering the events of tonight all over again while my lungs squeeze with every breath I try to inhale. “You know, maybe I will have that drink, after all.”
I call for the bartender, raising a finger to get his attention, but as I do, the stranger’s hand falls to my forearm, and my skin instantly tingles. His touch is rugged and rough, everything a man’s touch should be.
I turn to find his steely gaze locked on mine, and it’s like I’m being held in place. I’m captivated by those eyes, smooth and comforting, like a mug of warm cocoa on a winter day. What I wouldn’t do to wrap my hands around him.
“I’d love to get you that drink.” His voice drifts low as his eyes dart to my lips before capturing mine again.
“Yeah. Uh, okay.” My fingertips flutter over my neck. “Margarita, please. No salt.”
He nods, reluctantly drawing back, his hand now raised as he orders for me. Not even a minute later, I’m sipping on my drink, my mind completely forgetting that this bar is going to close in under an hour and I’ll have to face the music of my untimely death.
I don’t even know how I’ll do it. Maybe I can drink myself to oblivion and then hop in front of oncoming traffic.
No. Too messy.
I could probably hire a hit man to take me out. I do have my credit cards on hand. Much easier than doing it myself. But who could I find that quickly? Probably no one.
“Do you come here a lot?” His question pulls me from my dreadful plans.
“Sometimes. You?”
“Same. But there aren’t always beautiful women here who can’t help but stare at me every chance they get.” He tightens his lips, trying to contain that amused grin.
“I really wasn’t staring.” I roll my eyes, doing a crappy job at playing it off. “I was simply admiring your, um…shirt? What is that, cotton?”
He chuckles all deep and gravelly, that roguish smirk deepening.
Holy hotness.
“Wanna feel it?” He yanks the fabric on his chest, that inviting smile of his pulling me to do the same.
“Uh, no.” I shake my head with too much force as my heart thuds louder and louder. “Maybe next time.”
“Think now is your only chance, sweetheart. By the sound of it, you’re about to get married.”
I rake a hand through my hair, my eyes landing on the bar. “If I had any say, I wouldn’t be.”
“Hey.”
His palm is once again on my arm, and I quite like it there. I turn to him, finding a frown gripping his features.
“You don’t have to do something you don’t want to do.”
“I wish it was that easy.” My brows knit tightly.
Lifting up my drink, I finish it in one sip, then call for the bartender to order another.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” the man asks, moving his hand away.
I realize I still don’t know his damn name.
“Great,” I grumble flatly. “Now a complete stranger is telling me what the hell to do.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.” Leaning sideways, he rests his right elbow on the bar and the other hand on his bouncing thigh. “I want you to be safe getting home.”
“I’ll be fine, uh…” My face twists with a scowl. “What’s your name?”
“Dante.”
“I’ll be fine, Dante. Thanks for your concern.”
“Aren’t you going to give me your name?” He picks up his drink, looking questioningly at me.
“Raquel.”
“Well, Raquel, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“It’s fine. Story of my life.” I shrug nonchalantly, palming my hands together and then relaxing them on the bar as I stare ahead.
I don’t even know why I’m talking to him. I know I won’t sleep with him, no matter how much I wanted to convince myself I would earlier. It was nice pretending. And it’s not as though we can be friends. I’ll be dead.
Or if I’m not, Carlito will kill me.
Dante orders another drink for me before his hand slides to my shoulder, his index finger casually slipping under the strap of my dress.
Tingles break over my skin, coating me in electrifying heat and making my nipples pebble beneath the thick material of my dress. I hope like hell he can’t see them.
“Clearly, it’s not fine,” he rasps, causing me to turn my attention to him.
My breaths fall hastily from my lips as my eyes jump to his mouth. It might be the alcohol, but wow, his lips are so delicious. What would it be like to kiss a man that attractive? To feel truly desired by someone I want in return? I wouldn’t know.
I haven’t been properly kissed or fucked in years. Not since my parents announced my marriage to Carlito two years ago, when I graduated from medical school. Carlito hasn’t dared touch me that way, and he won’t until we’re married. Then he’ll do whatever he wants.
My heart clamps and tears ache behind my eyes, threatening to show their face.
I tuck them away, not wanting to ruin my day even more by crying in front of a bar full of people for the second time.
This man probably thinks I’m nuts already.
I don’t want to give him any more reasons to think that way.
Dante rubs the back of his neck, and my chest climbs with every fired breath as I watch his triceps flex. His gaze zeros in on my breasts, probably noticing my nipples poking through the dress.
“Last call,” the bartender announces.
Dante sharply turns back to the bar, finishing the rest of his drink in one quick swallow and slamming the glass back down. I swiftly finish mine, not knowing how I’m actually going to take my life once I get out of here.
What if Carlito finds me first? Though he’s never actually hit me, I can tell he’s itching to put me in my place. The rage trickles within his eyes every time I’m around him. Once it’s filled to capacity, the wrath will rain, and I’ll be its victim for life.
“So, what’s this fiancé of yours like?” Dante asks, his warm gaze trapping me in an invisible cage I’d be more than willing to climb into.
I’ve never seen a man with such beautiful brown eyes before. They’re soulful, while the rest of him is all male. The rippled muscles of his biceps stretch sinfully as he crosses his arms, causing me to gape for longer than appropriate.
Again.
But this time he doesn’t say anything. His eyes are still perched to mine when I glance up.
“He’s not exactly my fiancé,” I mutter, peering down at my lap. “And he’s awful. My parents arranged it, and I have no choice in the matter.”
His hand snaps to mine, gripping it tightly in his, a thumb softly dusting over the top as he looks at me. My attention slithers back to him as my body stirs with a jolt, quiet awareness pouring through me every time his skin touches mine.
“I’m sorry you’re hurting.” His tone is as soft as his touch; he’s now rubbing slow circles over my hand. “But everyone has a choice. Some are just harder to make.”
I’m breathless. Lost to him. Unable to pull away.
He’s right. We all have choices we’re sometimes too afraid to make. I need to stop holding myself back.
Maybe I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help this haze of attraction between us. I need to know where it can go before everything ends for me.
“This is probably crazy,” I whisper, looking back up at him. “But—”
“But what?” The smooth cadence of his words bathes me in tranquility.
And in the next three seconds, I change the course of my fate completely.
“Want to get out of here?” The question jumps out before I have a chance to take it back.
My heartbeats slam in my rib cage, afraid he’ll say no—or maybe afraid that he’ll actually say yes.
His eyes widen for the briefest of seconds, and then he’s on his feet, towering over me and tugging on my hand. His lips curve with a wicked smirk.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, wrapping my fingers around his and letting him take me as far from here as possible for as long as he’ll have me.