Chapter 42
A Chance Encounter – Kayla
I feel like I’ve gone through a whirlwind of an evening by the time I return to our room.
As to be expected, Callie is once again alert and ready to hear about the events that transpired.
“Here,” she hands me a cocktail.
“Thank you.” Although, I feel like an old French man—needing alcohol and perhaps a cigarette after having sex.
“Well?” she asks eagerly.
“I tried it.”
Her big eyes get even larger. “What?”
“The domineering thing.”
She grabs my arm and shakes it. “You’re kidding me! You had sex again? Where? The restaurant’s bathroom? Ooh. Bathroom sex can be very fun.”
“No. In a little hut by the beach.”
“Even better.”
I nod. “Yes, it was.”
She guides me over to the table in the kitchen area, and we both take a seat—although I note a particular pain between my legs as I do. “So, what’d you do?”
I shrug while running my finger along the top of the glass. “I just ordered him around.”
“Hot.”
“Then, I tied his hands up and to a wooden post.”
“Girl! I am so damn proud of you.”
My head tilts to the side. “Thank you.”
“How did it feel?” she questions after taking a sip.
“The sex—” I’m confused.
“No. I mean, I hope for your sake it was amazing.”
It was. My finger glides along my lips as I remember what it feels like to have him kiss me. It was almost electric.
“I was talking about bossing him around. Also, don’t tell me… he was into it, right?”
Giggling, I nod. “Very.”
Callie’s arm smacks the table. “I knew it! I fricking knew it. Damn, I should’ve bet money on it.”
“With whom?” I can’t see anyone taking her up on that.
“I don’t know. Maybe Denver? He’s a sweet kid, but he isn’t always the smartest.”
“Especially when he’s moping about Maria.”
She points at me. “Exactly. I could’ve gotten him real drunk and then just happened to slip her name. The poor slob would do just about anything in that state.” But then she shakes her head. “Right. Sorry. More about you and Jack.”
“That’s really it.”
“No, no, no. I want more detail.”
Jesus. Another way in which she and Molly are similar is in their lack of boundaries when it came to this kind of thing. I swear, they’d just about prefer to be in the room with me.
“What position did you ride him?”
Ride him? He isn’t a horse.
“You know… front or back?”
“Front—I think?”
“So, you were facing him.”
“Yes.” I’m not sure what benefit it gives her to know all this stuff.
“Very nice, very nice. Dang!” she randomly exclaims.
“What?”
“You’re having all this fun, and I’ve just been cooped up in this room. I need to get some dick.”
“Callie!” She could be so crass sometimes.
“What? I do.”
“I remember a particular night when we were in Morocco when I was banished from our room because you were entertaining a gentlemen caller.”
She flicks her wrist. “That was days ago.”
I laugh. She’s truly unbelievable.
“Well, go out then.”
Her mouth drops open. “Like now? You’re already dressed.”
“No, Cal.” I’m exhausted and just want to get to bed.
“Please, please, please,” she begs.
I rub my forehead in frustration. “You want me to go back out to a loud club just so you can meet some guy and kick me out of my room again?”
“Eh. You can always stay with Jack. Come on. It’ll be fun.”
I really, really don’t want to. But I know she’d do the same for me. Plus, it’s not like we have work tomorrow.
Although disgruntled, I agree.
“Yay!” she cheers. “Thank you so, so much.”
Then, I guzzle down a few more drinks and try to psych myself up for the night ahead.
However, I also feel the need to text Jack and let him know what we’re up to—like I want him to know that I’m just going for Callie.
“Okay, please be safe,” he responded. “Oh, and don’t hook up with any other guys.”
“Wasn’t planning on it. No worries there. Good night.”
“Good night, fr?oula mou. ”
I’m not sure what that means, but I type it into Google translator and see it’s Greek for “my little strawberry.”
“What do you think?” Callie asks after presenting herself and her tight body suit under some ripped jeans. “Then, I’m going to wear my leather jacket.”
“You look like you belong in Sons of Anarchy .”
Her face gets twisted. “I don’t know what that is, but I’ll take it as a compliment. Now, come on.”
She takes me by the hand, and we head out.
The cold, night breeze helps wake me up a bit. However, when we meet up with Gwen, I’m a little less cheery. I don’t agree with what she did with the whole Harper and Jack situation. Lord knows his ex’s reemergence in his life only prolonged our budding romance, and for that, I’ll never forgive either woman for.
On either side of Gwen is a gorgeous Greek man—they’re olive skin noticeable even under the night sky.
“Ladies, this is Cosmo,” she says to her right, and he waves. “And this is his friend, Platon.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
“Where are you two headed so late?”
Callie blows raspberries with her mouth. “Any bar. I’m horny.”
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams is just this way, and they’re open for a few more hours,” either Cosmo or Platon, I forgot which one was which, offers.
“Thank you!” With that, Callie is once again pulling me by the arm. “Come on!”
“I physically can’t walk any faster.”
She grunts.
When we get there, it’s bumping.
“What do you want?” she yells above all the noise. “I don’t care. Whatever you’re getting.”
I didn’t plan on drinking a majority of it anyway.
“Here,” she eventually hands me something blue and fruity. “Now, have you assessed my options?”
“There are a bunch of guys over there in the corner.”
“Ooh. Good lookin’ out.” After that, I watch her approach them, which visibly excites them. “Who wants to dance, boys?”
They all offer, but she picks one guy with short hair, an earring, and a peach shirt open to his freaking navel.
A few people come up and ask me to dance. And although I’m flattered, I try to decline as politely as I can. I’m not in the mood for any of that, and I’d never betray Jack like that. I know we aren’t officially girlfriend and boyfriend or anything, but I told him I’d behave. So, I will.
“Having fun?” a sweaty Callie approaches me and asks.
“A ball,” I answer, sarcastically. “What about you?”
“Oh, yeah. Stefanos is great. And I’m pretty sure he’s DTF.”
I’m about to ask what that means, but then it hits me. Down to fuck. But then I ruminate on his name. Stefanos . “Don’t you think it’s funny that we have similar names throughout the world. Stefanos, Stefan, Stefano, etc.”
“I guess. Anyway, I’m going to head back.”
“You do that,” I say to myself when she disappears into the sea of bodies again.
“It’s a language thing,” a hear a low, gruff voice say behind me.
“Excuse me?” When I turn around, I see an older man sitting at the bar.
“What you were just talking about with names. They’re said differently in different parts of the world because of accents. For instance, can you imagine someone in your American accent saying, ‘Alexandros’ over and over again?”
I’m a little offended he just assumed I was American. But I get his point.
“No. That’s why you say Alex or Alexander.”
“I’m Yannis, by the way.”
No freaking way. “Yannis Drakos?”
He chuckles before looking down at his beer. “Depends on who is asking.”
I clutch my chest. “I love your work.”
He then references to the stool next to him. “Please, have a seat. It’s always nice to meet a fan.”
However, I realize that I can also use this time to hype up Jack and Shelley Publications. But I know I must be skillful about it. If I just come out and say something, it might make him, and me, for that matter, look desperate.
“So, what do you do for a living?” he asks.
“I work on a yacht. I’m a stewardess.”
“Oh, nice. I bet that’s interesting.” He takes a swig, leaving a bit of froth on his black and grey mustache.
“That it is.”
“Who do you work for? A company or an individual.”
My heart is starting to pound because I know I’m going to have to use a lot of tack and wit.
“Jack Shelley, actually.”
Yannis’s eyes light up. “Is that so? What a funny and small world.”
“Why?” I play dumb.
He leans closer to me. “I actually have a meeting with him tomorrow.”
“You do? Wow. What are the chances of that?”
“So, tell me about him. Your boss, I mean.”
Hmm. He’s unbelievably sexy and can do devastating damage with his tongue? Of course, I can’t say any of that. “He’s very nice.”
Yannis laughs. “Nice? That’s a weird way to describe your employer.”
I shrug. “Well, he is. And he’s a hardworker. I’ve never seen another publisher work so hard for his clients.”
He sits back a little then. “Is that so?”
“Oh, yeah. His dedication is almost impressive.”
Yannis looks around. “He didn’t send you in here, did he?”
Shoot. Despite my efforts, I got too corny. “Of course not. He also isn’t devious like that. I think that’s important for you to know.”
He rubs at the hair above his lip with his thumb and forefinger. “Okay, if you say so.”
“I swear. Do you see that girl in the tight, black outfit?”
I squint and point to her.
“The one gyrating on the poor guy who looks like he’s about to come in his pants?”
“That would be her. That’s my friend, Callie. She works for Jack, too, and she pried me out tonight because she well—”
“Was horny?”
We chuckle together.
“Yes, exactly.”
“Well, if she doesn’t stop bouncing up and down against that boy, I don’t think he’s going to be able to perform very well in the bedroom.”
Again, we share a laugh.
“They’ll be fine.” I’m surprised to find him so extroverted. The way Jack described him made him seem cold and standoffish. But he’s not like that at all.
“So, what does being a stewardess entail?” he inquires.
“A lot of cleaning, mostly.”
“Ah. That doesn’t sound all that fun.”
I shake my head. “No, not really. But if I must clean a few toilets in order to travel the world like this, I’ll take it.”
However, our conversation is interrupted when Callie comes running up. “Kayla, I need your help. I just made a guy come on the dance floor. I don’t think he’s noticed. What do I do?”
I clear my throat loudly. “Callie, may I introduce you to Mr. Yannis Drakos.” Then, her face goes as white as a ghost.
But he just snickers. “I told your friend here that was going to happen. Just go get some paper towel out of the bathroom and tell the kid what happened.”
“Okay, okay.” She goes away and seems to do as he said.
“I’m really sorry about her.”
“Nah. Don’t worry about it. Hey! I was young once too.”
I’m still a little mortified for her, but at least her presence substantiated by story.
When he finishes his drink, he says, “You know, I don’t do this often, but would you want to get a sneak peek at the fourth book in the ‘Til the War Starts series? ”
My hands cover my mouth. The chance at reading anything of his before it hits shelves would be an honor. “Wait, did you say fourth?” I thought he was working on the third.
His head bounces from side to side. “I preemptively started the fourth after getting frustrated with the previous one. Don’t worry, it doesn’t reveal any spoilers, and you’ll still enjoy the third just as much. I promise.”
Again, as much of an honor it is, I can’t leave Callie.
“I—” I’m about to explain why.
But he cuts me off. “Hey, think of it this way. Knowing Jack has someone with a keen literary eye on his team will only help his cause.”
With that, I know I have to do it. So, I find Callie in the crowd, tell her I will be right back, demand her not to leave with a man until then, and then I head out with Yannis.
“My apartment is just over here.”