10. Tayana
10
TAYANA
I ’m still riding a dangerous high as I tug my underwear back into place and slide my dress over my head. I don’t think I’ll ever look at this dress the same way again after what happened here tonight, no matter how much time passes.
I just had sex with Rafi Gatti in a public restroom. Not just sex—mind-blowing, soul-shaking, earth-tilting sex. What the hell was I thinking? Was I even thinking?
The raw intensity of it still lingers on my skin, seared into my senses. My back aches from the vanity digging into me, but I can’t bring myself to care. I shift slightly, and the sticky heat between us sends a fresh shiver through me. The memory of him filling me, his hands gripping me like I am the only thing anchoring him to this earth, is enough to make me bite my lip hard enough to split it open.
I glance in the mirror, catching him as he buttons his shirt with deliberate care, like he’s resetting himself piece by piece. He tucks his shirt into his pants, his movements unhurried, as if he didn’t just fuck me so thoroughly I forgot my own name. His reflection meets mine in the glass, and for a moment, the world narrows to just the two of us.
My hand hovers mid-air, the lipstick trembling against my lips. I clear my throat and force a tight smile to cover the chaos spiraling inside me.
“Well, that was…unexpected,” I say, breaking the silence, my voice smoother than I feel.
Rafi’s lips curve into a lazy smirk, and he adjusts his cuffs as if we’re discussing the weather. “Unexpected? That’s one way to describe it.” His eyes flick down, just for a second, and I know he’s picturing the same things I am.
I turn, leaning back against the counter with deliberate nonchalance. “Do you always make a habit of this, or should I feel special?”
His laugh is low, dangerous, and entirely too sexy. “Tayana, you’re many things, but just another habit isn’t one of them. Do you always carry around condoms in your purse?”
The air between us shifts, tightening, but I’m not about to let him see how deeply he’s unsettled me. I roll my eyes and ignore his question as I cap my lipstick with a snap. “It was a good night. You’ve officially earned yourself a point.”
“Just one?” He steps closer, his movements deceptively casual, but the heat in his gaze is anything but.
“Don’t get greedy.” I push past him, but his hand brushes mine, stopping me for half a second. It’s subtle, almost nothing, but it sends another jolt through me.
“Don’t act like you didn’t love every second of it,” he murmurs, his voice low enough to vibrate through me.
I glance back over my shoulder, giving him a smirk I hope hides how much he’s gotten under my skin. “Maybe I did. Doesn’t mean I’ll let it happen again.”
He chuckles, dark and knowing. “We’ll see about that, Tayana.”
I walk out first, my heels clicking against the tiles as I steady my breathing and put my armor back in place. But as I step back into the noise and chaos of the nightclub, I can still feel his eyes on me, branding me.
The vibration of the club swallows me whole as I stride back to my table, doing my best to look composed. My heart’s still racing, and my legs feel like they could give out at any second, but I keep my head high, my expression neutral. No one can know what happened here tonight. Especially not Cassie. I would never live it down.
She’s already watching me when I approach, perched on the edge of her seat like a hawk spotting prey. Her sharp eyes narrow as I sink into my chair, reaching for the glass of champagne I abandoned earlier, the one that’s so warm it couldn’t pass for water.
“Well, well, look who decided to rejoin the party,”she says, her voice sing-song but laced with curiosity. “You were gone a while.”
I roll my eyes and pick up her drink, letting the bubbles distract me from the heat still curling in my core as I take a sip. “Bathroom,” I say simply, hoping she’ll drop it.
Cassie leans closer, resting her chin on her hand as she studies me like a puzzle she’s determined to solve. “Aha. Bathroom. Sure. And what’s with that look on your face?”
I arch a brow, forcing a casual smirk. “What look?”
She sits back, gesturing dramatically to all of me. “That look. Like you just won the lottery or… I don’t know, like you’ve been thoroughly debauched in a way that is probably illegal in most countries.”
My heart stutters, but I give her a dismissive wave. “You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m observant,” she counters, narrowing her eyes. “Your lipstick’s smudged, by the way. And your hair?—”
I smooth a hand over my hair instinctively, cursing under my breath when I find a stray curl out of place. Cassie’s grin turns predatory.
“Spill, Tay. Who was it?”
“Who was what?”
“Who was it?” she repeats, and she knows I’m not ignorant to what she’s talking about.
“No one,” I say quickly, maybe a little too quickly.
Cassie’s laugh is sharp, like a knife sliding between ribs. “No one, my ass. Oh, wait—” She suddenly leans forward, her eyes darting toward the direction I came from. My stomach drops when I follow her gaze.
Rafi.
Of course. He’s making his way back toward the bar, calm and collected, his shirt tucked in neatly like he hasn’t just wrecked my world in a nightclub bathroom. His dark eyes sweep the room, and for the briefest moment, they land on me. A flicker of something—heat, possession—passes between us before he looks away.
Cassie gasps, slapping a hand over her mouth, her eyes lighting up like it’s Christmas morning. “ Oh. My. God .”
I groan, sinking lower into my chair. “Cassie?—”
“Rafi freaking Gatti? Are you serious right now? You and him?”Her voice rises with every word, and I’m tempted to shove a napkin into her mouth.
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss, glancing around to make sure no one’s paying attention.
But Cassie’s too far gone. She’s practically vibrating with excitement. “This is unreal. Do you have any idea how many girls would kill to be in your position? He’s, like, the hottest guy in this club. Hell, in this whole city.”
“I don’t need the commentary,” I snap, my cheeks burning.
She leans closer, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “So, what was he like? Was that thing about him being the stuff of legends accurate? Because, girl, you’re glowing.”
I bury my face in my hands, wishing the floor would swallow me whole. “Can we not do this right now?”
Cassie chuckles, sitting back but not letting up. “Fine, fine. I’ll back off… for now. But you owe me details later. All of them.”
I glare at her, but it lacks heat. She knows me too well, and I know she’s not going to let this go.
Across the room, Rafi settles at the bar, ordering a drink like nothing’s out of the ordinary. But I can still feel him, a magnetic pull that refuses to let me go.
Cassie follows my gaze, her grin turning smug. “You’re in so much trouble,” she sings, tapping her fingers against her glass. “And by that, I don’t just mean the kind of trouble where you lose your heart.”
She tilts her chin toward the bar, nodding in Rafi’s direction. “Look at lover boy over there,” she murmurs, her voice dripping with mischief.
I follow her gaze and immediately regret it. A woman slides onto the stool beside him, her dress painted on, her smile too eager. Rafi doesn’t hesitate. His hand lands on her waist, a deliberate move that feels far too familiar. My stomach twists as he leans in, whispering something in her ear.
The sight ignites something feral inside me—hot, sharp, and utterly unwelcome. Possessiveness? Envy? I can’t pin it down, but it’s there, clawing at my insides, making my skin burn.
Barely fifteen minutes ago, his hands were on me. His mouth. His everything. And now? Now he’s touching someone else like I was just a passing moment.
The woman tilts her head back, laughing lightly, her body language coy. But her demeanor shifts in an instant when he says something to her. The smile fades. Her eyes narrow, and her face flushes an angry red. She pushes his hand away and snaps something at him before hopping off her stool. With sharp, purposeful steps, she storms off, her heels clicking against the floor, leaving Rafi behind without so much as a glance back.
I’m still staring when Rafi looks over his shoulder, catching my glare. His mouth curves into a grin, a devilish one that’s equal parts taunting and triumphant. My pulse spikes as he holds my gaze for what feels like forever, the moment stretching between us like a live wire. And then, as if to drive the knife deeper, he winks.
I realize I’ve been holding my breath and exhale sharply. Turning back to Cassie, I hope she hasn’t picked up on the inferno raging behind my carefully crafted mask.
But, of course, she has.
She’s perched on the edge of her seat, her face lit with pure amusement. She shakes her head, her glossy curls bouncing, and lets out a snort so unladylike it draws a side-eye from the next table. “Girrrrrl,”she drawls, biting back her laughter, “you are so, so fucked, it’s not even funny.”