Chapter 1 #2
I take a proper look at him. He’s tall—easily over six feet—with thick, slightly tousled hair and a five-o’clock shadow that gives him a rugged look.
His eyes hold mine for a beat too long. My pulse quickens.
I glance around the bar, taking in the groups of women scattered at tables, all of them gorgeous.
What’s he doing here, talking to the bigger girl in a wedding dress?
“It’s okay,” I say, my voice soft. “You don’t have to stay because you feel bad for me.” He seems like a nice guy, but he’s clearly younger than me. How much younger? It’s hard to tell.
His lips lift slightly, a hint of amusement in his expression. “No, I want to stay.”
My heart flutters, betraying me. The most handsome young man I’ve ever seen wants to talk to me. I don’t have it in me to tell him to leave. It’s better to have someone here so I don’t feel lonely.
I glance down at his outfit—a crisp white shirt under a leather vest, paired with baggy jeans.
Simple, but it suits him. Too well. I chastise myself for noticing.
I just found out my fiancé cheated on me, and here I am, flustered over a stranger.
I would never cheat—not that Tyler and I are together now—but I can’t seem to control the way my body reacts to him.
Maybe the alcohol is just numbing the pain of their betrayal.
“What’s your name?” I ask, my voice steadier than I feel.
“Theo,” he says, extending a hand. “And yours?”
“Rose.” I slip my hand into his, and the moment our skin touches, a jolt of electricity zips through me.
I pull back slightly, startled by the intensity of it.
Guilt creeps in, but there’s a small voice in the back of my mind whispering, Why not?
Tyler cheated on me, and here’s this kind, attractive man who actually wants to talk to me. Why should I feel bad about that?
“Are you just here for a few drinks?” I ask, desperate to keep the conversation going.
“I’m at an engagement party for my friends, Milly and Twitch,” he says, gesturing vaguely toward the other side of the bar. “But I don’t really feel like celebrating right now. I just wanted a couple of drinks to unwind.”
The bartender places our drinks in front of us, and I take a sip through the straw, trying to appear more composed than I feel. The sweet, tangy flavor cools me down, though I’m still hyperaware of Theo’s presence beside me.
“What have you got there?” he asks, nodding toward my purple drink.
“A fruit tingle,” I reply.
He tilts his head, intrigued. “It looks good.”
“Want a taste?” The words tumble out before I can stop them, and my cheeks heat instantly. I can’t believe I just said that.
Theo’s smile widens, warm and disarming. He leans closer, his lips brushing the straw as he takes a sip. My body stiffens, every nerve on high alert.
He leans back, smirking. “Yeah, it’s good. A bit strong, though.”
I shrug, trying to play it cool. “I need strong drinks tonight.”
He raises his hands in mock surrender, chuckling. “Completely understandable.”
I can’t help but smile at his playfulness. “So, tell me about yourself, Theo. Anything to get my mind off the nightmare I’m living.”
“At least you found out now,” he says, his tone serious. “Did you have kids with him?”
“No.” I’m grateful for that small mercy. But the thought lingers—if Kayla hadn’t told me, how far would Tyler have let it go?
“That’s good,” Theo says, his voice tinged with something darker. “Nothing worse than dragging kids through it.”
There’s a weight to his words, a bitterness that makes me wonder if he’s speaking from experience.
I take another sip of my drink, letting the alcohol steady me.
“I just can’t believe it,” I admit. “I wasted four years being the perfect partner, doing everything I could to make him happy. I worked full-time, but I also cleaned the house and made his dinners, his lunches—everything. He didn’t have to lift a finger, and it still wasn’t enough.
” My voice wavers, and I straighten my back, determined not to cry again.
He places a hand on my arm, and I look into soft eyes. “It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with him. He sounds like a loser, and you sound like his mom. And that so-called friend of yours was never a friend anyway and eventually showed you her true colors. People always do.”
His words hit me like a revelation. He’s right. For the first time, I realize I did and gave too much, and it was never reciprocated. The fault wasn’t mine.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” I ask, the alcohol taking over.
“I surely don’t,” he says in an upbeat tone.
A hint maybe? Pfft . . . who am I kidding? A young man like him wanting me? Impossible.
“Well . . . a bit about me. I’m in a motorcycle club.” He looks down at his vest.
My tongue feels heavy. “Is it . . . a bad club?” I lean toward him, tipsy and curious. “Do you kill people?”
He laughs. The sound is rich and warm, and it lightens something in me.
“We’re the good type. We look out for people in the community.”
I don’t know what he means by that, but I like the sound of it. “How old are you?” He’s clearly a man, but younger than me. I’m just not sure how much.
He smiles, and it’s glorious. “Old enough.”
“Old enough for what?” I tease.
“For you.”
My body ignites and I forget how to breathe for a second. He’s ballsy, but not arrogant. My nipples pebble against my bra. His eyes smolder, and I get lost in them. Thoughts flicker. What have I got to lose? Nothing.
“Let’s get a room,” he says, holding out his hand.
A bolt of lust overcomes me, leaving me giddy.
I place my hand in his. His eyes roam over me with a fierce hunger I’ve never seen any man have before, and it sends a ripple down my spine.
He looks at me like he wants me, but I’m just me .
. . I’m all curves. Pudgy belly, thick thighs.
Why would someone like him want me? But he couldn’t fake the longing in his eyes that says he wants me.
He leans in, his breath warm against my neck. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna back out . . . I’m already hard for you.”
And just like that, all the toxic thoughts leave me. Butterflies take over my stomach.
“Okay,” I whisper as adrenaline soars through me. A sexy distraction to take my mind off the pain stalking me tonight.