Chapter 6
Jade
W ho the hell am I?
Dancing seductively with a stranger who looks like Adonis and then him asking, no, telling me, he’s taking me home.
This isn’t my life.
These things don’t happen to me. They happen in my romance books all the time, and I’ve obviously fantasized about them happening to me. I mean, I’ve fantasized about a mafia Don kidnapping me and showing me the time of my life, but just like that’s never going to happen, this also cannot be happening.
But it is.
Max’s touch is like fire on my lower back as he guides me out of the club. My mind races with anticipation of what’s to come. Since we first laid eyes on each other, it has felt like foreplay. The intense stares, the lingering touches, the dancing. And when he moved my hand down so I could feel what my moves had done to him, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. He’s huge, and I’d only lightly grazed his length. The thought of wrapping my hands around him has me trying to squeeze my thighs together to ease the need pulsing there.
Seriously, who am I?
This is what I wanted though, wasn’t it? This kind of attraction. That, ‘I can’t get enough of you’ feeling. Not the vanilla sex I had with Dave, where most of the time I had to either pretend or finish myself off in the bathroom.
Tonight I’m not going to hold back. The alcohol and this ridiculously hot man are giving me a much needed confidence boost. No way this is ever happening to me again and surely Max will forget about me in the morning. We don’t even know each other's real names. But tonight, knowing he wants me sends a thrill through me.
Pulling my phone out whilst we walk, I ping a quick text in our group chat saying I’m leaving with Max and I’ll drop them a pin to my location when we get there. Within seconds I see the notifications come through.
Trixie - Yes, girl. We need all the details tomorrow.
Lily - Babe, you’re gonna be walking funny tomorrow
Beck - Stay safe
Outside the air is so cold we can see our breath. Max pulls me in close, so my back is to his front. Even though he also isn’t wearing much, the fact that he is trying to keep me warm makes me smile. A black Audi pulls up to the curb and Max moves us forward.
“Oh, aren’t we getting a taxi?” I ask.
“No, Tink, you deserve to be treated like royalty. This is my driver.”
“Your driver? Who are you?” I tease as I'm guided toward the sleek car.
“No one special,” he says almost shyly, helping me into the back of the car.
“Hi. I’m sorry you’re out so late.” Tequila Jade makes her appearance again. Why, when I’ve had one too many, do I feel the need to speak to the taxi driver? I know he isn’t a taxi driver, but now I have the uncontrollable urge to ask him if he has been busy tonight, but I restrain myself.
“It’s okay. It’s what I get paid well to do.” He smiles at me through the rearview mirror. ‘“But thank you for your concern.”
I hiccup, which surprises me and I cover my mouth embarrassed, as my cheeks flame. The driver seems to ask Max a silent question, and Max shakes his head. Gently resting his hand on my thigh, he pulls his attention back to me the look he gives me makes my cheeks flush for a different reason.
I gasp as we pull up to the house of my dreams. I love the townhouses here in Kensington. One day, this is where I want to live.
Stepping out of the car I turn to Max. “This is your house?” I point to the ridiculously gorgeous four-story building behind me.
“One of them.” The corner of his lips tilt slightly.
“Wow. So you’re like really rich?” I whisper as I toy with my clutch.
He brings his hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it, while looking down at his feet. He looks the most vulnerable I’ve seen him all night. “Yeah, something like that.”
After saying a quick thank you to his driver, he places his hand on the small of my back and leads me up the stone steps, before entering a code into the fancy keypad.
Guiding me inside, he turns on the closest light and I’m momentarily stunned into silence. As beautiful as the entrance hall is, it’s the artwork on the walls that draws my attention. I love art. I’m not very good at it, but Lily has taken me to enough galleries for me to appreciate it. I stop and stare at a particular painting of the London skyline. The sun’s setting, cloaking the famous landmarks in deep hues of orange, red, and yellow. But my gaze is drawn to the couple painted in silhouette, sitting on a bench in the distance. “This is beautiful,” I whisper. “The couple…”
“You know, so many people have come through here and most look past the paintings. But if they do look at this one in particular, they only ever see the landmarks, the skyline, no one notices the couple.” There is a tone of surprise in his voice as he speaks.
“It’s truly beautiful, who’s the artist?”
His strong arms circle my waist. As I lean into his embrace I frown. This is supposed to be only for tonight but the way he holds me my body moulds to his and it just feels right. “No one famous,” he muses.
I turn to face him and rise on my tiptoes to kiss the corner of his mouth. He seems shocked at the gentle gesture, but he quickly shifts his mood.
“I can give you the tour later, but right now…” Bending, he flings me over his shoulder. I shriek as he smacks my arse lightly, then soothes the spot. “I’ve waited long enough. Now I’m going to show you how beautiful I think you are.”