Chapter 10 #2
As soon as I read it, I knew it was from him.
I don’t know how, but I just did. I also knew it wasn’t merely a simple message from a friend asking what I was up to.
No. This message was entirely different, a warning of sorts, but I didn’t care.
I wasn’t going to play into Zander’s hand.
He didn’t have the right to question me in such a way, not after blowing me off.
I considered responding with a chastising message, telling him to go to hell, but decided that ignoring him would be much more effective.
Feeling confident in my decision, I put my phone back in my purse, finished my drink, then turned to Krissy. “Are you ready to get back out there?”
“Girl, you know it.”
She smiled and then followed me out onto the dance floor.
We hadn’t been there long, when two guys came up and started dancing alongside us.
Soon after Krissy started flirting with one of them, and they quickly got carried away.
His friend kept a courteous distance, but it was clear from his intense stare that he was interested.
He was good-looking, tall with blond hair and hazel eyes, and physically fit, but sadly, when I looked at him, my heart didn’t race the way it had with Zander.
In fact, my heart wasn’t in it at all, even when the music turned slow and he took me in his arms and we swayed to the rhythm.
I should’ve just danced along and pretended that I wasn’t bothered by the fact he wasn’t Zander, but I simply couldn’t do it.
Disappointment crossed his face as I stepped back and said, “Thanks for the dance, but I’ve really got to go. ”
“Oh ... okay.” He gave me a slight smile and said, “Maybe we can do it again sometime.”
“Yeah ... maybe.”
I hadn’t gotten far when Krissy called out to me, “Hey, Dee! Where ya going?”
I turned to face her as I answered, “I’m gonna go. I’m just not feeling it tonight.”
“What? We’re just starting to have fun.” She motioned her hand back towards the dance floor. “Those guys are totally into us.”
“I know, but I’m just—”
Before I could finish my answer, a surprised look crossed her face as she muttered, “Oh, my god.”
“What?”
“Umm ... He’s here.”
“Who’s here?”
I quickly turned to see who she was talking about, and that’s when I noticed Zander walking in our direction.
His eyes were trained on me as he plowed through the crowd with an intense expression marking his handsome face.
When he made his way over to us, he reached for my hand and started walking towards the front door.
I jerked my hand away from his. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? ”
“I’m taking you home.”
“I’m not ready to go home, and I’m certainly not going home with you.” My drinks had clearly caught up with me when I slurred, “So, you can just put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
“You’ve been drinking.”
“Yeah. And?”
“And you’re going home ... Now.” He reached for my hand once again, pulling me forward until I stopped dead in my tracks.
“Just wait a doggone minute! I’m not going anywhere. Besides, I’m not here alone.”
“I’m sure Krissy can get home on her own.”
“That’s not the point,” I argued. “I came with her, and I can’t just leave without telling her. Hold up ... How do you know her name is Krissy?”
Before he could answer, Krissy came rushing past us and waved. “Don’t worry about me, sweetie. I’ve got a ride. You two kids have fun!”
With a big, goofy smirk on her face, my best friend disappeared out the front door, leaving me alone to deal with Zander. Clearly amused by the fact, he cocked his eyebrow and said, “Well, how about that? Looks like Krissy is covered.”
“Yeah, well, no thanks to you.” I wanted to stay mad at him.
I needed to. It was the only way I could overcome the disappointment I’d felt over not hearing from him for the past two days, but it wasn’t easy, especially when he looked so damn good.
I crossed my arms in defiance as I snapped, “Why are you here, Zander?”
“You know why.”
“I wouldn’t be asking if I did.”
“I’m here for you.” Even though he’d already proven otherwise, he stared at me like I meant something to him—like I was his. “I’m taking you home.”
With that, he took hold of my hand, and this time I didn’t resist as he led me out of the bar and into a crowd of people.
When he turned down a dark alley, I thought he was taking me to his bike.
Instead, he pinned me up against the wall with his mouth just inches from my ear.
The bristles of his day-old beard prickled against my cheek as he whispered, “Why didn’t you answer my message? ”
“I didn’t know it was you.”
“Don’t lie to me, Delilah,” he growled. “Why didn’t you answer me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.” He inched closer, and I could feel his growing erection as he ordered, “Tell me.”
“I wanted to piss you off ... make you pay for blowing me off.”
He stepped back and looked at me in surprise. “Blowing you off?”
“Don’t stand there and try to deny it. You screwed me and then disappeared, Zander.” I wanted to stay mad at him, but it was almost impossible with the way he was looking at me. “That’s blowing me off, which is fine. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”
“It ever cross your mind that I had shit going on?”
“It ever cross your mind to pick up a phone and tell me you had shit going on? It would’ve taken what ... two seconds of your time.” I cocked my eyebrow as I took a step towards him. “So, why bother coming here now? What’s so important that you had to come down here and find me?”
“Fuck.” He ran his hand through his tousled dark hair. “Are you always such a pain in the ass?”
“No.” A smile crept over my face as I admitted, “Just when it comes to you. I guess you could say you bring it out in me.”
Before I could say anything more, he slammed his mouth against mine, silencing me with a kiss that set my soul on fire. It was then that I knew I was in trouble. I was falling for him, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.