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“Notto mention,”Jordancontinued, “Tinagetting divorced means you owe me a thousand dollars.”
Thistime,Icouldn’t hold back the giggle. “OhmyGod, go away whileIdo this.You’regoing to make me spill.”
“Whatever, drama queen,” she tsked.Nonetheless, she played with her phone, giving me space to figure this out.
Myfingers hovered over the tower's topmost level when a sinking feeling of being watched overcame me.Thestare was forceful and so potent that my neck craned on its own until settling on the second floor of the building.Therewas a window to the second-floor hallway, with the curtains drawn back.Onlyone man stood atop, and his eyes were trained on me.
Agasp spilled out of my mouth.
Timeslowed around me, the moving bodies around the courtyard seemingly coming to a halt.Allof the universe had stopped in place except for my heart, which was suddenly pounding at an alarmingly increased pace.Mygaze roamed over the man, andIonly had to narrow my eyes to catch every detail about his features, and the intensity etched on his face.
Mybreath hitched.
Electricityshocked through my body next.
Myfeet tingled as if pricked by fire ants, andIstumbled.
Ishould be worried about knocking over the champagne tower, butIcouldn’t tear my eyes away from the man.Forcefulgaze honed in, stripping me bare and telling me he was all things wicked.Hewas tall, handsome, and definitely dark in an obsidian suit that matched his eyes.Hishair was perfectly styled, and though there was no other disarray about him, his expression was wild.Thechiseled jawline set as the liquid pools of darkness devoured me.
Captivated,Iheld his inappropriate gaze.Atany moment, my best friend could look up from her phone and catch me in the act.Ihad to break contact, but my eyes refused to play ball.
Myclammy hands brushed my hair out of my face.Theslight effort lifted the hem of my dress’ skirt, and his intense gaze landed on the strip of exposed skin around my mid-thighs.Thebreak in our staring contest was the sweet escapeIneeded, andIfinally blinked away.
Jordanglanced up from her phone. “Oneof those for me?”
“Right.”Myhaze broke. “Yeah.”Icaught a glimpse ofJordan’sperfectly filed nails asIpassed her one of the coupe glasses.
Ididn’t have to look to know his lingering orbs still crawled up my body.Goosebumpsbroke out over my bare skin, andIwanted to shout,Stopstaring at me!
Jordansipped on her drink and gave me the dirt about everythingIhad missed out on.Inodded absentmindedly, and thoughIknewIshouldn’t, my eyes darted toward the upstairs window whereIhad locatedhim.
Hewas gone.
Ireturned toJordan, who had polished off her drink. “Ineed to break the seal and touch up.Wantto come?”
“No, that’s okay.I’llget you another round.”Igestured at the champagne tower.
Jordanlaughed wholeheartedly.Shakingher head, she vanished inside the main ballroom, searching for a bathroom.Leftbehind to my own devices,Ibent over to excavate another set of coupe glasses whenIfelt a hush fall over the courtyard.Itilted my head, caught a glimpse of the group nearest me, and found them staring in the same direction.
“That’shim,” someone whispered.
Who?
Mysilent question was answered by a deep voice reaching inside to squeeze my heart. “Hello.”
Ifroze in place the way drops of water would inAntarctica.Oncemore, the crowd faded away.Slowlike the sands of time, my body moved on autopilot.Istraightened to be greeted by a pair of orbs that appeared lifeless and bored.Ifyou paid close attention, you’d also find them holding a speck of curiosity.Theywere the blackest of the black shade, framed by thick brows, equally dark lashes, and a full head of hair styled to perfection.Sun-kissed complexion contrasted the otherwise ominous features.Hisgenerous lips were slightly camouflaged by his five o’clock shadow, which appeared groomed instead of unruly.Astraight nose and a chiseled jawline completed the man who could only be described as a male model.
Ina black suit, he fit in perfectly with the elegant backdrop while also managing to stand out.Notonly was his beauty unequivocally unmatched, but his sheer dominance had an imposing presence.Everyonearound us was staring at him as well.
“Hi,”Isquawked with an unspoken plea for him to go away.Hedidn’t hear it.Isteadied myself by placing a hand on the champagne table without tearing away my shameless appraisal.Itseemed like an impossible feat to accomplish.
“Thechampagne towers are for display only.”Henodded at the table next to me, though his eyes of bottomless pit never left mine.
Iopened my mouth to make an excuse or lie thatIwasn’t planning to steal two glasses of champagne. “Thenthey shouldn’t have made them look so delicious,”Ibit my cheek as the rebuttal from earlier tumbled out like word vomit.
Hesmirked.Theotherwise flat, dull eyes changed from slight curiosity to slight amusement.Heleaned closer, and my breath caught in my throat. “Ididn’t take you for a champagne drinker,” he murmured.
“What’swrong with champagne?”Iheard the breathiness in my voice.Hesmelled so unbelievably good, clean with a barely-there hint of something refreshing, but what?
