I suppose I could go to his home. I mean, he turned up to mine uninvited, but I don’t have the courage to do the same. Instead, I’m tucking my tail between my legs and I’m coming back here where it all began, just hoping that I can casually bump into him again. I want to catch him off guard to find out more about him.
“Miss?” Hands curl over my shoulders making me shrink. “You cannot be here.”
A fire flashes in my eyes as I turn to see the guy staring down at me. It isn’t the man who threw me out but I’m sure he’s working on his command. I’m not about to get tossed out though just yet.
“I will pay for my drinks as I order them.” I wave my purse at him. “You don’t need to worry.”
“Miss, I’m sorry, but I have been instructed to let you know that you really can’t be here.”
There are so many ways in which I want to kick off about this, I mean it’s ridiculous. I’m still pissed off that I had my bag stolen, but I say nothing. I don’t want to cause a scene and attract attention.
“Okay, look. I won’t drink a thing. I’m just here to find a friend.”
“Yeah, that’s kinda worse. You just cannot be here…”
He says more but I’m barely listening anymore. Someone over his shoulder has caught my eye and has my heart beat pounding in my mouth. It’s him. Somehow, the long shot paid off and he’s here. I honestly wasn’t sure that it was going to pay off but it has. It’s unbelievable actually, but it’s happened.
Shane Valentine. I narrow my eyes and push past the jobs worth who is just being an annoying asshole. I’m here to find out who the hell you are and I won’t leave here until I get my answers. You’re a mystery, clearly you have secrets, and you don’t seem to exist, but I’m here to unravel you.
I just need to make sure that I keep my head screwed on. That’s the hardest thing around Shane. Not allowing the intense reaction that he inspires in my body to overshadow everything else. I suck in a deep breath and I make my way to him, determination flooding every inch of me.
Chapter Eight – Shane
I suck back a big swig of my drink, a strange sense of boredom overcoming me. Work has been a bitch and I really need something to take the edge off. I can’t have what I really want because ‘I’m done’ so a drink will have to do. But as I sit on the same bar stool I was at when I met her, trying desperately not to look at Tia’s seat, I’m unsettled and uncomfortable. I can’t shake off the feeling that there’s somewhere else I want to be.
“Hey.” At first, I think the soft spoken voice behind me is in my imagination. Not that I’m going crazy or anything, but that the person who’s speaking to me isn’t who I want it to be. “Shane.”
But as I twist my neck around, there she is, looking at me with wide, curious eyes. Beautiful eyes. My heart leaps up into my throat, instantly I react like crazy to her. My cock twitches, needing her.
“Tia. What are you doing here? I’m surprised to see you here again.”
“After what happened last time? Yeah, me too.” She hops up onto the chair next to me, giving me a strong sense of déjà vu. It isn’t exactly the same though because she seemed much quieter last time. “But here I am.”
“Hmmm, why is that?” I rest my chin on my hand. “That’s what makes me curious.”
There is a weird energy between us, a sexual chemistry, surely. But it’s more than that as well. I feel like I’m being challenged, like this is a game of cat and mouse and I don’t know which one I am yet. That puts me on the edge, but in a good way. It’s exciting not to know that I’m on top all the time.
“Do you think I’m here to see you?” She cocks an eyebrow at me. “Well, you would be right about that.”
It seems I’m not done after all. “So, you are here chasing me? That’s interesting.”
She rolls her eyes and smirks. “Yeah, interesting. You could say that.”
I don’t know what to say next which isn’t like me at all, so I grab my drink and take a giant swig. Tia watches me carefully, her eyes seeming to take in every inch of my face. I try to rearrange my features but I don’t quite know what she wants of me so I end up giving up. I don’t know why I’m trying to impress her anyways. I’m the one who is impressed, I don’t need to work hard to make someone like me.