“Why don’t we sit down?” he offered. “You seem like you’re here alone.”
It sounded like an amazing idea, so I nodded. Instead of releasing me completely, he kept one hand on my back as he turned me around and led us to the area with seats. Because nearly everyone seemed to have migrated to the dance floor, there were plenty of empty tables, and he found us one. He had a hand on me until I sat down, but he kept standing.
“Wait right here, and I’ll get you some water, okay?”
Again, I nodded obediently and watched as he walked away. I wondered if he would come back. Surely, guys that looked like he did didn’t come to a club alone, and sure as heck wouldn’t leave alone. Why would he waste time helping me?
Why is he so concerned in the first place?
“Here you go.”
I startled, looking up when a glass was set in front of me. The man was back, and he sat down in the chair close to me, watching me. Assuming he wanted me to drink the water, I lifted the glass and took a few sips, until I realized just how thirsty I was. I drank down the whole glass, then set it back on the table. When I glanced at him, he was smiling at me in approval.
“Now,” he said, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “What is a girl like you doing alone in a place like this?”
My face was still hot, and I was starting to wonder if it wasn’t the alcohol that had my cheeks blushing. I couldn’t tell if this guy was coming on to me, or what exactly he was doing, but the attention was leaving me flustered.
I didn’t do well when I was flustered.
“Yes, I’m by myself,” I snarked. “What does that have to do with you?”
His eyebrows shot up like he was surprised, but then he was chuckling.
“Are you pouting? I just thought I’d help you out. Don’t tell me I’m irritating you instead?”
I sucked in my lips and shot a frown at him. He just continued to look amused.
“I’m going to take a guess and say you don’t come from around these parts,” he said. “But do you have a place to stay?”
I nodded. The club was part of the hotel, so getting back alone wouldn’t be a problem at all. If only my legs hadn't picked the worst time to go weak on me, I might already be there. Though, I couldn’t say I’d rather have that than sit next to an attractive man.
Nothing was going to happen with him, though. I’d had relationships before, just two of them, and one was in high school. I wasn’t a virgin, after the second guy I dated in college, but my focus had never been guys. I didn’t know how to attract them, and when I did, I didn’t know how to act around them.
I could go off to a club, let my hair loose and have some fun, but bring back a man to my room?
No matter how attractive he was, that wasn’t something I dared to do. I could barely look him in the eye, though there was a lot on him to look at, at least. My eyes, especially, kept falling to the place where there should have been a tie to complete his suit. Instead, he wasn’t wearing one, and the top two buttons had been undone, revealing his throat, a hint of collarbone and his toned chest.
“You know,” the man said, and I looked up to see him smirking at me. “You’re way too cute, and you’re even by yourself. Vegas isn’t the place to be wearing a skirt that short and being tipsy by yourself.”
I let out a sound that could have been a squeak, as my back straightened. Even though he was smirking, the look in his eyes was totally serious. I self-consciously tugged at the bottom of my skirt that had ridden up nearly to the tops of my thighs, now that I was sitting down.
I was embarrassed. Then, I was annoyed.
“I didn’t come to Vegas to look for a guy,” I told him, glaring. “And I don’t need some random man I don’t know acting like my mom to me.”
I stood up to walk away, and this time, my legs didn’t betray me. Still, I didn’t get so far, before I felt a hold on my arm. It wasn’t a hard grip. It was gentle, and if I kept walking, the hold would have slipped off. But I paused and turned back to look at him.
He was standing close, reminding me of the height and size difference between the two of us.
“My name is Jake,” he said, sliding his hand down to hold mine. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry if I came off as annoying, but why don’t I take you somewhere to cool off?”
I stared at him with my eyes wide. His hand squeezed gently around mine, and I could tell my fingers were trembling. If I was going by common sense, if I was acting like the usual me, then I would have told him no thanks and walked away. I wasn’t doing that, though. So, I squeezed his fingers back.
“I’m Klara.”
Chapter Two
Jake