“A Singapore Sling.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Unusual drink.”
I smiled. “Unusual girl.”
He smirked again, showing me his dimples. “Yes, so it seems.”
Based on his smile, I didn’t think we meant it in the same way but it didn’t matter—for one night I would be Mary the temptress, the woman who didn’t shy away from her desire.
Tonight, ‘Ava the dork’ would not exist.
“You don’t belong here,” I let out as we waited for our drinks.
He let out a startled laugh. “I’m not entirely sure what you mean by that, but based on the young men in skinny jeans clumsily trying to get into all the girls' pants, I’m going to take it as a compliment.”
I nodded. “It was,” I admitted. I was not sure this man belonged anywhere I went, to be honest. He transpired power and charisma like no one I’d ever met before.
The barman brought our drinks over and I tried to relax a little beside him.
He turned sideways on his stool, blatantly studying me, and I looked down at my dress, making sure that my bra was not showing or that I wasn’t flashing him my underwear by accident.
“I don't think you belong here either,” he finally let out, as if it was a certainty.
He was spot on though; it was my first and probably last time in this club. I had not gone clubbing since Uni and after eight months of staying at home in my PJ’s, I’d finally given in and agreed to one night out. Maybe it had been a good idea.
“Don’t I?”
He shook his head. “I’ve had the time to look at you unnoticed.”
That was creepy, and the way he let that out, as if it was normal behavior. It should have raised all sorts of red flags in my head. So why was the shiver going down my spine caused by desire instead of fear?
“You were very uncomfortable, and the way you looked around? You wanted to be anywhere but here.”
“Oh, was it so obvious?”
He cocked his head to the side, pondering the question. “For someone who knows how to observe? What to look for? Yes.”
“Are you like a profiler or something?”
He laughed again. “No, nothing that exciting. I’m just an observant businessman. It’s a real advantage in the boardroom.”
“What are you doing here then?” I pointed to the crowd. “As you probably see yourself this is not a business-centered establishment.”
“No, you’re right.” He sighed, taking another sip. “It was a long day of work and difficult negotiations.” He pointed behind him. “I’m staying at the hotel across the road and I just wanted to have a drink outside, somewhere I knew I wouldn’t run into my colleagues.”
“Ah.” I took a sip; it all made sense.
“I came here for just one drink and then I saw you and I was mesmerized.”
I looked down at my drink, feeling a blush staining my cheeks. I was not the best at receiving compliments.
He laughed. “Don’t pretend to be shy, you know you’re gorgeous.”
I looked at him, startled. He thought it was an act.
Looking closely at me, he frowned. “You must know,” he muttered as if he was talking to himself. He brought his hand closer, running his fingers through the long and wavy black hair I’d inherited from my Iranian mother. “Your hair is just as silky as it looks.” He let go of my hair to run his fingers softly up from the column of my neck to my jawline, barely touching my skin with his fingertips but still leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
“This flawless face,” he continued, bringing his fingers up my cheek and down the line of my straight nose. “Those lips,” he added, running the pad of his thumb over the fleshy part of my bottom lip. “Those lips,” he repeated as if he was hypnotized. “Full, red and sensual.” He pressed his thumb a little to slip just past the opening. “I would give up my fortune just to see them wrapped around my cock.”