Eliana
The club opens at ten, so the girls and I decide to grab dinner first. Taylor takes us to this hip, new seafood place on the beachfront. I’ve missed the ocean, and being out here with a cocktail in my hand is nothing short of exhilarating. Thanks to Marsha driving, I managed to give Braxton the slip. Tay and I agreed to take a cab back.
We remove our shoes, my toes sinking into the warm sand that covers the restaurant floor. We sit in the bar area which has a magnificent view of the sunset over the ocean. It makes me miss Zev and Casey. We’ve spoken over the phone, but Zev’s been a bit distant, and our conversations have felt stilted. Casey had to cancel her trip because she got a call back for a part in an indie film, I wouldn’t possibly want her to miss.
Kiara walks in about an hour later and takes a seat next to me. “Hey, ladies,” she says cheerfully just before a waiter walks over to take her order, speaking above the chatter of the patrons around us.
“He was looking for you,” she whispers a bit too loudly to me.
“Who was?” Taylor leans across the table grinning. “Does our new girl have a secret admirer?”
“More like stalker,” Kiara puffs, her face, scrunching in annoyance.
Taylor and Marsha look at me, concern etched on their faces. “Seriously?” Marsha asks, genuine concern in her eyes.
I sigh. I hate lying, but I know I have no choice. “My ex. He can’t seem to take a hint.” I circle the rim of my wine glass.
“And he’s been shadowing you at the office?” Taylor scoffs.
“He hangs around all day, waiting for her,” Kiara tells our friends. “He is hot though.” She pretends to fan herself. “Whatever happened between you two?”
“We came from different worlds, wanted different things,” I say, all of what I said partially true.
I knock back my second glass of wine then continue, “Brax is complicated, and I don’t have the time or energy for that.”
“You still like him, don’t you?” Tay smirks.
“What? No. Of course not. Whatever it was we had is over now.” My mind drifts back to this morning. The way his scent engulfed me, the feel of his lips pressed against my skin. The way his muscles tensed and the droplets of water that fell from his hair. I suck in a breath. The scary thing is that I wanted it. I wanted him pressed up against me. It’s been the only thing on my mind all day. I have no idea how I’m going to face him, so getting shit-faced with the girls seems a good enough plan for now.
“If you say so,” Marsha winks.
We chat about Joe, Tay’s fiancé, and she tells me about life in New York. I’ve never been to New York, and she promises to invite me to a conference so she can show me around.
Marsha is married to her partner, Jessica. They’re thinking of adopting a baby. Kiara’s single and loving it. I give them titbits of my life, avoiding any mention of my family.
A couple of hours pass, and before I know it, we’re piling into a cab driving to Club Oceana.
The club is trendy and upscale; the kind of place you don’t need to watch your purse in because the staff likely earn as much as you do. Although admission is by invitation only, which is also a bonus, that didn’t stop Kiara from chatting up the bodyguard on our way in. Squeezing through the crowd of dancers, we make a beeline for the bar.
The vibe in here is electric. The gin in my veins makes me want to dance, so I do. Kiara stays with me while Marsha and Taylor sit at a table, trying to have a conversation. The music is like a drug that flows through me, my body moving in time to the beat. I’m in my own world, where controlling fathers and bodyguards I want to fuck don’t exist. That is until hands snake around me and his familiar cologne breaks through the other smells on the dance floor, some good, others not. I lean back against his solid chest and keep moving against him.
“Let’s go.” His voice is breathy against my ear, and I want him to talk to me some more.
I turn around, his gray eyes are dark. I bite my lip and lace my hands around his neck.
“You’re playing with fire, princess,” he leans closer. “And when I say let’s go, we go.”
“I just got here, I am not leaving my friends,” I shout.
“Don’t test me, Eliana.” I look around, and all the three of the women I arrived with are grinning at me from the table. I hadn’t even noticed that Kiara had left the dance floor.
“What you gonna do about it, Brax?” I like how his name sounds when I say it. He must, too, because he smirks down at me, his eyes accepting the challenge I know I’m not quite ready for. He grips my chin with one hand, tilting my head up. We’re inches apart again, and I realize I want him to kiss me more than anything. It’s not the alcohol, it’s so much more. An unbearable desire to know that a man like Braxton desires me. He doesn’t hesitate for much longer as his lips collide with mine, sending a jolt of electricity through me. He’s not gentle. Braxton doesn’t savor this kiss, it’s clear he wants to devour me, his tongue demanding entry. His kiss is desperate, filled with anger, aggression, and a need which matches my own. My hands tangle in his hair, tugging at it as he deepens the kiss, pulling me closer, my body grinding against his. I’ve never wanted a man like I want him. His hands tighten around my waist, and then he stills, smiling against my lips. And I swear, I see stars. I feel that small gesture in every part of my soul.
He breaks away first. I open my eyes meeting his dark ones. He runs a thumb over my lips, and I close my eyes again. I try to walk away, but that’s when I realize he’s cuffed my wrist to his. Everything I just felt sinks along with my stomach. I was such a fool to feel the way I did. He’s my bodyguard, for God’s sake.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I snap.
“Taking you home,” he growls, lacing his fingers through mine.
