Chapter Twenty
I was never much of a party person. I hated the booming music that seemed to reverberate through my chest, and. the suffocating heat of dozens of people packed into a tight room like sardines. Having a sweaty stranger pressed up against you and breathing heavily down your neck was not my idea of a fun evening.
But there I was, squished up between two burly guys who thought it was a good idea to yell over my head instead of trying to get closer to each other. My head was buzzing, my neck was strained, and all I wanted was to get the hell out of here and head home. It was a Saturday night, for crying out loud. I should be in my room, curled up with a Sidney Sheldon classic and listening to nothing but White noise on my headphones.
But Rachel insisted that this was for my own good, and I had already complained enough times. There was no getting out of it anymore.
“Hey,” one of the guys said, placing his hand on my shoulder, “don’t I know your from somewhere?”
“I doubt it,” I replied, twisting my nose as the smell of beer slapped me across the face. For a brief moment, I recoiled as the memory of Marcus returning home drunk and reeking of beer came floating back. But I quickly shook my head and focused on my drink.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you somewhere,” he pressed on, leading closer until his cologne invaded my nostrils. “Are you like an influencer or something?
“Or an Onlyfans model?” his friend suggested, and they both laughed. I was already brimming with rage, wanted to punch both of them in the throat. Instead, I grabbed my drink and moved away from the stairs. Thankfully, they didn’t follow me. And that was the best thing that happened to me that evening.
and I
I walked out of the building quickly, pausing to take a deep breath and calm my agitated nerves. I was already exhausted, and if I had a genie lamp right now, the only thing I would wish for was the power to reappear in my room whenever I wished. Thankfully the noise was somewhat reduced outside. I was able to hear myself think once again, and I had half a mind to just head back home and wash the sweat and grime off my body.
But I wasn’t about to leave Rachel. So I found a bench and sat down, staring up at the night sky and listening to the sun of the city. It was almost midnight, and I had been awake for almost twenty four hours. My boss had recently returned from the Cayman Islands today, so we were stuck at the office reviewing a presentation for a new client, and I still had some finishing touches on the project. Maybe if I told that to Rachel, she would realise that this was enough socialising for the day, and we could start heading home.
“Excuse me,” someone suddenly said behind me, and I turned around to find an unbelievably tall man hovering over me. He was wearing a beanie, and a heavy black coat which made him look larger than life. When I met his gaze, he offered a dazzling smile and gestured to the empty space beside me. “Do you mind if I sit here? My social battery has run out.”
“Sure,” I replied, moving over even though there was plenty of room for him to sit. Somehow, I felt like it wouldn’t be enough, and I still found myself moving to the edge.
“I’m Chris,” he said, offering me his hand.
“Olivia,” I replied, shaking it. I was trying not to stare, which was proving to be difficult because he was unbelievably attractive. His sharp jawline was covered in a light stubble, and his smile could have lit up even the rainiest of days. He was buff, but not in that douche–baggy way that most gym rats were. He looked like he took care of himself, and very often at that. If I had to guess, I would imagine that he was ex–military, or a secret member of the black ops.
I assumed he was going to start talking, but he just sat there and stared at the empty road in front of us. The street was quiet and empty, with the only noise coming from the house behind us. Chris sighed heavily, then pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to me.
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Chapter Twenty
“No, thank you,” I said. “I don’t smoke.”
Neither do 1,” he replied, standing the pack in his coat pocket once again. “I just hang around with a lot of smokers.”
“And you think it’s a good idea to just offer cigarettes to everyone you meet?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, you have to pick the right time,” he said with a slight chuckle. “And no, I don’t do that to everyone. I only offer it to someone who looks like they’re badly in need of smoke.”
“And that’s what I look like right now?”
“I can’t say I blame you,” he said. “It’s so fucking loud in there. And I think I recognize a fellow introvert when I see one. Your social battery must have run out a long time ago, but nobody seems to be taking a hint, right?”
“Something like that,” I sighed.
“Well, a cigarette would help in that situation,” he said. “O so I’ve heard.”
I laughed at that, and it was surprising how easy he was to talk to, He was so effortlessly charming, and there was something about the way he looked at me that made all the blood rush to my head. I felt like I was melting under his gaze, and he didn’t even pretend to look away every few seconds. His eyes just remained fixed on me, and I was forced to look away soon afterwards.
“You’re pretty,” he blurted out suddenly, and I looked up with a confused smile.
“Thank you?”
