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CHAPTER 2 – Night Out Encounter
Never had Skai been so brazen, at least not in a way that rendered a man speechless.
Dumbfounded to say the least.
She picked up the look of surprise that stiffened his all-too-perfect face, and despite his dazed state, he was unbelievably attractive.
His eyes glinted like two emeralds hiding under dark lashes too long to be owned by a man. They were the greenest eyes she had ever seen.
His lush hair was silky, dark brown with curls obscuring his right eye and tapering just above his shoulders. It was tousled with unruly waves, making him look even more daintily masculine.
Probably standing at six-four, he possessed broad shoulders, and a body so toned she could see the flexes of his muscles teasing her eyes from the sky-blue shirt he had on.
His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, confirming and revealing thick forearms with visible veins running down like vines. That and the first two buttons of his shirt left undone, Skai caught a glimpse of his finely toned chest.
His face was strong with square cheekbones and a beautifully angled jaw that revealed a cleft chin.
Never had she seen a man look beautiful in such a wild, sinister and very... austere way that the word handsome seemed too mild to be used on him.
"So?" Skai lifted a brow at his prolonged silence. "Can I?" she asked, tipping her chin towards the stool.
"Of course," he said, gesturing at it. "If I'm to kiss you, you will not want to do it on your feet."
Scrunching a brow, she wondered what he meant as she eased herself on the stool and gazed at him. Was he implying he was a terrific kisser?
She let her eyes settle on his wide-set lips, curved with a tinge of condescension and wicked amusement.
"Why?" he asked, his deep voice resounding like a gushing spring, dark and mellifluous.
"Why what?" Skai asked, shifting on her seat and hiding away the flushed effect of his voice on her.
His green eyes were a perusing set, staring at her with unnerving intensity as he gave his response calmly, "Why would you want to kiss a stranger?"
He wasn't counting his words, but he spoke so slowly in a way that befitted him and flustered her.
Skai shifted once more and composed herself. "Because it's something I want to take off my list," she replied honestly.
Seeing the slight furrow of surprise or confusion on his brow — she couldn't tell which it was exactly but added nonetheless, "It's a birthday wish list."
"Oh," he gave a smile and added, "Happy birthday."
Skai blushed. "Thank you." Her cheeks slightly burned at the appealing smile touching his lips.
"Let me buy you a drink then." He turned to signal to the bartender.
Quickly she declined his generous offer, "No, you don't have to."
"Of course, I do have to. Birthdays are happy occasions, a celebration of life and experiences. Not many are opportune to have it," he stated, signalling the bartender, who sauntered over.
"Your order, my lady?" the bartender asked, and Skai found her gaze fixated on his face. She blinked and looked towards the bartender then placed her order.
"Thank you," she said turning to him.
"You're welcome. Anything to celebrate mortality."
She peered at him through her lashes, but her attention was distracted when her drink was served.
He raised his glass for a toast and she followed suit. "To beautiful and memorable ageing," he cheered and Skai nodded, clinking her glass with him.
Lifting their glasses to their lips, she peeked from the rim of her glass and was surprised to see him staring at her, not his wine.
There was a wildness in his eyes that felt awkwardly strange, but not in a spooky way. It felt... daring and exciting.
He slowly set down his glass and she did the same, waiting for his reply to her request while peering silently at her.
"So this list of yours," he said breaking the silence between them, "what else is there in it?" he inquired.
Quelling the feeling of mortification his question spurred, she answered. "Nothing much. Just a dance, a kiss and your number."
There was no way Skai was adding the fourth, even though something strange in her was stirring her to.
A lopsided smile tugged on his lips and he regarded with a look that seemed like he knew there had been a lie behind her words.
"Your list is relatively small, I must say."
Skai thought differently. Everything on that was things she hadn't done and had never imagined doing to a stranger, until now.
"So, what do you say? Will you fulfil my wishes?" she tentatively asked, hiding the note of anxiety shadowing her voice.
He lolled back against the small backrest of his seat as he raised his glass to his lips once more. His eyes bored at her with an intensity that sent tingles down her spine.
Never had anyone looked at her with such unfathomable intent.
He lowered his glass, his eyes not leaving her. "The thing is, I don't grant wishes," he specified.
She puckered a brow. He wasn't turning her down, was he?
The thought of it made her somewhat ruffled as she realized how shamelessly bold she had been.
What was she thinking agreeing to this? She wasn't like her friends, who could flirt and be boldly provocative.
She should have known this was a bad idea.
A wave of mortification surged through her as she lowered her head, furtively trying to curtain her shame and red-stained cheeks away with her hair.
"I—" She attempted to say, slowly raising up her head to him, but her words cut off when she saw the glint in his eyes. It was predatory and entrancing.
"I don't grant wishes because they're finite."
Finite?
He nodded as if aware of the question she had muttered to herself.
Her eyes shifted towards his hand as he traced it along the rim of his glass. They darted back to his face as he continued.
"I'm more inclined towards desires, because they're insatiable, and the pursuance of one, leads to the awakening of many others."
Skai pondered on his words and then lifted her gaze at him.
"If desires are insatiable, isn't it safe to be more inclined with having wishes? There is a sense of fulfilment in having one's goals and wishes fulfilled. So why go after something that keeps you only wanting?"
He watched her prove a point but she was nowhere near done. "And I don't think there's really much difference between the words."
His lips curved with a smile and his eyes gleamed with amusement. "The difference is the craving, and the fear in knowing you'd only want more is a thrill in itself," he darkly answered.
"If I am to touch you, I'll want to have you, and if I kiss your lips," he lowered his eyes to her lips and Skai instinctively pushed her nether lip between her teeth.
"I'll kiss so much more you'll run out of breath. It's a sickness my dear, an incurable one."
His voice lowered at the rest of his words, and Skai wondered if he had said it to her or to himself.
She couldn't tell because somewhere in her stomach his words had stirred up a heat in her, and his lingering gaze on her lips and neck was sending the heat in surging over her.
"So what do you say?"
"Huh?" Lost, Skia blinked several times to get her mind working again.
A low grunt escaped his lips as he lowered his head tirelessly but what a handsome daredevil he was.
"After all, you will learn to love it. So desires and not wishes."
Her eyes held her confusion loud and clear. It was almost impossible to not want to do something at that moment.
Scoffing a bit, he smiled and threw another offer at her. "How well can you dance?" he asked, surprising Skai, who had thought he would turn her down.
That would have been mortifying, and she didn't want to think about it.
Casually affecting a shrug, she replied. "Enough to tick a wish off my list."
'Interesting,' he mused inwardly.
His perusing eyes studied her for a moment that stretched out for an eternity before he spoke up again. "Let's see how inclined you're to fulfil these wishes… I mean desires of yours."
Skai's slightly eyes widened, but she quickly composed herself. "Are you saying yes?" she asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.
A charming smile edged on his lips. "You seem surprised?"
Skai quickly shook her head. "Not really. I'm just…" She trailed off and shook her head again. "Never mind."
His smile broadened, slightly softening his face. He clambered down from his seat.
"Shall we?" He held out a hand to her, and Skai lowered her eyes to it, surprised he was really taking her to dance.
That meant he'd kiss too.
While that thought sent a thud through her heart, she drew a furtive breath and slipped her hand into his as he helped her out of her chair.
Her fingers zinged at the touch of his hand against hers, as crackles of electricity had jolted under her skin.
He clamped her hand in his, drawing her attention towards it, and with no hesitation he steered them towards the dance floor and her legs followed willy-nilly.
Briefly dashing her head towards her friends, she caught them waving, but she jolted when he spun her around and slammed her body against his, pressing her back to his firm chest and abs.
Burning heat stirred from the depth of her stomach, when he leaned toward her ear.
"Hold your breath sweetheart. You're going to need it," he whispered into her ear, his hot breath making the air on her neck stand.
Feeling warped in a daze, Skai tried to follow his lead as they danced to the music booming across the club. But try as she may, she felt muddled.
The beat of the music enveloped the club, pulsating through the walls, the floor, and into the bodies of the patrons.
Among them, a young man and woman swayed to the rhythm, their gazes locked in a flirty conversation that was both playful and sensual.
As he moved in closer, his hand on the small of her back, she giggled, sending shivers up his spine. He leaned in, their bodies now pressed close enough to feel the heat emanating from one another.
The press of her body against his, the touch of his hands and the musky scent emanating so powerfully from him and coupled with the blazing gaze of desire she could see in his eyes, stirred a pit of unrecognizable emotions in her.
"You're such a tease," he whispered into her ear, causing her to bite her lip in response. "But I like it."
She turned her head, her eyes meeting his with a look that conveyed both desire and mischief. "Oh, I know you do," she replied, her voice low and sultry and her new confidence—obviously from the alcohol.
As the music shifted, they lost themselves in the moment, their bodies swaying and grinding in perfect sync. Every touch, every movement, was electric, igniting a fire that burned hotter with each passing second.
In the midst of the frenzy, he leaned in and whispered into her ears, "Wasn't I supposed to get something?"
Skai's brows furrowed. "Huh, you were to give, remember? Give and take."
"Ha, but then, I gave. I bought the drink which means, you owe me something."
Skai's eyes gleamed, filled with desire as he called it. They were getting ahead and she could feel the connection get deeper as her heartbeat raced nonstop in her chest.
"Kiss me," he enunciated and lifted his brows playfully.
Still, that was not enough for her to give in. Not yet though, she was gathering her confidence, after all, it wasn't supposed to play this way.
"I promise I won't bite," he said in a sultry tone earning him a giggle from her. "I'm serious. Kiss me."
The look in his eyes turned stern yet inviting as his hold on her waist tightened, pressing her body to his. Her lips parted slightly. She took one look around and mentally pushed herself.
It was just a kiss, after all, nothing much.
Her eyelids fluttered to a close as she pressed her lips to his, feeling the softness of his lips on hers. It wasn't much but the second their lips met, he felt sparks ignited in him.
Skai was about to pull back when he reacted and returned the kiss.
His lips were soft and firm, and as he moved them against hers, she felt herself getting lost in the sensation.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer, savouring the heat of his body and the feel of his lips on hers.
It was slow but filled with passion and when his fingers moved up at her side, it caused Skai to gasp, parting her lips slightly.
He took hold of the opportunity and slid his tongue in, tasting the sweetness of her mouth mixed with the grape wine she had and pressed against her tongue.
Shocked by how sweet and gentle his kiss was, Skai found herself reciprocating it.
For a moment, nothing else existed but the two of them lost in a dance of passion that seemed to transcend time and space.
When they finally pulled away, both were breathless and as they looked into one another's eyes, each knew that this connection was more than just a dance floor fling.
It was an irresistible force that had brought them together, and they both knew that they would follow it wherever it led.
A couple of heartbeats later, he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. Soon they forgot their dance as his finger caressed the side of her face.