Arianna found herself caught between the lure of distraction and the unyielding weight of her broken heart. Every laugh, every sip of whiskey, and every flirtatious glance from the stranger whose name she hadn't even asked for felt like a temporary balm to the raw wound inside her.
The music pulsed in the background, the lights flashing across the room with the rhythm of the music, and for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to get lost in the moment. The air was thick with different thoughts going through her mind; in the quiet corners of her mind, the image of Mason tangled in the sheets with Ivy refusing to let go. She was standing at the bar now, her drink almost gone, when the man leaned closer, his presence intoxicating in a way that wasn't just about the alcohol.
His dark eyes held something unreadable, but there was a sharpness there, an intensity that kept her attention. He wasn't the kind of man she typically found herself drawn to, though, too poised, too self-assured—but tonight, she felt reckless, like she was craving something that could pull her out of her thoughts, something to make her forget everything.
"I didn't get your name," Arianna said, the words slipping out without much thought. She turned to face him fully, feeling the sudden warmth spreading through her chest, though she couldn't quite tell if it was from the drink or from him. He smirked seductively, the corner of his mouth curving into a knowing smirk, indented to show her as he studied her every move. "You can earn for it," he replied consciously," his voice teasingly ."But if you're eager, I can tell you.
"she raised her brows "And why would you tell me? "Because you look like a curious person ," he said, his voice steady, as though he'd seen right through her. She swallowed, not sure what to say. "And will you be my distraction? "Depends on your performance," he answered."
I can offer something a little more real. Arianna blinked, her breath catching in her throat. There was mystery in his words, which always makes her crave to know him. She wasn't sure whether she should be drawn in by it or put off by it, but at that moment, she didn't care. For the first time in hours, she felt something else—a flicker of desire, of wanting something, someone, to pull her out of the shadows of betrayal and something to make her alive.
"You don't know me," she said softly, a half-smile tugging … at her lips. She could feel the tension between them, crackling like electricity in the air. "And you don't know me either, so it doesn't matter, kitten? " he responded in a distractive way, making her shiver. "Yes, that's for the best, don't you think? No expectations, no strings, just you and I in our own world. For the first time in her life, Arianna wasn't sure whether to give in or to escape away. Part of her wanted to get close to him, but she reminded herself that she wasn't the kind to look for a fleeting escape in the arms of a stranger. But another part of her, one that had been buried beneath grief and betrayal, wanted to lean into the moment, to lose herself, to feel something that wasn't pain.
Before she could make up her mind, he gestured toward the dance floor, where the crowd swayed in time with the music. "Come dance with me," he said, his voice calmly as if to coax her . Arianna hesitated, looking around at the throng of people, at the flashing lights, the loud beats around them. She could feel the uncertainty creeping back in, but the desire to just escape it all was stronger. "Okay," she said, her voice softer than she intended. Without wasting time , he took her hand, his touch warming against her skin.
They sneak through the busy crowd, the lights flashing in quick bursts of colors as they made their way to the center of the dance floor. As soon as they reached an open space, he pulled her close. Arianna's body reacted instinctively, her heartbeat quickening as his hands settled at her waist. The music enveloped them, the deep bass reverberating through her chest, and she let herself move with it, focusing only on the rhythm, on the sway of her hips, on the way his hands guided her. She could feel his gaze on her, and when she looked up, she met his eyes—dark, unreadable, but intense. The tension between them was palpable, and yet, there was a strange comfort in the anonymity of it all today she wasn't the Arianna everyone knows, she wasn't the woman who was betrayed a few days to her wedding, she wasn't the woman whose life shattered, hours ago.
Tonight, she was just another person on the dance floor, moving to the beat of the music, her body caught in the rhythm of the night. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. "You're quite good," he murmured. Arianna's skin tingled at the compliment, and she couldn't help but smile. "Thanks," she replied, her voice teasing. "You're not bad yourself. "He chuckled, the sound rich and smooth. "I try
." The song shifted, and the crowd seemed to pulse in time with the beat. Arianna felt a surge of energy, her body responding to the music, to the man in front of her, to the night that seemed to stretch on forever. She lost herself in it, forgot about the betrayal, about everything that had weighed so heavily on her shoulders. The music slowed, the tempo shifting into something softer, The crowd around them seemed to blur as she and the man remained, locked in a slow, steady dance. His hands slid to her lower back, pulling her closer, his solid body pressed against hers. She could feel the heat fuming between them, the electricity sparking with every slight movement. He looked down at her, his expression unreadable.
"Do you want to leave?" he asked quietly .Arianna's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure what she wanted to hear, but the question caught her off guard. She wasn't sure if she was ready to leave, but the idea of being alone with him again made her heart jumped. she trailed off, searching for the right words, but they didn't come. She didn't know what she wanted, not really. He didn't press her, his hands gentle as they rested on her hips.
The silence between them was comfortable; Arianna found herself wondering how long it would take before this stranger would disappear from her life as quickly as he had appeared. And yet, a part of her didn't care. She wasn't looking for anything that involved emotional attachment. "Let's go," she finally gave in, her voice softly .
The man's lips curled into a mischievous smile, a look of approval crossing his face. "He echoed, before pulling her toward the exit. Arianna followed him, feeling a strange sense of freedom, her mind still tangled in a thousand thoughts. Whatever this night turned out to be, it was a moment. And for the first time in a long time, she was ready to take a chance with the mysterious stranger.