Chapter 6

On Monday I'm dragging to classes, not really paying as much attention as I should, but I couldn't really concentrate after Friday evening. I wasn't able to fall asleep for a while after and all I could think of was his deep voice insinuating fucking me in my car.

And that just kept going since then. So today I was a mess. Again. I am the kind of person who really loves her sleep and not getting enough of it makes for an incredibly annoyed person. An incredibly annoyed horny person. Luckily, I didn't have to go to work today, and I planned on taking it easy once getting home.

During my lunch break, I met with Mike for coffee and a sandwich at one of my favourite restaurants. Mike is a really sweet boy, well, almost a man now, and looking more handsome with every day. I couldn't wrap my head around him being eighteen already. We talked about his school and future plans - not one of his favourite topics, but at least he talked about them with me. He wanted to study Computer Science and I really tried to encourage him in doing so. He was extremely bright and dedicated as long as he puts his mind to it.

Since he was a kid he never shared much of his feelings and growing up all of it just intensified. I was always happy when he gave me those small bits and pieces of what's going on in his head and I was glad to see that he was doing okay. After the initial shock, he actually realized he liked Brian and wanted him to marry his mum. Well, he didn't explain it in so many words, but it was a fair sum-up of his thoughts.

Happy to finally have time to catch up, I gave him a tight hug before we went our separate ways.

When I finally got home later that day I fell dead in bed, sleeping for two hours straight. I woke up fresher and slightly more ready to take on the world. My dreams were a bit blurry, but I still remembered seeing the deep green eyes looking at me with that raw intensity. I can’t escape him even in my dreams.

Hanna was busy the whole weekend, so I didn't get out of her what was happening on her Friday date. I was more than curious; she usually doesn't forget to mention if she's meeting someone.

This cleared my agenda to finally call Becca and face a hundred questions from her side.

She picked up after the second ring and we fell in a nice chat, just going through the daily stuff and me mentioning I've hung out with Mike. At last, she couldn't hold herself back any longer.

"So.... How was with Jake yesterday? I feel there is more to the story than you are telling me."

And since there was really no escaping it, I gave her a thorough sum up from the coffee shop incident to our intense conversation the other night. After the initial shock, her feelings were mixed about the whole situation, because she likes Jake and thinks he is an amazing person and friend, but she believes he is really bad at the whole serious-relationship thing. Which I already assumed without her saying it.

No matter all the alarms going off in my head, I couldn't get him off my mind. It was ridiculous. Not even with Scott was I obsessing about a guy that much. He just had a way to get under my skin and I think Becca felt it. Which is why she had the need to express her worries and warn me away from him. I tried to persuade her, and me at that point, that I'm not taking this further and won't probably see him much anyway, so there is really nothing to be worried about.

I mean, I haven't met the guy until now, how much chance is there to bump into him all the time from now on, right?

---

It's Friday night and there are Halloween parties happening all over the city.

Becca and I with a couple of other friends decided to hit the clubs, put on costumes, drink and let off some steam. We planned on checking out the recently opened nightclub The X that was the main attraction at the moment and the in place to go. All the girls met at our friend Amy's house where we dressed up and had a few drinks to set up the mood. There is nothing like a girl's night out.

I was wearing a black Gothic dress with a silky black lace corset that squeezed my waist and showed off my cleavage in just the right amount of sexy but not slutty. At least that was what I was aiming for. I made my hair straight and let it fall freely down my open back and I covered half of my face with a sensual black mask that made me just a tad bit mysterious and harder to recognize. We were all wearing Gothic theme dresses and all five of us looked smoking hot.

I was looking forward to getting a bit intoxicated; I needed the distraction more than ever. Jake was still on my mind every free second I had and I haven't even seen him or heard about him since that time at Becca's apartment. Yep, I definitely needed the distraction of my best girls.

When we arrived there the club was already packed and everything around us was buzzing with laughter, drinking, and moving bodies on the dance floor. With all the people wearing masks the atmosphere was just enough funny and creepy that we got in the zone immediately.

It was a nice modern place consisting of two floors. On one floor small beige couches were pushed to the walls with dark club tables in front of them, which left plenty of space for a giant dance floor in the middle that was currently packed with dancing bodies. On the other side of the dance floor was a long bar stretching almost from one side of the room to another and bartenders were working their magic with mixing cocktails and putting shots in front of their customers. The club gave an attractive electric vibe and it just begged you to join the hype.

We started with ordering shots at the bar with some creepy Halloween names that none of us actually knew what they were made of. Soon I was feeling pretty buzzed and came to the stage where I was a completely relaxed, out-going, funny version of myself. I love this version; it doesn't show its face much in my everyday life.

The night was progressing well, we were having a blast, dancing our asses off, flirting with strangers, and getting loads of attention from everyone with our group costumes. I felt young, attractive, drunk and it was exactly what I needed.

Until my eyes caught something familiar skimming over one end of the bar. There was something about the tall dark figure of a man standing there that made my senses hyperaware... No way, it can't be him. Please, just not him.

He turns his head slightly and I can see the shape of his jaw and his full lips moving while talking with someone in front of him. His black dress shirt is rolled up on his muscular forearms and he kept two top buttons open, giving a sexy edge to his look. My knees literally buckled when I took in his whole appearance.

While I was ogling him, he looked up and stopped with his eyes on me for a bit too long, but probably didn't recognize me when his eyes dropped back to the person he was conversing before. I realized now that it was a tall skinny brunette with a dress that barely covered her ass and every time he said something to make her laugh, she managed to touch his arm or put a hand on his chest. Can she be any more obvious?

At that moment something in me awoken, something dangerously close to jealousy, and the alcohol buzzing through my veins was totally to blame for what I did next.

My intoxicated brain decided I'm having a bit of fun today and showing the flirty side of me for a change. I asked the girls if they want any more drinks and with their orders made my way through the crowd to the end of the bar where he was standing. To my big surprise he stepped behind the bar when I reached there and started mixing a drink for him and his "lovely" company, I presumed.

I wasn't sure if he recognized me since the mask was covering most of my face, but when he saw me standing there, waiting to give my order and didn't acknowledge me in any way, I deduced he didn't know who I am. This triggered me to become a blunter, daring version of myself. I leaned over the bar, getting as close to him as possible and said in a seductive voice,

"What does a girl have to do to get her order taken here?"

He looked up, his eyes roaming around my face, down my neck, stopping on my cleavage, and then retracing his steps back up to my eyes, not a trace of embarrassment on his face for checking me out so bluntly. His lips pulled in a smile, that damn dimple smile before he answered.

"A girl who looks like you shouldn't have a problem getting her order taken by anyone. However, taking orders is not my thing, in any aspect of my life, so you'll have to try your luck with someone else."

His smug answer and beautiful eyes astounded me for a bit, making me forget my words momentarily. I'm so out of my league here. I guess his sexual energy mixed with an ego attitude compels women. I can't deny I find it compelling. A lot. And by the look the brunette is giving me over there, she is on the same page.

When I didn't reply anything he just winked at me, a huge grin plastered on his face and turned around with drinks in his hands, finding his way back to his slutty friend. Oh god, I just called a person I don't know slutty; even if just in my head. Ugh, he really knows how to push my buttons.

Nevertheless, the drunk me wasn't satisfied with his answer and I wanted to have the last word. I took the drink I finally received from another bartender and with drinks in my hand made my way towards Jake.

The chick he was talking to was having her back to me and when I saw her put her hand on his chest for the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes, I gritted my teeth. What is wrong with me? The rational part of my brain (or sober for that matter) was temporarily not working when I decided to take my next step.

In an instant moment of pure stupidity and adrenaline, I turned in the direction of him and the woman when she unexpectedly opened her arms in an animated discussion, bumping me in the process. The content of my drinks spilled all over the back of her pink dress and the impact of my collision made her spill her drink on the sleeve of Jake's black shirt. Oh my god! This is just getting from bad to worse.

I apologized to her as genuine as my jealous drunk mouth was capable of even though internally I enjoyed the moment a little too much.

She was in shock, gaping at me with open mouth, probably deciding if she wants to yell at me or slap me. But let’s not forget it was actually her fault in the first place. Or at least this is what my hazy brain was trying to convince me of.

Jake's eyes jumped from me to her in surprise while wiping the liquid from his sleeve, and I saw amusement tugging at the corner of his lips. I turned back to the girl with a smirk on my face.

"I would ask your date to bring you another drink, but you see, he really doesn't like to take orders from anyone. Maybe if my dress would just barely cover my ass, I would have more luck."

Again, what the f am I doing?

I turn around without looking at Jake and head straight back to our group. I hear her yelling something after me but I don't bother listening. I put the remaining of the drinks on our table, and go in search of Hanna to tell her what an idiot I am for doing what I just did. Maybe she will force some sobriety back into my immature brain.

Just when I'm about to head in the direction of our girls dancing in the middle of the dance floor, an arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back, pressing my back to the torso of a man that envelopes me in a smell of cologne all too familiar. The smell that will be the death of me one of these days.

He pulls me away from our table to a less crowded corner and before I manage to turn around I feel his head dipping and his mouth hovering next to my ear.

"Hello, Jessica, a pleasure seeing you again."

I spun around, unwrapping his arm from around my waist and look up at his stark green eyes. They were shining with intensity and something I couldn't really figure out.

"Oh, so you do know who I am. I thought your rudeness is reserved for women in general."

"I've never been rude to you, just blunt with my opinion of you. And I knew who you were from the moment I saw you on the other side of the bar. Regardless of the mask on your face, your plump lips and insane body are hard to forget."

How does he do that? Making me swoon even when I’m mad at him.

The familiar tingle spread through my body and without even noticing I leaned a little closer, feeling the energy crackling between us. "And the next time you want my attention you don't need to sabotage my dates."

My mouth opened in shock. He was flat out mocking me, pure male satisfaction written on his face letting me know he saw right through my intentions in the first place.

"Oh, but this was a complete accident," I answered sweetly, flashing my smile at him that was reciprocated with his grin, "and I don't know how would you remember my lips when you've seen them only twice."

His smile slowly turned predatory and his expression got more intense at my words, his lids lowering dangerously. He looked deep into my eyes and with such intensity, I literally shivered under his stare. He has the most penetrating eyes I've ever seen and they honestly change color when he changes his mood.

"Baby, I'll make sure neither of us forgets our lips from this moment on."

Without giving me time to even register his reply he puts one hand around my waist, pulling me flush to his chest while the other wraps around my hair, pulling our heads only inches apart.

And then it happened. He closed the distance between us and pressed his hard mouth to mine.

I swear my whole body ignited with his touch. He had amazing full lips and the electricity between us just doubled at our touch. He tugged on my lower lip with his teeth, demanding from me to open my mouth and let him continue his hot assault. Even though I wanted to appear unaffected, at that moment I couldn't form one coherent thought. My lips parted and he slipped his tongue inside my mouth, intertwining our tongues.

He tasted of mint and whiskey and it was the most intoxicating combination. I melted, pressing my chest closer, and moaned at the friction of our bodies touching. If he got me so freaking turned on with only a kiss, I couldn't imagine how mind-blowing sex with him would be.

I forgot where we were, that there are literally hundreds of people around us, including my friends. When I felt his erection straining against his pants and pressing to my belly a small moan escaped my lips and I wanted to jump him right there and then.

I sucked on his tongue, pulling him closer and deeper, pushing my hand through his dark, slightly wavy hair and tug on it. He groaned in return, deepening the kiss, his hand starting to lower down to my bottom.

In the middle of the haze my brain was in at that moment, I heard someone calling my name. It penetrated through my lust, and the place and people slowly started to trickle back in, making me aware of the situation I am in. I'm kissing and basically dry-humping Jake, who is obviously seeing Serena and is here with another chick, and I'm doing it in the front of a full club.

My body tensed and I knew he felt it when his grip on me tightened, not willing to let me go. I broke the kiss abruptly and pushed him away from me regardless. He was still holding my hand, not loosening his grip, breathing heavily and looking at me with questioning eyes.

"I can't believe you just did this. In front of a whole club. And you are obviously here with some woman, and then there is also Serena. How do you keep up with all the women in your life?"

My voice was laced with anger and I shrug out of his grip before he could protest. "I'm sorry for what happened earlier with the drinks, I was being stupid. But I already told you, I'm not interested in your games."

"Sweetheart, you need to stop lying to yourself and admit you are just as much attracted to me as I am to you. And stop making assumptions about me when you don't know me at all." His tone became angry, which pissed me off even more. With his man-whore behavior, who does he think he is? "But I'm really in no mood for you ruining my evening, so go and enjoy with your friends and your childish behavior, and I will go back to my date. See you around, Jessica."

He turned around on his heels, not giving me a chance to reply and clearly not wanting to hear it either. Again his demeanor did a 180 in a span of minutes.

I was trying to hold on to the fact that he was a player and no matter what he was implying, he couldn't deny being involved with more than one woman. And I was determined to never again be someone's second option or third for that matter. Still, I couldn't ignore my lips tingling from that outraging all-consuming kiss that put all other till now to shame.

Our little confrontation sobered me up quickly. In the back of my mind, I felt something like remorse waking up for acting so stupid. I really didn't want my night to finish like this, again stood up and miserable by this impossible man.

So I went back to my friends and decided to just forget about the whole incident. When I saw all their eyes on me I knew they saw what happened, but I avoided talking about completely. Hanna gave me a worried look when seeing my obvious distress, but I shrugged it off, declaring I need more shots.

I decided to lift my mood and not letting my night be ruined, so Hanna, Amy, and I headed to the bar for some drinks. I didn't even contemplate analyzing the fact something stirred in me when I could see Jake standing next to the pretty brunette again.

After three shots my mood marginally improved and accepted the possibility of this night ending with my head down the toilet. Not that I cared at the moment. I wanted to get Jake out of my mind and that was the way I determined to do it. Let's forget the fact that it was almost impossible to forget a man like Jake.

We all went back to the dance floor and decided to dance our night away. Hanna kept on checking me for any sign of distress, but I gave her the best smile I've had and promised to talk about it tomorrow. She knew something was happening, but I didn't have the time to tell her what happened with us the last time we were together, or rather I didn't want to discuss him in hope of forgetting all about it. I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid it anymore from today on. She obviously saw us kissing.

Leaving this aside we went all out on dancing. After a few songs, I genuinely started enjoying and letting the music take over my body.

Some guys approached us and we let them in our circle, deciding some fun is harmless. One of them got closer and put a hand around my waist, pulling me in front of his tall body. He was probably my age and kind of good-looking, a bit taller with a nice lean body and a cute smile. But I felt nothing comparing to what Jake made me feel. He was probably with the brunette who knows where anyway, so there is no harm in having some fun myself.

I let the cute guy pull me even closer and I put my arms around his neck, his leg somehow landing between my legs. Our moves became sexier and even though I knew I didn't want to take this further, I let him get all touchy on me. I don't know exactly why I did it but at that moment I just wanted to erase the picture of Jake kissing me and then leaving to go to his slutty date. My rational side was telling me that I was the one who pushed him away, but I couldn't help if I was so stupidly attracted to him.

So the guy in front of me was a perfect distraction from my thoughts.

Our dance became more and more intimate and I saw the knowing looks my friends were sending me. Hanna though was shooting me a puzzled look and I tried to reassure her by nodding and smiling. After a while, she relaxed as well and continued dancing with one of the guys that joined us.

I looked up at the guy, trying to figure out if I actually find him cute, but he got a wrong impression when seeing my angled face. He leaned down and pressed his mouth firmly against mine. His lips were soft, too soft, and I just couldn't help but compare them to the one I tasted just a while back.

He started pushing his tongue against my closed lips, but before I could react to the kiss that I had every intention of stopping, someone grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from the guy.