I was taken aback the moment I laid eyes on the tall, handsome stranger standing by the car. His presence was magnetic, impossible to ignore. His presence was magnetic, impossible to ignore. His eyes ─ intense and captivating ─ pinned me in place, I simply stared, caught somewhere between admiration and confusion.
He said something ─ sharp, clipped ─ but the pounding bass from the club and the fog of alcohol in my system swallowed his words. I blinked, trying to focus, feeling as if the world around me had tilted slightly off balance.
Before I could make sense of it, another man stepped out of the car, exchanged a quick, unspoken signal with the stranger, and pressed a set of keys into his hand. Without hesitation, the hot stranger opened the car door and gestured for me to get in, his expression brooking no argument.
Still dazed, I slid into the seat, a small shiver trailing down my spine as the door shut behind me. To my surprise, a chauffeur was already waiting inside ─ though calling him just a chauffeur felt wrong. He was distractingly attractive, the kind of man who looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine, not behind the wheel of a car.
Trying to mask my unease, I quickly informed him that Aria would be joining us shortly. I expected him to pause or maybe even get out to look for her, but he simply nodded and, without a word, pulled the car away from the curb.
Confused, I sat back, glancing nervously at the dark streets slipping past the windows. Was this normal? Maybe Aria arranged something ─ a ride for me so she could head to her family's place? It wouldn't be the first time shed played guardian angel after one too many drinks.
Still, something about the whole situation felt off. And yet… as I settled into the seat, my attention drifted back to the man behind the wheel. His hands ─ large, capable ─ gripped the steering wheel with a kind of restrained tension. From the sharp cut of hid jaw to the controlled set of his shoulders, everything about him radiated a quiet, shimmering intensity.
Despite the lingering confusion, I found myself stealing glances at him, unable to help the flicker of curiosity ─ and something warmer ─ that stirred in my chest.
Realizing I might have given the wrong impression earlier, I cleared my throat and clarified, somewhat sheepishly, "actually… I'm in the front, not the back." A ridiculous thing to point out, maybe, but somehow it felt important ─ as if acknowledging the intimacy of our seating arrangement would make the situation less strange.
He didn't react, at least not outwardly. But that didn't stop me from continuing to sneak glances at him, each look only feeding the growing tension twisting low in my stomach.
Then, like an unwelcome tide, memories of max came crashing back ─ sharp, painful, unavoidable. The sting of betrayal clawed at my chest, and the night that had once felt promising now felt hollow.
It didn't matter how attractive the stranger was. No amount of stolen glances could erase the sickening aache of knowing max had cheated, had thrown away everything we had built with casual cruelty. The memory was a wound still too raw, too deep.
Desperate for a distraction, I found myself speaking before I even realized it, my words tumbling out in a messy confession. I told the chauffeur ─ this beautiful, silent man ─ about max, about the lies, the betrayal, the heartbreak. I spoke like the words had been trapped in me, festering, and now, given the smallest crack, they poured out unchecked.
The car came to an abrupt halt, jolting me forward in my seat. I gasped, snapping out of my daze, and turned to look him in alarm.
The chauffeur's face was hard, unreadable. His voice, when it came, was a low, dangerous growl. "shut up, or ill leave you in the middle of nowhere," he said, the words sharp as a blade. There was no mistaking the seriousness in his tone. The intensity of his voice making it clear he was not amused by my story.
Shock rooted me in place. I snapped my mouth shut, feeling my cheeks flame with humiliation. The sudden, oppressive tension filled the car, heavier than before. I shrank back into my seat, my heart hammering in my chest, chastened by his unexpected harshness.
The silence that followed was suffocating. And yet… underneath the embarrassment, another sensation stirred ─ a warmth spreading across my skin, flushing my body in a way that had little to do with shame and everything to do with the charged, volatile air between us.
Maybe it was alcohol, or the heartbreak, or the sheer recklessness coursing through me ─ but before I could second-guess myself, the words slipped from my mouth, low and hesitant.
"would you… like to… uh, y'know?' I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "after everything max did… why not?"
He didn't look at me, but I saw the way his fingers tightened briefly around the steering wheel, a small tell that he had heard ─ and understood.
"why not what?" he asked, his voice neutral, but laced with curiosity.
Feeling emboldened by the flicker of interest I caught in his posture, I leaned in closer, lowering my voice to a sultry murmur. "why not… us? Together," I said, the implication handing heavy between us.
The air grew even thicker, and for a long moment, he said nothing. His silence was a weapon, keeping me suspended in a delicious, maddening suspense.
And still, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.
As the silence lingered, a thick tension coiled in the air between us, growing heavier with every passing second. My heart pounded in my chest, and the soft thrum of the car engine was the only sound filling the charged space. Desperation and defiance warred within me ─ I needed something reckless, something wild, to blot out the ache max had left behind.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned over and pressed my lips against the chauffeur's in a tentative kiss, tasting the salt of his skin and the faint hint of mint? On his breath. The touch was brief, a soft brush that sent a jolt of electricity down my spine.
The car lurched slightly as he slammed on the brakes, his hand gripping the steering wheel tightly. For a breathless moment, neither of us moved. I pulled back, my pulse roaring in my ears, afraid I had overstepped ─ but then I caught the fierce hunger burning in his eyes.
A low, rough curse escaped him ─ "fuck" ─ just before he grabbed me with an urgency that made my breath hitch. His mouth crashed against mine, no longer tentative but demanding, searing away any lingering doubt. His kiss was all heat and desperation, consuming me completely.
He tugged me onto his lap with a roughness that thrilled me, his hands roaming over my thighs, my hips, pulling me closer as if he couldn't bear even an inch of distance between us. My fingers found his hair, tangling there as I kissed him back with equal fervor, needing the oblivion he offered.
I moaned softly into his mouth, the sound swallowed by the force of our kiss. Every nerve in my body felt raw and hypersensitive, every brush of his hands sending sparks across my skin. For a few wild seconds, nothing else existed except the heat between us and the wild beating of my heart.
But then, just as suddenly, he pulled away.
Breathing hard, he carefully lifted me off his lap and set me back into the passenger dseat, the loss of his touch making me shiver. His hands were steady, almost gentle, as he buckled the seatbelt around me with a sharp, decisive click. His eyes, when they dangerous.
He lingered for a moment, his hand still resting lightly on my shoulder, as if torn between restraints and giving in again. His voice was low, hoarse, as he warned, "don't regret this decision."
The weight of his words hit me, heavy with meaning, I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how far I'd stepped out of my safe, familiar world.
Before I could respond, he turned back to the road, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and we sped off into the night ─ two strangers caught in a storm of emotion, and reckless need.