24

They made their way back to the VIP. She released his hand, made her way to the server, and asked for another drink to be brought to her. Now the skirmish was over, she was feeling decidedly less happy than she had prior to going to the bathroom. She avoided Isaias’ gaze and moved to sit on one of the tall bar stools near a tall table overlooking the dance floor and stared down.

Warm hands pressed to her shoulders while his lips touched her cheek, “are you okay?”

“Nothing my sister hasn’t come at with before.”

“It’s not what I asked,” he moved to stand in front of her, “simply because you’ve dealt with bitches your entire life doesn’t mean you’re okay when it happens. Are you okay?”

“I’m angry.” She met his gaze directly.

“As you should be.”

“Will this happen a lot? Where I get accosted by your ex-lovers who think I’m taking what is rightfully theirs?”

“Truthfully?” he didn’t back away from her glare, “this is a first for me. If it’s happened before, nobody has told me about it. Craven is part of a group of women who attend all of Joaquim’s openings. Their main goal in life is to be seen. Her parents are very wealthy, and she lives off her trust fund. She is nothing more to me than someone who attends the same parties.”

“You slept with her.” She didn’t mean for the words to sound accusing and groaned. “I’m not expecting you not to have a past. I simply didn’t think it was going to try to bitch slap me in a bathroom of a club.”

“Three years ago, I finished a huge project which had been three years in the making. Huge. It had me out of the country more than in. It was a restoration project for a very well know actor who had purchased a castle, of all fucking things, in Italy. The termination of the project coincided with Joaquim opening his club in Atlantic City and we partied hard. I had a lot to drink, enough to rival the party I threw in my mom’s house. Back then I had made my first million and celebrated. This time it was the good riddance to one of the most difficult clients we’ve ever undertaken. You saw tonight, I don’t drink a lot. I enjoy a good drink and I don’t mind a light buzz, but I do prefer very much to be in control all the time. It is a very rare occasion for me to be wasted. I got hammered out of my skull and Craven invited me back to her hotel room. I went. When it was done, I told her it was a mistake and I left.”

At her blinking stare he rubbed his face.

“Liesl, I don’t normally talk out of turn, but it wasn’t good enough for me to go back for seconds let alone commit to her. I was so drunk I puked in the back of my SUV on the way back to my own hotel. I saw her at the next opening. She flirted with me. I shut her down hard. It’s been three years and I won’t lie and say I haven’t danced with her or the girls on the floor when I’m at a club alone, but I have never repeated the sex. I had no idea she was still thinking of it three years later.”

“I’ve had sex with you. I can get why.” She tried to joke.

He gave a snort, “yeah, what you and I did last night is a far cry than the drunken fumbling I did with her. Do not compare our incredible chemistry to escapades I couldn’t be bothered to remember.”

“What did she mean when she said you never have had a girlfriend? Do you have an aversion to relationships?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know where she got her information. I’ve dated plenty. I’ve had relationships which have run their course but not for the last five years. My last relationship was with a woman named Raquel. She is from California. We dated off and on for about three years. On our third anniversary she threw a fit when I didn’t propose. I broke it off right there.”

“You broke it off?”

“When I say she threw a fit, I mean we were in a very reputable restaurant she had booked. I didn’t even realize it was an anniversary of any kind. We spent as much time apart as we did together in those three years. When dessert came around and we were done, I asked for the check. She lost it and made a huge scene about me taking advantage of her and stringing her along. Her scene included throwing a glass of wine at me, glass, and all. I walked out and never went back.”

She was quiet as she studied the way he was staring her right in the eyes as he talked to her.

“Say something,” he said reaching for her hands.

“Do you attract crazy or is it what you’re attracted to?”

He threw his head back and laughed at her question and then wrapped his arms around her, hugging her where she sat in the chair. “Oh Liesl, you are amazing. I like to think I’m attracted to passion but there may be some crazy in there. My latest fascination is a woman hellbent on revenge so …” he trailed off with a smirk as he kissed her lips.

“I can’t deny I’m a couple pancakes short of a stack, but I promise never to accost any future girlfriends or throw wine glasses at you.” She hugged him back, her arms snaking around his middle as she pursed her lips to accept another peck from him.

“Thank you.” He laughed at her comment, “To answer your question, I do not have an aversion to relationships. However, my parents set a very high bar. I won’t consider marrying anyone if I am not convinced it is for life. My mom and dad have an incredible marriage. They are still very much in love forty-five years later. They fight hard and work hard on their marriage. They have a date night every week, no matter what, even if it’s simply making popcorn and watching a movie at home. I respect how they prioritize time for each other. I’ve seen my father walk out of a million-dollar business meeting because my mom called him and said she needed him. I want to love someone that much before I put a ring on it.”

She nodded, “I get it.”

The server approached with her drink and set it on the table with a smile, “can I get you anything Isaias?”

“Nope. I have all I need right here.” He brushed a tendril of hair off Liesl’s cheek and tucked it behind her ear.

Liesl blushed as the server whispered “aw” as she walked away leaving them alone.

“Are you still angry?”

“A bit,” she was honest. “She really pissed me off.”

“What do you normally do to get rid of residual anger? How can I help?”

Her fingers were touching the material of his shirt against his back as she looked up at him. “A kiss might help.”

“A kiss?” his eyes sparkled as a smile grew across his cheeks. “I can do that.”

“I’m sure you can,” she giggled right before his lips touched to hers.

The thumping base of the music, the crowd below cheering to the popular song which had just started and the buzz of energy of the club fed Liesl’s hunger for the man in front of her. His tongue swept past her parted lips and tangled with hers. She leaned closer to him, her butt perched precariously on the edge of the stool, but she had no fear of falling as he held her to him.

He tasted of the expensive bourbon he’d been drinking, and she wanted more. He sucked on her lower lip. She whimpered with need as one of his hands slid up her bare thighs under her skirt and the other gripped her jaw to hold in her place while he devoured her. His lips were plush and soft moving back and forth over hers. When he broke the kiss, they were both panting heavily, resting forehead to forehead, eyes locked, lips bruised. While her anger had been assuaged her desire was running rampant.

“Holy shit, Liesl, every single time I touch you it feels like we’re going to combust.”

“I know.” She rasped out not able to look away from the intensity of his stare. She knew if she was bold enough to touch him, he would be as hard as she was wet.