Page 2 of Obeying His Rules

He’s just a dude, I tell myself as I walk, doing my best not to trip in the pair of heels I’ve worn less than five times in my life.

Don’t let him determine your self-worth.

A waiter with a tray full of drinks rushes by me, and I do my best not to collide with him, and in the process nearly end up face-planting right into a table of four. Somehow I manage to catch myself by grabbing the shoulders of an enormous man who turns out to be one of the bouncers.

“Bit too much champagne tonight?” He smirks.

“It’s the shoes,” I reply, trying not to show how nervous I am.

He nods as I turn away and continue on toward the high-top where the man is sitting. I can feel my heartbeat pulsing like a drum in my ears.

What the hell am I doing approaching a man? Especially one like this?

I glance back at Jasmine and Taylor, who are ushering me on with both hands, grinning like they’re having the time of their lives–which they undoubtedly are.

I quicken my step, making a beeline for the man, who just gets more and more gorgeous as I grow closer.

Better to just get this over and done with as quickly as possible so I can go back to my seat.

There’s an empty stool beside him, and with a deep breath, I slide up onto it and say, “Hi. I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re the best-looking drink in the bar, and have decided it’s okay if you buy me a man.”

Instantly my heart sinks into my toes.

Wow. Way to go, Rain. Totally blunder your opening line.

I notice what the man’s had in his hand is a woman’s necklace–a diamond in the center of a silver heart. He looks up at me, and his eyes stun me with their brilliance. He’s even more handsome than I realized, but he’s looking at me like I’m the world’s biggest moron–which is just how I feel.

“It’s okay if I buy you a man?”

“Yeah, I may have screwed that one up a little.” I sigh, extending my hand. “My name’s Rain.”

“No it’s not,” he replies, slipping the necklace into his pocket, leaving my hand hanging as he takes a sip of his drink.

“Um, excuse me?”

“Your name is Leaving. Because that’s what you’ll be doing right now.”

“I, um–”

“I don’t care how hot you think you are–and you are hot–but I want to be alone right now.”

Ice cold dagger, straight through the heart.

I don’t even know what to say. All I manage to mutter as I begin to turn around is, “Okay, yeah…sorry for bothering you…”

That was brutal.

Jasmine and Taylor are already wincing when I come back to my seat. Jasmine scooches over and makes room for me.

“What did he say?”

I replay the story to them and they both groan together at the exact same time.

“Well, on the bright side, he did say you were hot.” Taylor shrugs, attempting to add some levity to the situation.

I open my mouth to argue, but then realize he’s actually right.

“You know what? That’s true,” I reply, almost smiling as I lay my arm on the table and collapse on it, feeling more embarrassed than I’ve ever felt in my entire life. “Too bad I completely screwed up your pickup line, Jaz.”

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