Page 3 of When The Night Falls

These days he was much like an elder brother to me, so when his flatmate had decided to move out to live with his girlfriend, Jason had asked me to take his place. I hadn’t hesitated to accept, even though it had made Olivia sad. Before then, I had been living with her and two of her friends from college, but I had never really got on with the other girls, hence why I had been eager to move in with Jason. Besides, Olivia and I were still studying together, and we had been best friends for as long as I could remember. It wouldn’t matter if I didn’t live with her anymore – we would never drift apart – and she knew that as well as I did, so she had forgiven me for wanting to move out.

‘I think I’ll have an espresso martini,’ I said and glanced at Olivia with a smile, but it faded as soon as I recognised the look on her face.

Already?

Looking in the direction of her gaze, I saw the profiles of two men seated at the bar. They were frowning angrily at one another while they spoke, seeming to be in a heated debate about something.

The next thing I noticed was how attractive they were. Late twenties, perhaps? Early thirties? Both had neatly trimmed stubble and short hair that was immaculately groomed. The man I found most handsome was brown-haired, the other dirty-blond, like Jason. But I’d always had a kink for dark and tall.

‘Which one?’ I asked.

‘Brown-haired.’

‘Let’s head over, then, shall we? I’ll mind his friend.’ I ascended from my seat, confident. I always had been.

Olivia seemed hesitant. ‘Cara, maybe not. They don’t look like they want to be disturbed.’

I scoffed. ‘So what? You won’t know unless you try, Livy – and I can handle rejection. Can’t you?’

Her warm brown Bambi eyes turned to me, and they were filled with a vulnerability that I hated to see. Colin had really done her in, hadn’t he? When he cheated on her time and again?

‘Livy’ – my tone was unusually strict – ‘Colin is a bastard who never deserved you, but just because he is, it doesn’t mean every man is. You can’t give him that power, and you shouldn’t let your past ruin your future.’

Olivia inhaled deeply and gave me a firm nod. I was slightly surprised at how quickly she absorbed my pep talk. She must really be desperate, I thought. Either way, I gave her no time to change her mind. I strutted over to the two men while Olivia trailed behind me.

The dirty-blond man noticed me first, and the look on his face stroked my ego. He turned his whole body toward me, his thin lips parting. Just like his brown-haired friend, he had a strong, lean build.

‘Hi,’ I greeted and held his gaze as I presented my most lascivious smile. His deep-set eyes were big and a warm shade of brown, like melted chocolate. I loved chocolate.

I tilted my head, studying him. He was gorgeous.

When he didn’t respond, I continued, ‘I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but my friend and I were wondering if we could buy you guys a drink.’

‘We’re not interested,’ a dreadfully sensual voice intervened.

I looked over and locked eyes with the man Olivia had laid her favour with. They were light-blue and strangely familiar. Dark brown eyebrows ran in nearly straight lines above them, and the shadow they provided amplified his alluring and mysterious aura.

Had I met him before?

A frown formed on my face. I could have sworn I had seen him somewhere.

At that moment, I was so preoccupied with trying to put a name to the face that I neglected the chance to admire it, but Christ, had I ever seen a man more striking than him? Prominent cheekbones highlighted the shape of his strong, square jaw. It was clenched, I saw, but I gave no thought as to why.

Below a proportionate, straight, and masculine nose rested a pair of full, delectable lips. They pressed together, forming a brooding line, while he continued to study me in his annoyance. He was easily the most physically attractive man I had ever encountered, and he wasn’t remotely interested.

‘Where are your manners, man?’ his friend scolded. Then his eyes darted back to mine. ‘Please excuse him. He can be a tad too blunt sometimes.’

Puzzled, I persisted in staring at the dark-haired stranger. I must have met him before. I was certain I had seen him somewhere. But would I have forgotten an encounter with such a beautiful man? I doubted it. Where had I seen him, then? Was he a celebrity?

‘I’m sorry – have we met before?’ I blurted out in my bewilderment.

His eyebrows arched and a condescending chuckle slipped out of his mouth. Sardonic amusement oozed from his riveting features.

‘Honestly, you’re interrupting our conversation, and you couldn’t be more original than that, Miss? At least you could have compensated with a better chat-up line. I’m disappointed. And as I said, we’re not interested, so move along, would you?’

Bewitched by the sound of his sensual voice, it took me a few seconds to process the content, but once I had, I frowned, offended. His friend groaned and shook his head, clearly despairing of his companion.

Could they be gay partners?

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