Page 15 of When The Night Falls

‘Will,’ I shook my head, ‘I’m not going to set aside time to see you. I’m here to spend time with Livy.’

‘Who is obviously interested in getting laid.’ He jerked his head in Olivia’s direction. Looking over, I saw her laughing at something Andrew must have said. ‘I’m sure she’d appreciate it if I took you off her hands, at least for tonight.’

Though it had been on the cards, his proposal still took me by surprise. I faced him, and his eyes were ablaze – two blue flames, wild in their craving for me.

Under the dim orange light, he resembled something of the divine. A Greek god, perhaps, and I was only a mere mortal. How was I supposed to resist such celestial temptation? I was submitting to his power more by the second.

I struggled to fathom the reality that I had only met this man mere moments ago. Our chemistry was clearly off the charts.

When I had spent too long contemplating his offer, his impatience got the better of him. ‘Listen, we can either spend all night bickering, or we can spend this ridiculous energy in my bed. It’s up to you.’ His tone was clipped while his gaze burrowed into mine. ‘Either way, you would be doing both yourself and your friend a favour by joining me back at mine.’

Pink and breathless, I looked away from him. This man surely didn’t beat around the bush. He hadn’t even kissed me yet, and now he was suggesting sex? What sort of a scene was he into? No-strings-attached, I reckoned. That notion filled me with relief, because I didn’t have the capacity for romance at this point in my life.

To buy more time, I raised my drink. ‘I’m not nearly drunk enough for this,’ I said and filled my mouth with the liquid courage. Amused, William watched me drain the remaining contents.

‘I fancy my women responsive, Sandra, so please keep the intake to a minimum.’

‘You’re speaking as if I’ve agreed,’ I said and put my empty glass on the table.

Just as I was about to grab my next drink, a large and unfamiliar hand clasped my jaw. Turning my face toward him, William leaned in until our noses touched. Only then did he pause his advances.

My breath abandoned me, my heart throbbing with bittersweet delight. It was begging me to give in, to allow myself a night I would never forget. Besides, it wasn’t like I hadn’t had a one-night stand before. Hell, I often preferred them. The less they knew, the better.

I wasn’t at a point in my life where romantic companionship was even remotely appealing. It was far too time-consuming a venture. I had my studies to mind, my ambitions to realise. I was a millennial woman, and fiercely independent at that. Intellectual pursuits were my main priority.

However, I was still a sexual creature. I had needs. While I had a friend – Aaron – to fulfil them, my casual arrangement with him allowed me to have one-night stands, which I occasionally indulged in. Tonight, William wanted me to treat myself to another one. So why was I being so difficult? Because he had been an arsehole at first? What did that matter if I wasn’t going to see him again? Plus, he had apologised, and now he wanted to make amends – properly.

The light-blue colour of William’s eyes struck through my defences as he gently released my jaw. Trailing his thumb across my cheek, he buried his hand in my long, wavy brown hair.

His voice was as mollifying as a lullaby when he said, ‘I want you to know that if you decide to join me, I’ll have no expectations. I’d be happy just to talk all night.’

My heart throbbed again. Seduced by the sensual promise that basked in his eyes, I gave him a faint nod.

‘I’m going to kiss you,’ he warned.

Utterly at his mercy, I swallowed. I couldn’t move another muscle. He had me completely spellbound.

‘Okay.’ It was barely a whisper that escaped my mouth.

A lopsided smile claimed his lips, and then he pressed his soft mouth to mine. I marvelled at the taste of him. Only seconds into it, I knew he was the best kisser I had ever encountered. His lips moved tenderly across my own – gently at first, until his lust overruled his resistance. With his hand in my hair, he brought me closer, his other arm coming around me.

He pressed me tightly against him, kissing me like I’d never been kissed. It set my heart on fire. No words could ever match the immense feeling. Kissing someone had never felt so right. The mere motion of his lips overwhelmed me. He made me feel like the most precious thing alive, as if he couldn’t bring himself to stop until he had devoured all of me. Craving more, he pushed his tongue into my mouth to explore the rest of me, and I welcomed him with eagerness.

The space between my thighs tingled, and I realised why this particular kiss affected me so. For the first time in my life, kissing someone didn’t feel like a mandatory part of seduction. I actually wanted this –I wanted to kiss him. I was desperate to.

But he pulled away far too soon. Breathless, he looked at my drinks on the table and said, ‘We’re leaving. Non-negotiable. I’m not wasting another second.’ He clasped my hand and stood up, dragging me up with him.

‘I – okay.’ I searched for his eyes. Something was off about him. His gaze was fleeting, and he looked a bit lost, even dazed.

It surprised me. He didn’t come across as the kind of man who would react so profoundly to a mere kiss. Taking his expertise of the art into account, I was confident he had kissed his fair share of women.

Was it possible that the same flame that had spread through my system like wildfire had also ignited in him?

He started toward the exit, meaning we would have to pass the bar where Olivia and Andrew sat chatting. Olivia studied us, seemingly confused. Was it the look on my face? It had to be.

‘We’ll be off,’ William announced and released my hand to wrap his arm around my waist.

Olivia laughed. ‘Sandra, you devil. I knew it.’

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