Page 6 of Safest With You
“Are we having a rough night, pretty lady?” he asked with a wide smile that drew me right in.
“A little. What you got for me? I need to sleep,” I groaned.
“Ah, I got the perfect drink for you. But you’re not going to be too pleased about the simpleness it holds.”
“Oh really?”
He turned around as I watched him put two pieces of ice in a glass then grab a bottle and pour brown liquid in it before turning back to me. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, I guess you have a point.”
“Whiskey, on the rocks, top shelf. Get a couple of those in you and I swear you’ll be knocked out like a newborn,” he replied.
I giggled as I took a sip. I looked around the bar area and dang near choked on my drink. Someone placed their hand onmy back and I nearly leaped out of my own skin. I didn’t even hear him approaching and I was good at being aware of my surroundings.
I was distracted. It wasn’t the bartender or the lingering cologne of this stranger that met me before his hand. It was the man tucked in the corner of his balcony so close to the water he could jump right in. He caught my glance like I caught his. I was instantly sucked in. I tried my best to seem like I hadn’t noticed him, looking around to avoid that pressure. I was sure I failed miserably.
His light skin against the moonlight fulfilled something inside of me that I couldn’t quite grasp and I’d only make myself look foolish if I kept eyes on him for more than the split second I allowed myself to take him in. His light eyes were piercing. A little unnerving and it had me beside myself. Seemed like they were glowing in the dark in a sense. Some nocturnal absorption of my soul.
Jumping out of this peasant of a man’s grasp was the distraction I needed before I got caught up in a stranger two floors away from me.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, little mama,” he said.
I groaned at his demeanor. The nerve to address me in such a way was despicable. It wasn’t him calling me what he did. I liked that regard before Jeffrey ran it into the ground. It was the tone and ignorance behind it. Like he owned the place and always got his way with the ladies. I might be his first disappointment.
The taste in my mouth instantly became sour and I had to get rid of this man before I did something to get me kicked off the island.
“Who’s little around here? Surely not me,” I replied as I turned to face this man.
He was attractive. I could tell he was from The States just from how he talked to me. But something about him just reekedof being a player and I didn’t have time for that. I was already thrown off by his strong cologne and demeanor.
“I didn’t mean any offense, sweetheart,” he replied.
I shot back the rest of my drink. Before I could get the bartender's attention to order another round, this man decided to call out to him instead and rudely at that.
“Ay, boy, get her another round and add a double shot of D'usse,” he said.
So unattractive.
I saw the bartender clench his jaw and a vein popped at his temple before he calmed himself down and turned around to acknowledge the guy. He already had a drink prepared for me and set it down as he nodded at this rude man.
The man had his eyes on me and I felt a vein building at my temple too. I sighed as I took a sip of my shot. I really didn’t have many words for him and I could tell he noticed because the second he got his drink he shot it back in one gulp which made me do the same.
“Listen here, sweetheart. I’m not one for many words but when I saw you, I had to make my presence known. I’d like to get to know you and show you what I’m about,” he said.
“All that and I don’t even know your name,” I replied.
“DiMarco,” someone said from behind us.
A chill instantly rolled up my skin. His voice was deep and alluring, a little menacing, and quite frankly, unhinged. I was sure this man behind us was not a friend of Mr. DiMarco. And by the look on DiMarco’s face, he was just as surprised by his voice but knew it very well. All the color drained from his face.
I turned to put a face to the voice and nearly dropped my glass. My eyes grew wide and I couldn’t help but notice the smirk that spread across his lips. His eyes left mine and he placed them on DiMarco.
All the confidence DiMarco once had was fleeting and replaced with pure fear. I took a step to the side to distance myself. I didn’t know what was about to take place but the fierceness of this man’s eyes let me know DiMarco was in some serious trouble.
My heart raced as I kept an eye on the man. He had just been staring at me from two floors up on his balcony and was right before me now. He was strikingly beautiful. It didn’t matter what light he was under, his light skin glowed. He had no blemishes, only light freckles spread over his face, full lips, a straight nose, and light brown eyes that made me want to drown in them. I was fully captivated, even with the scowl on his face.
“Are we harassing women now, DiMarco?” he asked.
