Page 40 of My Kind of Trouble
She gave him a flirtatious smile as she sipped her drink, puckering her lips a little more than necessary.
A tease.
What was wrong with him? He’d always loved this game. Loved the part where he waited for them to finally put their pride aside and make the first move. He’d give them eyes, making sure they knew, from just one look, the promise he was making if they came and took exactly what they wanted. But tonight, the thrill wasn’t quite the same.
He needed to move past it, though. But, as he began to imagine all the ways that he could make this woman scream his name tonight, a loud whistle came from beside him where Marcus leant against the pool table.
‘Pheeeeew, that girl is fire,’ he hollered.
Alex found himself turning his head in the direction Marcus was looking to see who had caught his attention. His grip immediately tightened around the pool cue he was holding, enough that he felt it crack under his white knuckles, and he thought he might break it.
Coming down the stairs were the girls. Noa was front and centre, warm brown curls he wanted to run his hands through cascading over her shoulders, framing her beautiful, freckled face. She wore a little red two-piece that hugged her curves and matched the colour of her painted lips. He wanted to know the name of her lipstick. For her to paint him with it. To paint hislips and body with it so everyone knew who she belonged to, specifically the bastard standing next to him.
He felt an overwhelming and feral need to claim her. That’s all he’d ever wanted, but she was off limits to him and nothing had changed. Her eyes homed in on his, seeking him out in the crowd, and the fire in them made his mouth go dry and left him breathless. This woman could bring him to his knees. She could chew him up and spit him out again and he’d ask for more. She’d done it once before and he’d hurt so much that he’d locked his heart away ever since. He couldn’t go there again. Losing Noa Drake once was hard, but to lose her twice might be something he simply would not survive.
For his own self-preservation, his pining needed to stop. Downing the remains of his beer, he slammed it down on the table and, without even thinking what he was doing, he stormed toward the blonde at the bar.
Chapter 24
Noa
He had looked right at her with a fervent expression that sent tingles through her entire body. He had looked right at her like a man starved and he wanted to devour her. And, in that moment, she might just have let him. The way his amber eyes, which looked more like swirls of molten lava, seared her skin made her feel like she was naked. She felt hot and bothered, but it made her come alive all at the same time, and she knew the choice of dress she had picked in an attempt to drive him just a little crazy haddone the trick.
She didn’t know why she was playing with fire when there were so many reasons it was a bad idea, but she couldn’t deny she wanted him. But, true to that hot-and-cold game he’d been playing with her lately, he’d shot straight across the bar. But not to her. To a gorgeous blonde girl who was all long legs and perky boobs. His exact type and her very opposite. And he’d remained there all night.
For a while she’d sat staring, like it would cause a trap door to open in the floor and swallow them both up. But when Lola pointed out that she was being as discreet as a birthday flashmob, she’d decided to change her tactic.
Two can play at that game, she thought. In fact, this had played right into her hands, and she couldn’t think of a better way to execute her ‘mess with Alex’ master plan than to give him something to truly go caveman over. It was time to see how far he would really go.
They made their way from bar to bar down the famous Beer Street. As Alex continued to flirt with the blonde bombshell, Noa decided to up her flirting game herself and thought Marcus was just the man for the job. He’d been giving Noa heart eyes since they’d met in Koh Tao, and she’d just brushed him off until now. But, maybe, that was a mistake. Yes, perhaps he had been a bit too clingy and forward, but she wasn’t trying to marry the guy.
He was nice enough, after all. She’d enjoyed hanging out with him and he wasn’t awful to look at. In fact, maybe he was great rebound material. Not to mention he seemed to infuriate Alex without even trying. It was a win-win. So, flirting her ass off is exactly what she did.
The drinks were flowing a little too easily, and Noa was feeling good. They were in a bar called ‘The Good Time Bar.’ And that it definitely was. Music vibrated off the walls as women danced on tables all around her and Noa got the sudden urge to be reckless and join them. Stumbling up onto the table where they were sitting, Noa started to sway her hips, enjoying the music and the buzz of the alcohol that was flowing through her veins. She felt sexy as hell with everyone watching her. The group cheered and that made Alex’s gaze lift to her from the corner where he stood with his hand on Blondie’s waist to see what was going on. He continued to intensely stare in her direction, and it felt like there was a warning in his eyes. His jaw ticked and that only spurred her on more. Screw him, she thought.
Seductively waving her finger toward Marcus, Noa beckoned him over and grabbed his T-shirt, helping him onto the table. His hand made it to her hips as they moved together and she ignored the fact that the touch felt all wrong, trying her best to melt into it. She continued to dance with the dedication of an exotic dancer, but before she knew what was happening, her world turned upside down or, at least, her view did. She was hauled over a set of strong shoulders, the scent of tobacco and spices invading her senses, and she realised they were moving toward the exit.
Oh, hell no.
She pounded her fists against what felt like a brick wall and kicked her feet in protest, but Alex didn’t falter. He just carried her out of the bar like it was nothing. She was so angry but, still, the thought of his hands on her in any capacity, even now, caused her body to betray her and she could feel a pulsing between her legs.
Now is not the time to get turned on! Stand down!She mentally chastised.
Choosing to ignore it, she continued to fight against his hold, shouting at him without a care for the scene they were causing.
‘Put me down, you brute,’ she shouted. ‘I’m not finished.’
‘I think you are,’ he growled.
‘Oh, here is the bodyguard I’ve been waiting to see. I knew you couldn’t help yourself. Who do you think you are?’
‘The only thing standing between you and that prick having his hands in places they don’t belong.’
She had stopped fighting. It was no use. She whipped her head in is direction, scoffing.
‘And who said I wanted you to stand between us? Maybe that’s exactly what I wanted… his hands, amongst other things, touching me.’
She could see his jaw clench, his teeth grinding together.
