Page 15 of The Chance
Jack’s eyes narrowed on her pursed lips, and he set the pint glass down on the coaster. "Do we know each other? You look familiar."
If her head wasn't attached to her neck, it would've fallen off with her forced movement side to side. "No. Never seen you before. Don't recognize you."
His eyes narrowed with suspicion and he stood, facing her startled pale face. "Linda. Club Ninety. Maybe a year ago?"
This was getting uncomfortable. Her gaze fell to the floor. "The very one. You said you'd call me." The air suddenly felt hot and a tingle scurried down my spine like eyes were undressing me.
"Fuck me. It is you, Linda. You gave me the wrong number. I suppose you did that on purpose?"
"I didn't give you the wrong number." Linda's voice hardened, but my gaze was pulled to the mass of strangers mingling around us.
"Unless you're called Gavin and have a few kids who like to read sex texts, then, yeah, you did."
From the corner of my eye I caught Linda palming her forehead. The music seemed to smother their conversation, and my senses sharpened. With my ass frozen to the seat like I'd stuck my tongue to ice, my freshly painted fingernails wrapped the tall stem glass, and my eyes bore into the heads before me. I sat tall. Amidst the throngs of people, I could've sworn I saw Seb, only this guy had short hair. Chatty party people got in the way, forcing me to stand. The conversation unfolding before me was hushed and unimportant right now. Craning my neck, I tilted to the side to find the man who resembled Sebastian Cooper. The crowd shifted, and there he was. My rough and ready farm guy was a slick and seductive city guy. His long messy locks had been shaved off at the sides, close to his scalp, leaving a mass of thick textured strands at the top. Every manly oily stain had been scrubbed from his swarthy skin leaving him fresh and clean with only a five o'clock shadow kissing his square jaw. As people moved out of the way, I noted the tightness of his ebony shirt that encased his torso like treacle and inky jeans that tapered to meet tan leather shoes. Even in the low light his eyes sparkled with mischief, but they didn't find mine. He was oblivious to his number one fan, with no idea that I was standing to his left, eyeballing his perfect sexy self.
A bundle of nerves gathered in my chest like leaves tumbling in the wind. To say I was awestruck would sound terribly dramatic, but that's exactly how I felt. My insides were on fire and the barely visible hairs on my skin lifted. I whispered into the din, hoping he’d look over and see me.
His farm persona had charmed the pants off me, but this version, holy shit, this version was everything I fantasized about in one five-star package. Any minute now the entire crowd would part, and a bright ray of light would shine down on his fine features, guiding me..."I'll be back in a minute." Linda tapped my shoulder, abruptly snapping me out of my lust leer. Sinking the last of her champagne, she shoved the glass into my chest.
With my gaze constantly seeking out Seb, I all but nodded. "What's up?"
"I need to pee." Linda spun around and stomped off.
Jack turned back to our table, grabbed the chilled bottle and filled up my glass, then he cleared his throat. "I can't believe I met her again, after all this time."
I took a slow sip as a stupid ass woman stepped in the way and removed Seb from sight. Clucking my tongue loudly, my eyes cut to Jack. "She's in a relationship," I snapped with frustration, sitting back down.
"She told me."
A mass of cheers brought forth Jack’s rowdy mates - all of them drunk and playful. They ambled to our table, slapping him on the back in what seemed like approval. "Trust you to hook up with a posh bird." One of the men grinned at me. I wasn't impressed by his dull shirt, grossly stressed at the buttons, or the fact he reeked of stale lager.
The group of men were loud and annoying. I wanted to see who Sebastian was with, if the old school friend was an old flame, but they circled our table like they were guarding a fort. With two gulps I knocked back the last of my champagne and reached for the bottle. My pulse thrummed. When I looked up, a set of piercing blue eyes were eating me up whole.
Sebastian had found me.
His expression wasn't oozing with lust like I'd hoped, nor was it implying seduction - it was narrow and unforgiving. Pushing back in the chair, I rose to a stand, just as Jack told his audience that we weren't hooking up. At that moment a tall lanky guy with a floppy fringe moved in for the kill, literally. His breath was deadly like he hadn’t eaten all day and then pumped his gut with booze. "Let me buy you a drink," he slurred as his eyes fell to the bare flesh between the lapels of my jacket.
"Don’t bother. I have a bottle here." I shook off the fingers grazing my elbow.
"I'm Peter. What can I get you to drink?"
"I've got champagne." I lifted my glass and reinforced the fact with a wave of my hand.
"Shots. Everyone likes shots?" he suggested with a goofy drunk slur. He tipped forward and circled my wrist with his hand, trying his hardest to get closer.
I jostled him back a step. "I said no!" Turning away, I weaved between groups on the quest to find Seb. I was intrigued by his new look and excited to see him up close and personal. When I reached the spot where he'd been standing, my heart sank to my shoes. He was gone.
A hand pressed to my lower back, and I whirled around with a hopeful smile. "Sorry, Lexi. The guys have been drinking since football started at four. Let me buy this round. Linda's sure taking her time in the toilet." His lips were close to my ear, so I could hear him over the music. At this point I wanted to crack a joke at Linda's expense, but all I could say was, "She's probably dropping the kids off at the pool." Even as I said it, I didn't feel like laughing because the excitement of seeing Seb had slipped away, leaving a numb plateau.
Jack, on the other hand, laughed with a deep throaty chuckle. "You're funny, Lexi. I like you."
"Lexi." A familiar rumble boomed in my skull and a flurry of heat blushed my skin. Snapping my head to the right, I swallowed hard and fast.
Seb eyes were blazing. The new choppy hairstyle was even better than I realised - all trimmed and neat. He was absolutely gorgeous.
I was glued to the spot, enthralled by his manly sharp features and held under his fascinating spell.
"Another date?" he asked without expression.
