Page 310 of Enigma: The Complete Collection
I plop into the seat before shifting my gaze to seek Cate amongst the swarm of sweaty bodies moving in sync to the bass of the music. She wanted to continue dancing with a group of guys and girls her age when I said I was going to order a drink.
The glimmering of her sequined dress is the first thing I spot, closely followed by her broad smile. I was apprehensive when she texted me this morning about going out tonight, but now that I’m here, I’m glad she encouraged me to let loose. It’s nice to have a distraction from the twisting pain in my heart.
My attention is diverted from the dance floor when the blond man next to me drags his stool close enough, his heated breaths fan my earlobe. My focus shifts to him just as his friend whispers something in his ear. The blond’s eyes widen, and he nods before he excuses himself, leaving a vacant chair next to me.
I shrug at his weirdness before continuing with my love of people watching.
Thirty minutes later, the snarky chuckle of Tina booms through my ears. I stop slyly sniffing my armpit to lift my confused gaze to her. She snarls arrogantly before she continues serving patrons demanding service.
“You don’t smell,” advises the male bartender who served me earlier.
“Are you sure?”
For the last thirty minutes, I’ve been sitting in the same position with two spare stools on each side of me. The bar is so packed, everyone should be scrounging for a chair, but numerous partygoers have chosen to remain standing instead of occupying the free spaces next to me. I was sweating profusely on the dance floor earlier, but I wasn’t aware my perspiring smell wasthatoff-putting.
The bartender replenishes my cocktail glass before his hazel eyes peer into my self-conscious gaze. “Isaac put out a warning.”
My brows scrunch. “A warning?”
“Yep. If any guy gets too close to you, they’ll cop the wrath of his fury.”
“Pardon me?” My tone is breathy from my heart rate kicking up a notch.
He cranks his head to check Tina’s location before he places his cocktail mixer onto the glistening countertop. The muscles in his arms flex when he stretches across the bar. “You probably don’t remember me, but we danced a few weeks ago in the VIP section of Isaac’s club in Hopeton.”
My eyes widen so they can adequately scan his face. Now that he mentions it, I do remember him. Although, unfortunately, his dancing skills aren’t on par with his strikingly handsome facial features.
When he sees my pale cheeks, he chuckles. “I don’t usually dance like that. That night, we were instructed on how we could interact with you, including how we could dance,” His face screws up in disgust.
“We?”
He nods. “Everyone in the VIP section but you and your friends were employees of Isaac’s.”
I choke on my drink.“Are youshittingme?”
He shakes his head. “Ever since that night, you’ve become known as the ‘untouchable girl.’ No man in this town is game to sit next to you, let alone dance with you, after the warning Isaac issued.”
My mouth gapes more and more with every word he speaks, and my earlier anger rushes back to the surface. “So if I wanted to find a dance partner right now, I'd be rejected? Is that what you're telling me?”
His lips twist before he nods. “They're too scared to go against a man like Isaac.”
“Then why are you telling me this? Aren’t you scared Isaac will find out?” I take another sip of my cocktail, needing something to calm the anger building like an out-of-control wildfire in my gut.
He chuckles. “I’ve just finished my doctorate and am moving to California in the new year. This is my last shift here.”
I slant my head to the side and cock my brow. “So, do you have a dance partner for when the clock strikes twelve?” My tone is full of wittiness since the cocktails are mixing nicely with the earlier chardonnays.
He chuckles again. “You're gorgeous, but I’m not that stupid. Even living on the other side of the country won’t stop Isaac from hunting me down.”
I huff and roll my eyes.
“But I’m brave enough to ignore his rules on how many drinks you can have.”
“He has rules on that as well?” My tone is lower since anger has placed a firm grip around my throat.
He nods and smirks. “But don’t worry, baby girl, I’ve got you covered,” he says with a cheeky wink as he refills my cocktail glass.
“Thank you…”
