Page 28

Marcus
Ihand my coat in at the coat check, pocketing the number tag in my jeans and look around. The pulse emanating from the sound system thrums through my chest, the vibration reminding me why I typically avoid places like this.
But tonight is different. Tonight is her night.
The campaign has clearly been a massive success. The queue outside wraps around the corner and halfway down the street, with over a hundred people waiting in the freezing cold for a chance to get in.
A server passes by with a tray of something electric blue. I decline with a small shake of my head, straightening my shoulders as I undo the top button of my shirt.
I turn to head to the bar and take one step in that direction when my breath stills.
Lila is standing there, alone, drink in hand, watching the crowd. As if drawn by an invisible thread, she turns her head and her eyes meet mine.
God, she looks beautiful.
She runs a hand through her long caramel brown hair, letting it fall in soft waves around her shoulders like she doesn’t even realise the effect she has.
There’s a quiet confidence to the way she carries herself – graceful without trying to be. Her makeup is subtle, delicately highlighting her natural beauty without being over the top, and her full lips are curved up into a smile that goes from innocent to mischievous in a heartbeat.
She finishes the last sip of her drink, sets her empty glass on the bar and walks straight towards me.
“Hi!” I call out over the music, giving her a quick hug. Her skin is soft, and the scent of her perfume – sweet and floral, infiltrates my senses, swirling around my head. I find myself leaning in closer, unable to resist her magnetic pull.
“Hi!” she exclaims, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“You look… amazing,” I say, my eyes trailing down her body before I can stop them, unapologetically drawn to the way her skin-tight dress clings to every inch of her. It hugs her like a second skin, showing off the elegant line of her collarbone and the smooth skin on her shoulders that shimmers subtly in the light. Her frame is slender, delicate, but her dress traces the gentle curve of her hips in a way that makes it impossible to look anywhere else.
“Thank you!” she says, that playful smile dancing across her lips. “You don’t look so bad yourself!”
The flirtatious spark in her voice throws me. She’s usually fairly shy around me. I don’t know if she’s already had a few drinks or if it’s the overall atmosphere in here that’s finally got her to loosen up, but I’ve never seen her like this. Not with me.
I’ve caught glimpses of it from across the office – laughing easily with her friends, teasing, playful – but whenever we’ve been face to face, she’s always more reserved. Until now.
And damn if I don’t like this version of her even more.
“Drink?” I ask, forcing my eyes back up to meet hers.
She nods, her face lit up with a smile. I gesture toward the bar, my hand brushing along the small of her back as she turns. She draws in a quick breath at the contact, and something in me flares at the sound of it, my pulse kicking up a notch.
"What are you drinking?” I ask as we reach the bar, signalling the bartender.
She looks at me – that mischievous glint in her eye making my chest stutter.
“You choose,” she says.
The suggestion in her voice hits me like a current – quick, electric, and far too easy to get addicted to.
The bartender approaches, forcing my attention off her for a moment. “Two Jack and Cokes, please.”
Her eyes grow wide as the bartender reaches for the bottle behind him.
“Hope you’re a Jack Daniels fan,” I say.
“It’ll make an interesting mix with the ginandrum I’ve already had tonight!” she laughs, brushing a strand of her soft brown hair behind her ear in a move that always makes me catch my breath.
“This place is amazing, isn’t it?” I say, trying to make sure my voice is loud enough so that she can hear me over the pounding bass.
“It’s incredible!” she callsback.