Crash and Burn (1)

you are not alone anymore

♚ ♛

"A GIRL LIKE YOU doesn't belong in a gallery like this."

I cocked my head at his words, wondering where he was going with this. "In a place where you aren't appreciated."

He lowered to face me and my breathing hitched. Somehow I maintained a steady tone. "This is what I love. I love what I do."

His smile only seemed to widen. I could taste the whiskey off his lips, feel the heat from his body. "Oh, c'mon, don't lie to yourself."

"You don't even know me. How could you possibly know if I'm lying?" My words rode out the flirtatious tone, despite the way my heart was thumping against my rib cage.

He was so close to me.

With a sinister smile that threatened to burn me, he chuckled. "I feel like I've known you forever."

I nearly jumped when his hands rested on my hips. It was gentle and light, so unlike his aggressive attitude. "Do I make you nervous?"

My entire body reacted to him. My mind was hazy with the scent of cigars and whisky, everything that I'd always despised, but was somehow enthralled by.

"No." I tried to sound strong, but my voice shook slightly.

He seemed to know, his fingers gripping tighter, only adding fire to the flame in my body. Laughter shone in his eyes. "Don't laugh at me." I told him harshly, pushing my hands against his until they fell from my body.

"I'm not laughing, I'm admiring."

Warmth flooded through me at his words. With his dark eyes still lingering on me, I took a shaky breath. "You don't hear that often?" He asked, his deep, throaty voice sending a shiver down my spine.

I smiled coyly. "I do, just not from men like you."

"Men like me?" He gave me a short chuckle. "Princess, you've never met a man like me."

Princess?

Biting my lower lip, I admired his features. The dark eyes framed by even darker lashes, the strong nose that flared to accompany his strong cheeks. A clean cut shave lead down his square jaw, only showing off his plump lips that were curled into a smirk. He was gorgeous, adorning a clean dark suit that managed to take my breath away in the stuffy air of the small art gallery.

Why was he here?

He obviously reeked of money and class, but I knew that all men shook under a threat of their ego.

"What makes you so special?" I teased, blinking under his intense stare and trying to dim it.

He didn't seem to care at all, his smug expression remaining firmly intact on his face. "Why don't you let me show you?"

What could he show me? I nearly shuddered at the thought, watching his large, rough hands push up and against my knee-length skirt again. What could he do to me with those hands? With that mouth?

Shaking it off, I pulled away from him in a professional way and gave him a small smile, meeting his dark gaze again. "Are you here to see any artwork?" I breathed, taken aback by how needy I sounded. I was uncomfortable with how much I enjoyed his hands on me.

"I was. But you're a distraction."

I felt heat crawl up my cheeks at his subtle compliment. "I'm sorry."