After Cleo loses her parents by the age of 18 she moves into her best friend's house. The day April decides to move to Australia for a new job, Cleo chooses to move with her, nothing is holding her back. She works in the library of Port Lincoln, lov...
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April looks stunning. She put new lipstick on and fixed her hair. I finish the glass in a long sip and look for the waitress, she catches my eye and makes her way to me. "Thank you." "Is everything alright, Ms?" She asks like she's ready to get me kicked out for ruining the charity event. "I don't know. Would everything be alright with you if you found out the man who looked at you like you were the only person in the room and made you feel so good like you haven't felt in a while is freaking married?" She raises her brows. "Ehm I-" She stumbles. "It was a rhetorical question. I am sorry. Everything is fine. No worries, I won't get drunk and ruin the event. Maybe I won't ruin the event but I am going to get drunk, give me the other one, too. Thank you." She places the second glass next to mine and leaves. April starts talking. She introduces some new investors, says thank you to the McAndrews, and starts talking about the company. I finish my third glass of Chardonnay and as soon as I put the glass back on the table, I feel my cheeks warming up and legs tingling. "Mhmm, dizziness it is," I mumble to myself and sip on the fourth glass. April is now talking about how much the pandemic affected the industry and how sorry she is for everything that happened since. She passes the microphone to a man with red hair and he starts talking about some investment platforms. I drink my wine, and let my eyes narrow across the room and over every table. I see his parents and his wifeor still wife or however you wanna call her, but he is nowhere to be found. I take a deep breath and the woman on the table next to me gives me the look. I smile politely but roll my eyes. I drink and cross my legs placing my palm between my thighs. I look at the empty glass. "Screw you Kody with a K, " I murmur and wave at the waitress. She comes with the tray and five glasses on it, she hesitates. "I promise I won't cause a scene, please." She reaches out and before I can get hold of the glass I feel a presence behind me and a big, veiny hand takes it away and places it on the tray again. "She's had enough!" "Excuse me?" Now, I actually might cause a scene. I turn around. "I said you had enough." He repeats, jaw clenched and eyes focused on mine.
God, he is so handsome.
"I think you're at the wrong table and I can decide for myself when I have enough, thank you very much." I turn around again to grab the glass but he is faster. "Leave." He orders and the waitress leaves without further saying. "Why? What makes you think you can deci-" I bite out and turn around to face him only to look him directly in the eyes. "This is a charity event and not a bar you can get drunk to forget your sorrows." "I don't have sorrows!" I say trying to hold his glance but I can't keep my eyes from wandering along his perfectly flawless facial features. Sharp jawline and, slim nose that gets bigger and thicker around the tip, he has his mother's eyes and his dad's eye color and lips so round and full I almost get jealous. I lick my lips and bite into my lower lip as I meet his eyes again. He tilts his head. "Stop that!" He hisses. "What? I am not doing anything." I cross my legs again place my hand between my thighs and turn my head to focus on April again. I feel his breath on my neck as he leans over to me. "I don't like it when I am being ignored." "Then you should go to your wife, she won't ignore you. She has to pay attention to you, she's your wife," I say making sure to emphasize the last two words. "Ex-wife!" "She seems to see it differently." "Why does it bother you?" "It doesn't." I shrug "Then why are you acting like that?" "I am not acting like anything," I turn my head. He is so close, really close I can taste the whiskey in his breath. "Then why would you curse my name after telling the waitress I made you feel as good as you haven't felt in a while?" My jaw drops. Shit. He was behind me this whole time? He brings his right hand up, grabs my chin between his thumb and index finger, and closes my mouth. I look down at his hand as his thumb brushes over my lips. My mouth works on its own. I open up and wrap my teeth around his thumb. His brows furrow, his eyes moving to my mouth. He opens his mouth but doesn't say anything. Shit, what am I doing? There are about 200 people here and I have a married man's thumb in my mouth.
I pull away. "I have to go, have a nice evening." I take my shoes, get up, and walk over to the balcony. I need air. Fresh, cold air to clear my fucking mind.
What is wrong with me?
As soon as I am on the balcony I walk over to the bench, and let the cold, ocean air slap me across the face for my stupidity. "God, that's nice," I say. "Hmm, yes. I'm gonna stay here." I hear applause and April starts talking again. I have no idea how much time passes but I start shaking. I'm cold. I hear engines starting. I guess the first people start leaving. I look over the railing and the lights of the car illuminate the night. I get up and start to walk the cold off.
"Why didn't you bring a jacket?" He asks as he puts his over my shoulders. "I wasn't aware that I'd need one. Thanks." I inhale his scent, woody, pines, and something else I don't recognize. "Your friend is very good at her job. Her speech was impressive." He says while we walk down the balcony. "She is. She loves her job, that's why she is so good at it." "And you?" "And I what?" "Do you love your job?" "I work at the library, so yes!" He nods and crosses his hands behind his back. We don't say anything for a while and I sure will regret this but I just can't understand why he did this. "Why would you look at me like that, when you're married?" I stand in front of him and look up into his dangerous, deep, brown eyes. "I am not married. We're divorced, I haven't seen Emily in a year, except we had an appointment with our lawyers." "She doesn't see it that way" "She doesn't see a lot of things the way they are, that's one of the main reasons I wanted a divorce." He says looking over my head and waving at someone. "Did you know about the video of us?" He looks at me. "Of course but the way you reacted when seeing it I assume you didn't." I shake my head. "No, I had no idea who you were. We went back to our Airbnb so I could change and April looked you up. Nice trick by the way I'm Kody, with a K," I imitate him and he starts laughing. God, he is stunning.
"Yeah, I didn't mean to say that I don't know why, it came out of nowhere. I talked to the press but you know how these people are. I didn't want you to be all over social media in connection with me. I am surprised no one found out who you were." I can't handle this. He is so close, and he attracts me in a way I can't describe. I try to move back but I feel the wall behind me. He moves closer, he cages me in and I start breathing short. His eyes leave mine for a second as he lowers his gaze to my chest. I clear my throat and he looks into my eyes again.
