Winning Back Mr. Right

Chapter 8

I've been sitting here for about two hours. Maybe more. The waiter keeps filling my glass with sparkling champagne. I have spent almost the entire night in the state of complete boredom after one dance just waiting for Nate. Dr. Norien pulled him to this group of doctors he wants his son to be acquainted with. I just managed to keep myself awake by focusing on the band that has been playing jazz all night.

"Why so sad?" From a slouching position, I make a sudden backward movement. His face only an inch away from mine. My eyeballs scan the room side to side trying to find Nate. My hands slightly tingle at the sight of him in front of me.

It's the guy from Urban.

"Dare me to get you out of here...right now." He speaks so confidently, waiting for me to respond.

I didn't say anything. Instead, I scan for Nate in the crowd and find him still occupied with those bald men in their fifties. They are probably bragging about whose work is much more important than the other. This whole evening has been about that. If I stay here for another minute, I probably am going to cry and I don't want to cry tonight. I don't want to be that crybaby they all think I am. So I stand up, walk pass the hot mess who never took his eyes off me and continue walking undetected towards the lobby. I run as fast as I can holding my dress up. I run carefully down the stairs not minding the guests who might recognize me and out the spinning door, I go.

A part of my brain hesitates a little thinking that maybe that beautiful man is playing me. But whether or not he's out there, I'm still leaving this place. I have been planning my escape for over an hour.

The temperature outside is relatively low. Heavy fog makes it difficult for me to see the road. I rub my hands together to generate some sort of heat for my skin. It wasn't too long when a black '86 Mustang, accelerates and brakes in front of me. The car window slides down and to my surprise, it is him – again. "I hope you don't mind. My driver is on a day off."

Out of choice, I immediately get into the car. He steps on the pedal with force and drives at a top speed, beating the red lights every time. It took us about an hour of drive to reach an empty lot with high railings and a thick wall somewhere in Olvera. Lucky enough for him, there aren't any police involvement after the stunt he pulled off.

"Where are we? What are we doing here?" I ask. The place is too dark I begin to regret my actions.

"I'm kidnapping you except it's not really kidnapping since there wasn't any coercion." He smirks at me and giving me that unapologetic look.

"Let's go back right now." I demand. He does not flinch or react at all. He simply stares at me and laughs...hard.

He contains himself and looks at me again. "Don't get me wrong. That dress fits you perfectly. You look breath taking." He checks me out again from head-to-foot just like he did in the party. "And kudos to your boyfriend for picking the right dress." Something in him suddenly changes. His mood turns from playful to disgust. He inhales deeply as if trying to hold back a thousand years - worth of anger. His jaw clenches at the image in his brain. "Unfortunately, that asshole made you wait for two and a half hours sitting there all by yourself like a wallflower around busy bees." He pauses and then continues, "You wanted to escape that party, babe."

"No, I did not. And don't call me babe." His demeanor fuels my growing pissed off mood but he is telling the truth. "How did you know I was sitting there for two hours? Are you stalking me?" I realize in that instance how furious I am for waiting alone in that party.

"What if I was?" He bursts into laughter once again. My eyes widen and I just stare stupidly at him while exhaling forcefully. I suppose I held my breath for a second. "I'm sorry. You should have seen the look on your face." He still laughs in between his teeth.

I push his shoulder and face front. I cross my arms just like how kids would do if they are throwing tantrums on their parents. I shut my mouth not wanting to give him any more chances of making fun of me.

"It's getting late." Like a crazy man, his mood again changes to a softer more caring version of himself. "I'm only trying to lighten the mood. Sorry it didn't work out for you." He presses the ignition button and looks at me one more time. "I'll take you home." I turn to face him and his cheeks blush like tomatoes. "I mean, not that I will take YOU - HOME. I mean, of course I will. I'll bring you to your house, not my house. Sorry. Shit." He's stuttering like a teenage boy struggling to ask the hot babe out for a date. "Kevin. My name is Kevin." And he holds out his left hand. I glance at him and his hand for a second before accepting it with my left hand.

We stare at each other for a moment until I roar with laughter and he joins in.