Not in the Same Way

Prologue

The bar vibrated from the overwhelming sound of the bass pouring from the speakers. The place was packed from wall to wall with warm bodies all looking for a good time, an escape from everyday realties.

Calum sipped his drink and surveyed the strangers around him. His eyes flicked over the masses like he was searching for something though what that something was proved a mystery to him as much as anyone else.

He was feeling social for once, but a little lost on what he could do to satisfy his urges, he was a little outside of his comfort zone but then again he'd decided it was time for a change.

His last relationship had ended in a blur. If he was honest with himself though it'd been a long time coming, a slow burn that flickered out like a cigarette and though it had pained him at the time, he knew it was the right decision when he'd ended things.

That was  almost a year ago now though and he was beginning to feel the itch of having that connection with someone again, even if only for one night.

His eyes lingered on the crowd hoping to find himself inspired to go talk to someone but he still lingered by the bar, arm propped on the counter as he spun slightly on the stool, his finger tracing the rim of his whiskey glass.

The boys were around here somewhere, they were sure to boost his confidence enough to get him to talk to someone. He braced himself on the wooden bar and the back of the chair and went to stand at the same moment someone tried to pass between the bar and the dance floor.

The resulting collision sent the girls drink splashing onto his shirt and the girl almost lost her balance on her heels.

Instinctively his hands reached out and gripped her wrists, settling her in her shoes and steadying her until she regained her balance.

"Holy shit, I am so sorry. I'm such a klutz, let me get you some napkins —bartender!" She yelled, her hair a wave of color, the blue ends catching his eye as he blinked furiously and tried to register what the fuck had just happened.

He glanced down at his shirt, the white fabric currently opaque and sticking to his skin revealing his tattoos due to the clear drink she'd spilled on him.

His mouth dried as she pressed the napkins against his chest, electricity seeming to course through him from where her hand met his thinly covered skin.

Her eyes focused on her task as she rubbed over his chest and he felt blood rush to his cheeks as he adjusted himself in the chair.

As the excess liquid was removed from his shirt her eyes finally drifted up, an icy blue meeting a golden brown as she took him in fully for the first time.

"Um, hi. I'm so sorry about this again." She said shaking her head and averting her eyes from his.

"No worries, doll." He said smoothly, hoping his gaze was coming off as more inviting than intimidating at the moment. "What's your name?" The question rolled off the tip of his tongue before he could stop it. His body seemingly deciding for itself that he should get to know the woman who'd quite literally crashed into his world.

"I'm Darby." She replied easily with a smile that sent a tingle through his insides. She was beautiful, strikingly so. "And you are?"

"Oh, um, I'm Cal, Calum." He silently cursed himself as he fumbled over his words.

She giggled and he felt his cheeks flame in embarrassment. Christ, he was going down in flames here.

"Well hi there, Cal-Calum." She gave a shit eating grin as she withdrew her hand that had still been pressed against his chest and placed the used napkins on the bar behind him. She turned away from him to order another drink before returning her attention to him.

Oh, she was intriguing. Her gaze dropped from his eyes down his body as she shamelessly checked him out while waiting for him to say something, though at the moment he didn't feel capable of forming words. He couldn't remember the last time someone had dared to tease him so boldly. It was refreshing. It was nice.

"Would you like to dance?" She asked him unabashedly and he felt the lift in his eyebrows.

She was confident and fuck he loved that. He didn't even get out a reply before she grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the dance floor.

Her body pressed against his, her movements talented and impressive. The girl knew what she was doing with her body that was for damn sure.

He felt electricity spark on his skin every time she touched him. She turned to face him and the movement of air created by her long dark hair overwhelmed him with her smell, floral with a hint of coconut, perhaps from the rum she was drinking.

He bit his lip as she grinded her body against him, excitement coursing through his veins as he pondered where the night might lead them.

If he had any choice in the matter he hoped he'd be waking up to her tomorrow.

They danced for another song before she moved her hair off of her neck and held it up with her hand using her free one to fan herself before looking to him.

"I'm so hot. I'm going to go get some air." She looked at him expectantly and he tucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he tried to assess if this was her stating a fact or inviting him to join her.

"May I join you?" He asked finally when she made no move to leave.

"I'd love that." She smiled, grabbing his hand and leading him to the courtyard attached to the bar.

She inhaled deeply as they stepped into the empty open air area.

"You mind if I smoke?" He asked hesitantly, watching her eyes to gauge her reaction to his embarrassing habit. He needed to quit. He knew that. Her mouth twitched and her eyebrows raised slightly before she cleared her throat.

"It's fine." She said, though he could tell she was a little turned off that he smoked and he couldn't blame her. It really was a nasty habit. A product of his youth he had yet to break free from.

He placed the cigarette between his lips and flicked his lighter, lifting the flame to the end and catching it ablaze.

He took a seat in a metal garden chair and studied her as she came to take the seat beside him.

As his eyes drifted over her it occurred to him once more how captivating she was. An obvious kind of beautiful without the boastful personality that usually came hand in hand with such.

He wanted to know her and he only hoped she'd give him the chance to.

An: so inspired by the story line I've created for this. The most excited I've been about a story since I wrote Unexpected!

Any predictions just from the blurb and prologue?

Ily,
Sav