CHAPTER THREE
1523 Words
Maya's Pov
What the hell am I doing? Maya asked herself as she walked toward his table, doubt settling in. Maybe she had made it all up in her head.
She almost turned back, but then looked over her shoulder and saw Helen beaming at her, both thumbs up. It gave her courage. She straightened her shoulders, gave herself a little pep talk, and kept walking. I can do this. Just say hi. Maybe flirt a little. Worst case? I get rejected in a bar I’ll never visit again.
Her steps slowed as she reached his table. He looked even more intimidating up close. Looking relaxed, confident, his sharp aura thick in the air. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing strong forearms.
She stopped in front of his table, her voice catching in her throat.
“Hi,” she managed to say, barely audible.
He raised an eyebrow, saying nothing at first. Just stared, like he was trying to read her mind.
She opened her mouth to speak again, but the words froze. His gaze was too intense, too sharp. She bit her bottom lip, something she always did when nervous.
“Do you always walk up to strange men and forget how to talk?” he asked, voice low and teasing, with a hint of amusement in his voice.
“No,” she replied quickly, turning away. God, this was a mistake, she whispered.
He chuckled. “Relax. I don’t bite,” he said with a teasing grin. “Unless you want me to.”
Her tummy fluttered. What was that supposed to mean?.
She thought of turning back but quickly turned down the idea. She had walked over here, and going back now would make her look weak.
“Don’t just stand there,” he added. “You came all the way here. You might as well join me for a drink.”
She hesitated a moment, then slowly sat down on the chair across from him.
“I’m Clark,” he said, eyes still on hers. “And you are?”
“Maya,” she answered softly.
He repeated her name like he was tasting it on his tongue. “Maya. Pretty name. Are you half Mexican?”.
She nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“I like the color of your eyes,” he said, with his gaze gently tracing her face.
“Thank you,” she murmured, her fingers playing with the edge of the tablecloth.
“You don’t look like someone who comes to bars often, Maya.”
She looked up at him, feeling a bit bold then replied. “Maybe I do come to bars,” she said, trying to sound playful and confident. “You don’t know me well enough.”
He smirked. “But you were about to say this is your first time.”
She sighed. “Okay, fine. It is. Today’s my birthday. My friend dragged me out to celebrate.”
Without looking away from her, he waved the bartender over. “Bring her something non-alcoholic. Fresh juice. No alcohol.”
She blinked. “Wait, what? I can order for myself. You don’t have to order for me ”
“I don’t want you getting drunk,” he said,his gaze hard on her. “You don’t belong in places like this. And you sure don’t belong here taking shots of tequila.”
“You don’t even know me,” she said, raising an eyebrow,looking a bit amused.
“No. But what I do know is, I don’t like the sight of you getting drunk carelessly.”
She stared at him, confused. “Why do you even care?”.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “Why did you walk over?”.
Maya sat straighter, her fingers brushing her glass. “I don’t know. You were staring.”
“Not in a creepy way,” she added quickly to avoud misunderstanding. “Just like you saw something.”
“I did.”
“What?” she asked.
He smirked, leaning back a little. “Something that caught my attention.”
She blushed, looking down, unsure of what to say.
The bartender returned with her drink, and Clark picked up his glass to take a sip from it, still watching her.
“Your hands are trembling,” he said quietly, his eyes on her hand which was resting on the table. “Are you scared of me?”.
She shook her head quickly. “I’m not scared. Just not used to this.”
“Used to what?” he asked, eyebrows raised.
She smiled softly, letting herself relax a little. “Don’t make me say it. You know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t. Enlighten me.”
She looked up, meeting his eyes. “I’m not used to approaching guys. And you’re a bit intimidating.”
“Do I scare you?” he asked again, voice soft and curious.
“I said intimidating, not scary,” she replied, biting her lip again without realizing it.
His eyes darkened, his gaze on her mouth. “Stop doing that,” he said quietly.
She blinked. “Doing what?”
“Biting your lip.” His voice dropped lower. “Unless you want me to do something about it.”
Maya’s breath caught in her throat.Her tummy did a flip. She couldn’t reply ,his words had shocked her.
She had never met a guy this straightforward and dominating.
She didn’t know how long they sat there like that, his gaze fixed on her lips, her heart beating hard in her chest. Time slowed.
She had one thing on her mind getting laid tonight. She hadn’t been with anyone since breaking up with her ex.
Tonight, she wanted to do something she wouldn’t normally do.
Maya took a sip of her drink, feeling hot. Then she said it:
“Do you want to get out of here?”
Clark’s eyes widened,looking surprised. “Are you sure?”.
She nodded, her stomach tightening. “Yeah. I don’t usually do this, but I promised myself I was going to get laid tonight.”
He didn’t move right away. Just studied her, like he expected her to take it back any minute from now.
Then slowly, he leaned in, his breath brushing her neck.
“You have two options, Maya.” His hand rose and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You can walk back to your friend and pretend this never happened. Or ”
“You can follow me.” His breath on her skin made her shiver, goosebumps rising.
He stared at her intensely, fully aware of his effect on her.
She finished her drink in one gulp, stood up, and looked him in the eye. “Let’s go.”
They walked to the car, the cool air blowing gently against her skin.
The driver pulled up in front of the bar. Clark opened the door for her like a gentleman, and they both slid into the backseat.
He leaned forward and murmured something to the driver. A moment later, a glass screen slowly rose between them and the front seat, separating them completely.
Maya blinked, surprised.
“For privacy,” Clark said as he turned back to her and leaned in.
“Can I kiss you?” he asked gently, cupping her face, his gaze on her lips.
“Yes,” she whispered, her breath shaky, and her heart pounding.
He took control of the kiss, giving her no chance to breathe.
His hands brushed her neck, sending shivers to her skin, and a soft moan escaped her lips. His tongue licked every inch of her mouth like he was claiming her. She didn’t know how long they kissed before the car finally stopped.
They pulled away and stepped out. He took her hand, leading her into the building.
Inside the elevator with three other people, her hands trembled until she felt him gently rubbing her wrist, soothing her.
The moment they entered his penthouse, he pressed her against the door, claiming her lips again with a toe-curling kiss.
He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carried her to the bed without breaking the kiss.
He laid her down gently, stripping off his shirt.
As she watched him undress, doubt started in making her wrap her arms around her chest.
“Wait,” she said softly. “Can we do it without me taking off my clothes?”
He looked at her,his gaze softening. “Trust me. I love what I’m seeing. I know you’ll look perfect.”
“The sight of you like this is already driving me crazy, don’t even get me started on what’ll happen when your clothes come off,” he murmured, dropping a gentle kiss on her head.
His hands caressed her skin slowly, his lips brushing every inch of her skin from her fingers to her palms, until she began to relax.
Fully relaxed, she pulled him closer, dropping a soft kiss on his lips, and letting herself enjoy his burning touch on her skin. Melting her softly.
- Writer
