Three Shots and a baby

CHAPTER TWO

Clark's Pov

The hum of the engine filled the silence in the car as I leaned back against the leather seat. I had a bad headache from hearing my mother nag all morning.

I don't even know what she was doing in the office this morning, she didn't do a damn thing for the company.

Her office sat there empty just for show while she paraded around with my dad as the trophy wife.

I needed to breathe and unwind.

My secretary had messed up the reservation again. I asked for the usual rooftop lounge, the quiet kind with a lot of privacy, but she booked me a different place. A bar. Still fancy, but not the kind I’d normally be seen in.

Didn’t matter. I wasn’t in the mood to be picky tonight.

I just needed a br, from the meetings, from the fake smiles, from my mother’s calls and her nagging me about getting married.

She wants me to get married to Nina, a childhood friend. Nina is like an annoying little sister to me, the thought of her being my wife made me uncomfortable to me. And the fact that she is a lesbian.

With a sigh, I pulled into the parking lot, and got out. My suit was feeling tight so I pulled it off, unbuttoned a few buttons then rolled my sleeves up, tugged off my tie and flung it into the car, rolled my shirt sleeves up, and headed into the bar.

I had plans to get drunk, not drunk enough that I couldn't drive, just enough to get me loosened up.

Inside, the bar had dim lights, low R&B music playing in the background, Not bad.

I found a corner table, my kind of spot. Out of sight. Then waved the bartender over to order a vodka Martini, my usual.

Then I let my eyes wander around the bar. The red neon lights casted a glow over the room, and the air smelled like liquor. No one paid me any attention. Good.

I liked it that way. I’d kept my face out of the press for years, made sure no one really knew exactly what I looked like. I could drink in peace without the paparazzi trailing me.

I took a sip of my drink, thinking about how I was going to get Ivanov’s company to partner with us with our new solar products that will soon be launched.

Until my eyes caught a sight of two girls entering the bar.

But it was the one on the left that caught my attention.

She stepped in like she didn’t want to be seen. Her shoulders were tense. She looked around the bar like a scared cat, eyes scanning her environment , she looked like she would run out any minute from now.

There was something about her that got his attention. Not just her beauty, though she was beautiful, she had a soft brown skin, big eyes, and full lips she kept biting unconsciously.

No. It wasn’t just that.

It was the way she looked uncomfortable in her own skin. Like she didn’t belong here but came anyway.

And somehow, that is what made it hard for me to look away from her.

I watched her and her friend as they got to their seat, laughing and taking shots of tequila.

She took one and winced right after, like it was her first time. The way she stucked out her tongue and squeezed her eyes shut made almost me smile.

I shifted in my seat. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like seeing her getting drunk like that.

She looked too innocent to be sitting in a bar, getting drunk on tequila.

I shook my head and forced myself to look away. What the hell was I doing?. Getting all possessive over a woman I hadn’t even spoken to.

Besides, I didn’t do relationships, never had. Never planned to.

She must have felt me staring at her, because seconds later, her eyes met mine across the bar.

She blinked, then quickly looked behind her, like she thought I was staring at someone else.

But there was no one there.

She looked startled, shifting in her seat, then leaned toward her friend, and said something to her.

Her friend turned to look in my direction, then looked back at her with a wide, teasing smile. I could tell they were talking about me. The shy glances she gave me, the small laughs, it was obvious. And to my surprise, she stood up, walking towards me.

I lifted a brow.

She didn’t look like the kind of girl who had the courage to walk up to any guy. She seemed shy, and yet she was walking towards me.

She hesitated a bit, looked back at her friend who gave her a thumbs-up, grinning.

Then slowly, she began walking toward my table.

I leaned back, resting my arm on the chair, a smile slowly tugging my lips.

She stopped at my table, her hands trembling, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. Then she took a breath, stepped closer, and gave a small, nervous smile.

“Hi,” she said softly.

I raised an eyebrow, not saying anything yet. Just watching her.

She opened her mouth to say something else, then stopped. Her eyes met mine and I didn’t look away. I just sat there, staring at her like I could read what on her mind.

Her lips parted again, but nothing came out. She blinked, then bit her bottom lip.

She looked adorable.

“You always walk up to strange men and forget how to talk?” I asked, my voice low and teasing. I didn’t want to sound rude, just wanted to mess with her a little.

She blushed instantly. “No,” she said quickly, then looked away like she regretted coming over.

I chuckled. “Relax. I don’t bite,” I said with a grin. “Unless you want me to.”

She looked back at me, her eyes wide, but then she relaxed a little.

“Don’t just stand there. You walked all the way here, you might as well join me for a drink.

She hesitated for a second, then sat down slowly across from me.

“I’m Clark,” I said, watching her closely. “And you are…?”

She hesitated, glancing back at her friend again, then slowly slid into the seat across mine.

I watched her closely, the way she sat slowly, pulling her chair away from the table. She kept tucking a strand of her curly hair behind her ear, avoiding my gaze.

“What’s your name?” I asked, my voice low, and soft but sharp.

“Maya,” she said, barely almost a whisper.

“Maya,” I repeated her name slowly, letting my tongue get used to it, letting it settle in my mouth.

“Pretty name. Are you half Mexican?” I asked.

“Yes, I am,” she said softly.

“I like the color of your eyes,” I said, my gaze tracing her face.

“Thank you,” she replied, her fingers playing with the edge of the tablecloth.

“You don’t look like you come to bars often, Maya.”

She shifted in her seat, then looked at me, a bit of boldness in her eyes.

“Maybe I do come to bars,” she said, her voice soft but playful. “You don’t know me well enough.”

“But you were about to say this is your first time,” I said, smirking.

She sighed. “Okay, fine. It is. Today’s my birthday. My friend dragged me out to celebrate.”

I waved over the bartender who came immediately.

“Bring her something non-alcoholic,” I said, not looking away from her. “Fresh juice. No alcohol.”

“Wait, what? I can order for myself, you don't have to”.

“I don’t want you getting drunk” I said, giving her a look that said don’t argue. “You don’t belong in places like this. And you sure as hell don’t belong taking shots.”

“You don’t even know me,” she said, looking amused.

“No. But what I do know is, I don’t like the sight of you carelessly getting drunk.”

She didn’t respond, just stared at me like she was trying to figure me out.

“Why did you walk over?” I asked. “You don’t seem like the type to make the first move.”

“I... I don’t know. You were staring,” she said. “Not in a creepy way. Just, like you saw something.”

“I did,” I replied.

“What?”

I smirked. “Something that caught my attention.”

She blushed, her eyes wide as she looked at me.

The waiter returned with her drink. I picked up mine, not breaking eye contact with her.

“You’re shaking,” I murmured, looking at her fingers curled around the glass. “Are you scared of me?”

She shook her head. “I’m not scared. Just... not used to this.”

“Used to what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled softly, fully relaxing on the chair. “Don’t make me say it. You know what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t. Enlighten me.”

She swallowed hard. “I’m not used to approaching a guy. And you’re... a bit intimidating.”

“Do I scare you?” I asked her softly, taking a sip of my drink.

“I said intimidating, not scary,” she replied, unconsciously biting her bottom lip.

“Stop doing that,” I said, my voice darkening, with something possessive.

She blinked. “Doing what?”

“Biting your lip.” Then my eyes landed at her mouth. “Unless you want me to do something about it.”