HIS FORBIDDEN DESIRE

CHAPTER TWO

EVIE'S POV

The Day Before

It was Friday evening and I could sense my excitement growing

Usually on Fridays, nothing happened most of the time. It was either—dinner with my dad and maybe a movie. But tonight would be completely different.

I grinned at the idea of Emma's enthusiasm on the phone. We hadn't seen each other since graduation, and now she was surprisingly coming to Minnesota for a visit.

She had imagined a "wild night out" as a way to reconnect because she didn't plan to stay too long.

Typical Emma.

I glanced down at my phone. 8:53 p.m. Time was of the essence, yet nothing I tried on felt quite right.

Now, I faced the large mirror in my room while trying on my fourth outfit. I got caught up in admiring myself for a moment.

And that was it. I turned around slowly in a short black silk dress.

It was low cut, v-necked, sleeveless, and it hugged my curves in a way that said, "Danger." I loved every bit of that intense confidence.

A car horn outside jolted me out of my reverie.

"It's my ride!" I grumbled as I reached for my stilettos and purse. I stopped again in front of the mirror to adjust my hair. then, while I was at it, snapped a few pictures for i********:.

The Uber driver opened the door for me, glancing over my dress with a tiny frown on his brow. Perhaps a little too revealing, but tonight wasn’t the time for holding back.

I sat down on the worn leather seat, feeling a thrill of excitement throughout my body.

Emma's text message from i********: glowed on my screen. "Nice outfit, girl! You look SEXY!” With a grin on my face, I quickly replied, feeling my heartbeat quicken as the city lights faded into the distance.

When the car eventually came to a stop, I almost jumped out.

The sound of a hundred voices mixed with the loud music coming from the club formed a line that went all the way down the block. I pushed through the busy crowd until I spotted a recognizable face.

Emma stood out among the crowd because of her bright red hair.

"Evie!" She embraced me tightly, making it difficult for me to breathe.

I was five feet five inches tall, while she was still five feet two inches. She was wearing a golden-brown dress that reached mid-thigh and had spaghetti straps. Her model-like figure made her look attractive.

"You look amazing!" She finally let go of me, and I gave her a little spin.

"Don't think I missed you either," she said with a broad smile and a wink. "Are you ready to have fun tonight?"

The queue started to move. An excited rhythm pounded in my heart. "Yesss, girl.

It was going to be a memorable night.

My long-time friend and I were set to enjoy ourselves at my favorite club that evening. It was also a chance for me to relax after a whole week of handling rejected applications. Finally, we got in.

I was dancing with Emma and enjoying the perfect combination of jazz music and mood, which made me feel much lighter. I didn't feel light enough, though.

I walked up to the bar and yelled at Emma, "I'm too sober for this." I wanted to get into the best gear since I hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

I took a seat at the bar and began looking at my options.

I glanced over my shoulder for a moment and saw Emma flirting with a skinny guy. Hmmmm.

Getting stranger was certainly not part of the plan for tonight. But just as I was about to order a drink, the bartender showed up.

“A glass of your best whiskey for me. And for the lovely lady…” The stranger glanced at me. “…anything she desires… it’s on me, naturally.”

Who does he think he is?

I instantly wanted to put this stranger in his place for trying to be so controlling around me, but one glance into his blue eyes made my legs go weak.

This man was a genuine work of art, and I wasn't sure how I had missed it when he first showed up.

A well-defined jawline, a solid chin, piercing eyes, and all the stereotypical hotness you could ask for. I had never had so many reasons to make bad decisions, especially not all in one person.

His striking blue eyes and jet-black hair gave him a face that was a perfect match for the kind of romanticism that romance books were made of.

And his physique? His big muscles flexed even under his suit. I could feel his suit's cloth aching, pleading to be let go. I really wanted to switch places with his clothing right then and there.

I wanted to see him without all that heavy clothing, to touch his skin, and to trace the strong lines on his body. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much he might have going on inside.

"Well, Miss, what will it be?" His baritone voice echoed through the noisy atmosphere, and I had to summon all my willpower not to leap into his arms. As if he wasn't perfect enough already!

I suddenly lacked the courage to tell him no. "How about I try? Maybe a drink without alcohol that goes well with jazz music?" I glanced over at the bartender.

He grinned at me. "A superb decision. We have a wonderful variety of in-house sodas. What about our "Fizz with Raspberry Rose"? Made with freshly blended raspberries, a touch of rosewater, and rose-petal-infused sparkling water on top."

"Excellent."

While the bartender mixed the drink, I quickly looked at the stranger. He was sitting and also observing the bartender.

"Is this your first time here?" I had no idea why I had asked. Maybe it was just that something about his aura felt out of place here.

He turned to look at me and gave a nod. His starry blue eyes drew my attention. I was sure I had seen his face before, but I couldn't place where.

I started, "I come here regularly," over the loud music. "Well, maybe not regularly. Sure, I visit clubs to unwind, but not this place. I don’t come here very often.

I felt a bit out of place here. Expensive. Emma had paid for it.

"Uh." His low growl pierced my chest, and I instinctively tightened my legs.

His eyes dropped to my thighs as if he noticed. His glare was so hot it was burning a hole in my skin. His stare was so intense it felt like it was burning through my skin. The sensation was pleasant and sent shivers throughout my body.

The waiter cut in just as it was getting too much. He gave a slight nod and set down our drinks. I took a quick sip of my drink. My taste buds were jolted awake by a sharp tang, followed by a rush of sweetness as the juice slid down my throat.

It was a smart choice. However, my focus on it was short-lived.

When I saw him drinking from his whisky glass, I gasped.

With his head tilted back, his long, thick throat moved as he took a sip. The movement was mesmerizing. I kept watching him until he looked at me.

My face was flushed. I was glad he couldn’t see it. Still, I did what I could do best in that moment. I spoke.

"I brought a friend."

I quickly glanced in the direction I remembered her staying but she wasn't there. God where is Emma?

"Friend?" He looked puzzled.

"Her name is Emma. I haven’t seen her for some time, and we were meant to catch up on old times, but I have no idea where she went. Just now, while we were over there, I told her that I—"

"What if we took a short break? just the two of us? and maybe look for Emma while we’re at it?" His words were filled with promises, yet no one was actually searching for Emma.

My spine shivered with a pleasant thrill as I struggled to find the right words. "And where do you think that is?"

"Where do you think that is?" His eyes became a little black, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Where do you suppose it is?" His eyes darkened slightly, and a subtle smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Let's see," he leaned in closer. "Somewhere between your thighs and arms."

I felt my primal desires starting to take over, pushing aside all other emotions with the tingling anticipation of pleasure. I was on the brink of losing control.

“What if I'm not interested?”

There was a pause until he rasped, “Say you don’t want it.” I was speechless; I couldn’t respond. He reached out to take my hand and lifted me off the stool I was sitting on.

Even though I knew he was large, it was still shocking to stand directly in front of him. I felt small compared to him, but it didn’t bother me at all.

He pulled me toward him by my waist. My forehead pressed against his broad chest, and I felt myself melt.

"How... cocky?" I hesitantly pushed myself back, playing with fire. I let my gaze wander freely over his frame.

The hint of a smirk on his lips showed that he was aware of his influence on me. "Why don't we explore more examples of cockiness?"

He nodded and guided me to the restroom at the back of the club. Then he locked the door behind us.