Destined - Chapter 2
Serena
Serena hated the clubbing scene, but her best friend had been insistent that she joined her. The woman wasn’t one to take no for an answer. She was sure Kim was trying to set her up on yet another unwanted blind date. Yet here she was at the club, sipping on a drink she didn’t want, and bored out of her mind.
To add insult to injury, she’d been right about Kim wanting to set her up. Regardless of how many times Serena told her she wasn’t looking for a new man in her life, Kim seemed oblivious. She’d taken it upon herself to find Serena’s “Mr Right”, and nothing was going to derail her plans.
After Serena had booted the last jackass to the curb, the last thing she wanted was another relationship. Her track record with men was shocking, and she’d decided it was best to give love a wide berth for the time being. “Mr Right” definitely wasn’t on her radar at the moment. Now if she could just get that through to Kim.
Serena scanned the room, watching from afar as bodies danced to the beat of the loud music, bumping and grinding like their lives depended on it. Women smiling coyly and men thinking they were getting lucky for the evening, it was all just a game to see who was going home with whom for the night. Serena just wanted to go home by herself. Why was that so much to ask?
Turning back to the bar, she grabbed her glass of wine and was just about to take a sip when she felt someone staring at her. As she looked across the bar, she felt shock ripple through her when her eyes collided with a smouldering amber gaze. It drew her in, promising things she didn’t realise she wanted. With effort, she dropped her eyes, slowly giving him the once-over. His crisp blue suit was tailored to perfection, easily accommodating his tall, well-built body. He oozed confidence and sex; his whole persona screamed playboy. Despite that, she felt her whole body clench at the look in his eyes.
Uncomfortable with where her thoughts were going, she looked back down at her glass, thankful for the thick strands of hair that fell across her face, which allowed her to hide from his intense look. Lifting her hand to push the loose locks behind her ears, she couldn’t help but give him another look. Shit, he was still staring at her, and it looked like he was ready to head her way. That was all she needed, some wealthy playboy who thought he was God’s gift to women hitting on her.
Thoroughly disconcerted by her overwhelming response to the stranger, Serena scrambled to her feet when the gorgeous man turned to acknowledge the bartender talking to him. Suddenly, she could think of nothing else but escaping the magnetic pull of him. Her senses, now on full alert, were screaming for her to get out, get away.
The relationship she’d just ended had been so dysfunctional that she was wary of men in general, but this one in particular had trouble stamped all over that striking face of his.
So, as he turned to give his attention to the man at his side, she took the opportunity to slip into the crowd, looking for Kim. Finding her on the dance floor with her boyfriend and a group of people she didn’t know, Serena made her way to her friend’s side. She put her mouth to Kim’s ear so she’d be able to hear over the pounding music.
“Honey, I’m going to head for home. This music is giving me a nasty headache.”
“Oh no,” Kim cried. “Steve hasn’t even arrived yet.”
“I’m sorry, but I really do need to go. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Disappointment was clear on Kim’s beautiful face, and she sighed deeply. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Take something for that headache before it escalates. Feel better, okay?” Kim hugged Serena, and Serena felt a pang of guilt. Her friend was only trying to do something nice for her, but she wasn’t ready for a new man in her life just yet. She hugged Kim a little tighter, conveying without words that she appreciated the effort even though she wasn’t interested. Then she fled the club.
Climbing hastily into her car, she wondered again about her intense reaction to the sexy stranger. She couldn’t remember ever reacting like that to any man. What was it about this particular man that made her want him so badly? What made her want to be touched, tasted, taken, and used by a complete stranger? And why was her body betraying her? God, she had to get out of there before she did something utterly stupid.
Key in the ignition, she engaged the start button, put the car into reverse, and backed out of the parking space. Turning for the exit, she looked up and found a man standing in the middle of the road. Braking, she looked at him watching her intently through the rearview mirror, her gaze locked with his. She couldn’t seem to look away. It was him, the sexy stranger.
She was so ensnared in his gaze she couldn’t break eye contact. Why would this man follow her? Why was he staring at her with his one sexy eyebrow cocked, asking her a question she couldn’t understand? He took a step toward her, and she panicked. She revved the vehicle’s engine. Taking her foot off the brake, she took off, well aware he was still standing in the road watching her rear lights disappear. She observed him out of the corner of her eye, not wanting him to see her looking.
She let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. She was the one running, yet in the pit of her stomach, she felt a deep disappointment that she wouldn’t get to see him again.