Chapter 4 4.

I took a large gulp of my wine, feeling the liquid burn the back of my throat. Red wine wasn't for the faint of heart. I was on my third glass now and already I could feel the inevitable buzz of the alcohol running through my bloodstream.

Once again my gaze was drawn to the guy sitting at the window. From the moonlight streaming in I could make out his chiseled jawline, and his furrowed brows. There was a certain melancholy about him, his long fingers wrapped around the stem of a wine glass as he nursed his drink.

What in the world was he brooding about?

The bartender had refilled my glass while I was staring at Mr. Mysterious. I took another sip as the thought of sleeping alone intruded into my non-Daniel thoughts. Ever since I'd met Daniel I rarely went to bed alone. I didn't mind the snoring or the sheet hugging. I just knew that if something were to go down in the middle of the night, I wouldn't be alone.

And right now, I needed to get out of here, preferably with Mr. Mysterious at my side. Daniel was probably balls-deep in Anna at this very moment while I sat here feeling sorry for myself and fantasizing about a man who wouldn't look at me twice.

I glanced over at Mr. Mysterious again as I tried to imagine the kind of sex I could possibly have with him.

Dark, brooding, rough sex. He looked like the type who liked it rough. He was giving off all kinds of dominant vibes and that was just what I wanted right now.

Daniel had always let me take the lead. At first I hadn't mind, but after a while it got tiring and my orgasms stopped coming. I needed a man who knew what the hell he was doing between the sheets and Mr. Mysterious looked like the perfect candidate.

Right at that moment he lifted his head and looked at me.

Green.

Green, intelligent eyes stared back at me. My heart fluttered in my chest and I licked my lips. His gaze was intense, focused solely on me. The bar and everyone else inside of it faded into darkness.

He was gorgeous. I couldn't look away. That strong jaw, straight nose, and five o' clock shadow was every woman's fantasy. A man like him would never take a girl like me home.

I was suddenly self conscious of my hair, which I hadn't comb, and of all the times in the world, I had chosen tonight of all nights to wear jeans and a sweater. Typical, typical Lauren.

I watched him twist the stem of the glass in his large hand, but he never drank. I didn't care that I was outright staring at him, because that was the closest I would ever get to him or any kind of sex tonight.

He looked away from me, his green gaze going back to the window, and I noticed that even his profile was sexy. He had on a long-sleeved white shirt and jeans. Very casual, but so hot.

I felt heat creep up over my body. Must be the wine, but deep down inside I knew it was a physical reaction to the man sitting so alone at the table by the window with the moonlight flitting in.

I closed my eyes and for a moment imagined him trailing kisses down my neck, his hands groping my breasts while he pressed his arousal into me. I squeezed my legs together under the table trying to dampen the heat, but it only grew worse.

Appalled at the direction my thoughts were headed in, I drank some more wine. I was not the type of woman to fantasize about having sex with a perfect stranger. In all the years I'd been with Daniel, I'd never wanted another man.

Not like this. This was intense and slightly scary. I could tell I was way out of my depth with a man like that. He would eat me up in a heartbeat. His emerald eyes alone were enough to send me into a frenzy.

Nope. I wasn't going there.

I glanced around me, but there was no one else remotely as good looking as Mr. Mysterious. No one else who made my pulse race faster or caused me to develop a fever in the intimate of places. There was only him and he was out of my reach. Out of my league, to be accurate.

Micheal the bartender approached me. "Ma'am, last round is in 15 minutes. Is there anything else I can do for you?" I knew his name and he knew mine, but he insisted on calling me ma'am, making me feel so much older. Maybe it was time for me to grow up. Or maybe I could just take Steven home with me instead.

Yup, definitely the wine.

"That will be all," I slurred. "Thank you, Steven. The service was exceptional." I held my glass up in mock salute.

Micheal nodded and smiled at me. He was decent looking, but he was too soft. Like Daniel. He turned and started to walk away.

"Wait, " I called out. "Can I get the rest of the wine to go?"

"Sure, coming right up. How are you getting home if you don't mind me asking?"

"Why? I'm not drunk. My car is parked less than a block away." I didn't like the way he was eyeing me. Like I was a germ under a microscope. I squirmed under his all too knowing gaze, trying my best to come across as normal as I possibly could under the circumstances.

"I don't think that's a good idea ... Lauren, right? You should call somebody." There was sincerity and genuine concern in his voice.

Great, just great.

My eyes followed Michael as he walked up to Mr. Mysterious, who up to now still hadn't taken a sip of his wine. What was up with the guy? Why come to a bar and not drink? Fucking weirdo, fucking sexy weirdo whom I would like to take home with me.

I didn't want anything serious right now, just sex. Mind blowing sex. I hadn't realize how horny I'd been all this time until now. It was embarrassing, really, and sadly, I was going home to sleep alone.

I took out my purse and placed the twenty-three dollars plus tip for the wine on the table. On my way out I noticed Mr. Mysterious looking at me. His eyes were a deep, captivating green. My heart faltered, and for the second time in one night I couldn't breathe.

He had a stare that had seen way too much. I sensed grief and something more, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Shaking off the feeling that I needed to protect him, I stepped out into the crisped cool air of New Orleans. Protect him from what? I didn't know. The man could very well protect himself by the look of him.

My Beetle was still parked where I'd left it, but a stupid driver had locked me in between a dead end wall and his car. How was I to get out of there? How had he even squeezed himself in the tiny space in front of my car? I took out my keys and started the engine. I could do this.

I put the car in reverse, stepped on the gas, and hit right into the wall.

"Damn it," I yelled. "Fuck my life." The sound of breaking plastic caused me to groan into my sleeve, sobering me up almost immediately.

"You just broke your tail light," a deep voice said.

I looked up to find dark green eyes looking down at me. Oh no. Not him. I wasn't sober enough for this shit.