Chapter 3 A Flirt With The Stranger

Ellen's POV

"Hello handsome, hope you don't mind me joining you?" I asked as I took the seat beside him.

He smiled in response without saying anything.

So, I made myself comfortable as I was suddenly grateful for the sexy black gown I wore. I remembered vividly that it hugged my body perfectly, accentuating my curves to all who cared to stare and this handsome stranger was no exception, I could see the way he looked at me while he kept sipping on his drink.

I watched him signal to one of his guards and in the next second the waiter was hurrying towards us.

"Get the lady what she wants." His deep masculine voice finally reverberated into my ears, shaking me up and sending chills down my spine as I turned to look at his face.

His eyes were on me and when they met mine he let out a small smirk by the side of his lips that made my insides churn in response.

"Hello, ma'am." I heard the waiter's voice from far away but I couldn't respond to him because I had drowned in this stranger's gaze and could not pull myself out.

"Lady?" He called again but there was no response still, not until this handsome guy nodded his head in the direction of the waiter did I snap back to reality.

"I'll have whatever he is having," I said in response and I saw his smile widen.

"Give her my favorite then." He chipped in and the waiter bowed and left.

I took my time to look at him closely. He was in a black suit that complimented his glowing skin. Even though I couldn't see his face clearly due to the dim blue light, I could still see the features on his face. His pointed nose stood out from every other feature making him look like a French god. He was one of a kind and very rare to find in San Francisco.

"Checking me out?" He asked when he noticed my eyes scanning him thoroughly.

"Nope. Just returning the favor." I said in response and he laughed. A short deep laugh that resonated again and again in my head, made me smile as well.

"You are a proud one." He said and I sighed and shifted more into my seat.

But suddenly it dawned on me what I was doing and my smile faded. I had been dumped on the altar and here I was playing words with some stranger whose name I didn't even know.

"When you come in here, you are supposed to let go of all your worries. Didn't you read that on the door?" He suddenly whispered in my ears, making me jerk in response, his voice going all the way to curl my toes up.

When did he get so close? I asked myself as I turned immediately to face him, almost bumping into his face which he didn't attempt to take away from mine.

To hell with Hammond, I was going to do whatever I liked tonight and regret it later. After all, he was somewhere with Elfreda.

The waiter returned with my drink at that moment and I turned to the table to pick it up, forcing him to shift away from me. I noticed also that all the guards had turned their faces away and I smiled as I took a sip of his supposed favourite drink.

"I have good taste, right?" He asked and I nodded with a wider smile.

"Not bad, I guess," I said taking another sip and he nodded in response.

"You don't have to be so polite about complimenting me." He said, picking up his drink one more time.

"And so, have you had someone tell you how mesmerizing and breathtaking you look today?" I asked with a smirk and he nodded with a serious look.

"I hear that every day." He responded in a serious tone and I laughed heartily.

This guy was fun and I was already loving his aura and pride. The next time I had my eyes open from my laugh, he was standing with an outstretched hand to me.

"A dance?" He asked and I raised an eyebrow at him before placing my hands in his.

That contact! It was the first time our skin was touching and the impact on me was greater than his voice whispering into my ears or his laugh reverberating through me.

My body was suddenly having a mind of its own by the time I was standing and my head was already light from the strong drink I had taken and so I swayed on my feet. Immediately, his other hand came up to steady me as he placed his arm firmly on my waist and pulled me into him and I snuggled deeper into the warmth of his embrace.

His scent enveloped me like a gentle caress. The scent of his skin was a subtle blend of earthy undertones, the natural sweetness of sun-kissed skin, with a little bit of mystery.

In its depths, I detected the faintest hint of vulnerability, a reminder that this strong, beautiful man was also fragile and human, though this was being hidden. His scent was a siren's call, beckoning me to surrender to the warmth he offered.

"Are you trying to fall for me?" He whispered into my ears and I laughed and steadied myself.

"No, Mister Handsome Stranger. I'm trying not to fall for you." I responded, despite my lightheaded state.

I could not ignore the huge smile that displayed on his face at that moment. He was impressed and I could tell that.

"I love that name and I love how you match my energy." He whispered in my ears as a new song began to play from the background and I placed my hands on his shoulders while he made his grip on my waist more firm, making me tense up.

"Let's dance." He whispered into my ears. "And... loosen up, I won't let you fall.... For me." He added and I giggled and finally surrendered to his arms as I let him lead me through the dance floor.

As we swayed to the music, his arms wrapped around me and I felt a fleeting sense of solace. Our bodies moved in sync with the rhythm of the music pulsing through us.

Without thinking, I tilted my head up to stare into his eyes knowing what those pairs would do to me, and I wasn't wrong because they compelled me to give in and I did.

I took my face closer to his, he met me halfway and our lips brushed, soft and gentle with a whisper of comfort to my turbulent mind. As our lips met, the world around us melted away, leaving only the gentle pressure of his mouth on mine. It was a stranger's kiss, yet somehow it felt like coming home.

It was a kiss that spoke of longing. His lips were warm and gentle, yet insistent, coaxing mine to surrender to the tender exploration he was giving and for a moment, I forgot my troubles, my heartache, my fears and all that mattered was the gentle pressure of his lips on mine, the offer of comfort in his arms. It was a kiss that asked for nothing, offered everything, and left me breathless.

And so, I cleared my mind of every thought and warning that would've come in that moment telling me to run before it was too late.