She watched from a dark corner of the pub, sipping her vodka while her body tingled with excitement. Tonight was the night she’d get him in her bed and nobody would get in her way. Nobody. Her gaze swept the dance floor, her eyes narrowing at the tiny woman nestled against his chest, her hands around his waist as if she owned him.
“Not for much longer, babe,” she muttered, knocking back the last of her vodka.
Catching the bartenders eyes she ordered another with a sexy smirk. Jed was easy.
“Another sweetness?” he grinned.
“Please, babe,” she blew him a kiss.
“Don’t usually see you in here on a Thursday.”
“Time for a change,” her eyes hit her man, her tongue moistened her lips in anticipation of her reward. “Dance night seemed a good idea,” she nodded to the dance floor, accepting her drink.
“Enjoy,” he nodded, walking off to serve other customers.
“Oh, I will,” she murmured.
Unknown to Lila, the watcher, she was being watched by Hawk, who smirked each time he saw her shoot daggers at the little woman in his cousins arms. Ethan and Clara were an item and had just gotten engaged. This was their first night out since the party. He remembered Lila from college, though hadn’t realised she’d returned home. She’d been a minx then and it looked like she was out to cause trouble again. Sighing, he finished his beer putting the empty glass on the table and headed to the bar right beside where Lila stood. There was no way in hell he’d let Lila ruin another relationship after she nearly destroyed his brother.
Ignoring her, he ordered another pint, turning away to look over the room tapping his foot to the music as it pounded through the floor and air. Jed knocked on the bar, Hawk smiled picking up his pint, handing Jed some money.
“Ta, Jed. Looks like a good night,” he said.
“Usually are on dance night,” he replied walking away.
Lila licked her lips, her eyes wandering over the tall, dark haired, broad shouldered man who’d appeared beside her. Her eyes moved over his body, taking in his tight buttocks, and large rough looking hands as he bopped to the music. She knew he must be a regular due to knowing Jed by name. Her hands itched to scrape through his short curls.
Her eyes snapped back to Ethan and his dizzy little woman, her eyes travelling over his body before flicking back to the man in front of her. Smiling, she put her vodka down, sitting on the stool behind her and accidently on purpose kicking the stranger.
“Oh, sorry,” she murmured when Hawk turned, his indigo eyes on her, roving over her face and body as if he didn’t know her. Lila’s breathing hitched at the sight of his sculptured face with the beginnings of scruff on his chin.
“Apology accepted,” she watched him turn away, and sip his beer.
Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him for ignoring her. Knocking back her third vodka she tried again.
“Not seen you in here before?”
“Don’t come often,” his eyes stayed on those dancing. “Can’t say I’ve seen you here either,” he twirled around leaning his elbows on the damp wooden bar trying not to wince as the sticky beer stuck to his leather jacket. “You got a name?”
Lila licked her lips, biting the bottom one when he turned to start at her. “Lila,” she murmured. “What about you?”
“Call me, Hawk,” he turned back to his drink, soothing his throat with another gulp. “You new in town?”
“Yeah. Arrived last week, still finding my way around.”
Hawk had to turn away to stop from spluttering in his beer at her lies. “What you come here for? Not much going on.”
“Change of pace in life. Had enough of the rat race in the city?”
“What were you doing in the city?”
“Lawyer.”
His hand stilled as the memories of what she’d done to his brother shattered through his mind, his anger building. He clenched the handle of his beer glass tighter, blowing out a quiet breath, counting to ten.
“The town has a Lawyer, doubt it needs another.”
“Change of job, change of scene. You wanna dance?”
“Nah. I’m not a dancer, you go ahead.”
“Come one,” she grinned, grabbing his hand. He nearly recoiled from her touch, before straightening up, leaving his beer on the bar and following Lila onto the dance floor. “Ethan and Clara shot him a look of surprise before grinning. Hawk sighed, placing a hand on Lila’s shoulder and one at her waist, swaying along to the music with her.
Lila stepped into his body, her breath whispering across his neck making him shudder, while her hands moved around his neck. He looked down into her cerulean blue eyes, wishing he hadn’t. She stared at him a frown deepening on her forehead.
“I feel like we’ve meet before,” she murmured.
“Not possible. I’ve rarely go out of town and I would’ve remembered you if we’d met before.” Feeling her fingers tangle with his hair, he stepped away. “Excuse me, I need a drink,” He lifted her hand, kissing the back and let go, returning to the bar and his cold beer.”
You okay man?” said Jed.
“I’ll survive. It’s been a long day.”
“You won’t survive long if Lila gets her claws into you, Hawk.”
“I’m not as stupid as my brother,” he growled.
“I wasn’t sure if you remembered…”
“Trying to distract her from Ethan. She don’t know I know who she is… yet.”
“Here she comes,” Jed nodded with a smirk. “Good luck, you’re gonna need it with the game you’re playing.”
“Give us a whisky, Jed.”
“With you in a tick, Hawk,” and walked away to serve a few other customers.
“You could’ve waited until the song was over,” she said.
“Told you I hate dancing,” he downed half his beer when Jed put down a shot of whisky on the rocks for him. Hawk handed over some notes, picking up the whisky knocking it down, enjoying the burn down his throat, he slammed the glass on the bar. Grabbing his beer he finished it off getting to his feet exaggerating his drunkenness as he straightened. “Time to get home, early morning…” he trailed off, blinking, frowned and headed for the door.
“Hawk,” she called after him, He turned quickly nearly landing on his arse.
“What you want now?”
“You can’t drive like that,” she walked after him as he lurched out the door, staggering down the steps.
“What me. Do it plenty of times,” he chuckled, heading for his Landrover. He slammed into the side, removing his keys, trying to get them in the lock. Lila snatched them out of his hands, unlocked the car before dragging him around to the passenger side.
“Get in. I’ll drive.”
“I don’t know you. You might…”
“In, Hawk.”
“Fine,” he grumbled sliding into the seat, closing his eyes. By the time Lila got into the drivers side he was snoring his head off.
“Where the hell do you live?” she shook him several times to no avail. “Shit,” starting the car she took him back to the house her dad had left her. Fifteen minutes later, she slowed the car to a stop, turning the engine off she looked over at Hawk who was still asleep. Getting out of the car she slammed the door and moved to the passenger door. Opening it, Hawk slid sideways hitting the gravel driveway with a groan.
“Fuck.”
“Get the hell up and I’ll help you inside.”
Crawling the rest of the way out of the car he climbed to his feet using his car for support, his eyes blinking open, though unfocused.
“Where the hell am I.”
“My place. Put your hand on my shoulder, I’ll take you to the guest room.”
“Wanna go home,” he muttered.
“Not happening until tomorrow.”
Finally inside the house he slumped on the couch and pretended to snore again enjoying the muttered swears leaving her lush lips… ‘What’ he thought. A blanket was thrown over him, distracting his thoughts, lights flicked off and quiet descended.
Waiting for fifteen minutes, Hawk sat up, resting his head back wondering why he’d pretended to be drunk. At least he knew where she was living, though he still didn’t know why she was home. Her dad had passed away over six months prior, she didn’t even turn up to his funeral.
Chloe King - Erotic Author 