two.

He smiled, his teeth perfectly aligned and white. “Do you even work here?”

The guy’s eyebrows rose for a moment and then he pursed his lips. He tipped the glass towards his lips, seemingly trying to think of an answer to my question. “I think you could put it that way.”

Maybe he was new. Maybe our paths simply hadn’t crossed until now. Another waiter passed by us carrying a tray of appetizers. He took two and handed one to me. “You’re not meant to drink on an empty stomach.”

I scoffed and accepted his offer, staring at the small piece of whatever fancy food it was that was stabbed with a toothpick. “They pay such a hefty amount for such food but it barely makes the people full.”

The guy was still beside me and he was watching me intently, amusement dancing in his eyes. He watched as I took a bite and set the toothpick on the white table between us. “See the thing is, you’re meant to mingle in this kind of event. Not scarf down food. If that’s what you thought this would be, you should’ve made a reservation in a restaurant.”

He was blunt but he didn’t say it in an offensive manner so I didn’t feel insulted. I took another glass of champagne from a passing waiter and swirled it around a little. “You’re also not meant to keep talking to someone who clearly doesn’t want to be bothered.”

The guy chuckled but still didn’t take my hint. “I just wanted to make small-talk. I thought you were as curious as me about that affair.”

“I wasn’t even aware that there was one.”

He tilted his head to the side, slightly confused. “You looked like you were.”

I shrugged, sighing, my shoulders sagging. “I like to make up things in my mind to entertain myself. I hate these kind of events but my friend dragged me to go and left me to fend for myself.”

“Your phone isn’t entertaining enough?” He was staring at me and I could see that he was confused with what I just shared. Ah, maybe if I told them how weird I was he would stop bothering me.

“It can be but not as entertaining as creating stories in my head. My imagination’s the limit and it can go as wild as I want it to. People like me should have an unlimited sense of imagination.”

He was peering at me curiously. “So people like you…you’re either a psycho or you’re a writer since you mentioned you create stories in your head.”

I blinked, surprised that he got that. Not many people did and usually they deemed me as a weirdo. “I like to write but I’m not a writer. That’s a profession that I can only dream of achieving.”

His eyes softened when I said that, as if he knew that my dream remained out of reach for me. But he didn’t press further on the topic. Instead, he pointed at one guy. “So what story can you come up with that guy?”

I zeroed in on the guy that he was talking about. I knew him because I ended up having to give him a ride after his car broke down and we were in the same hospital. We didn’t even talk during the fifteen minute car ride and the awkward silence was filled with 2000’s pop music from my stereo. Although the short time was enough to make me observe him.

“He’s divorced but pining after his wife. They don’t have a child because he’s infertile which is why his job feels ironic because he sells formulated milk to paediatricians and constantly surrounded by babies.” I tilted my head to the side, chuckling to myself when I spotted him eyeing Brooke. “To make his wife jealous, he wants to date her but she is so out of his league.”

“He imagines walking up to her and striking a conversation but he knows he’ll only clam up. She intimidates him and he keeps imagining various scenarios wherein he finds the courage to talk to her.” I could feel the guy staring at me intently, listening to my description word for word.

“Dude takes a deep breath and thinks that it’s now or never. He’ll strike up a conversation. Make small-talk. Keep it simple and classy but leaves impression. He walks up to her and taps her on the shoulder and then says,” I paused for effect and I could feel the guy’s anticipation, “what shampoo do you use?”

He burst out laughing and shook his head in amusement. “I can literally imagine him doing that. God, now I understand why you think it’s entertaining.”

“It’s even better when you spot a couple and you plot holes in their relationships,” I said with a light shrug.

He looked curious again. “You say that as if not all couples can ever last.”

“It’s not what I mean. My brother’s been going strong with his girlfriend for years and I know for certain they’re headed to the altar. But there are just certain couples that are an odd match and clearly stuck in a relationship that they’re not meant to be in.”

“What about us?”

The question made my eyebrow rise and I stared at him, perplexed. “What?”

He chuckled. “For a keen observer, you didn’t really realize that I was just trying to make conversation with you to ask you out.”

I blinked. I wasn’t the kind of woman that men asked out during parties. “Pardon?”

He sighed and then set his glass on the table between us, moved closer to me. The proximity was enough to make me smell his fresh and clean scent and when his arm brushed mine, there was this wave of unfamiliar current that shocked me.

He was staring at me, blue eyes so bright and clear, as if there was sun somewhere that made his eyes look as bright as the sky. Maybe I’ve been having too much champagne but the distance between us, his scent, the intensity in his blue eyes, it made me feel dizzy all of a sudden.

I swallowed, feeling this nervous ball of energy in the pit of my stomach slowly rising. “Impossible. I don’t even know you and we’ve barely talked for ten minutes.”

He rolled his eyes and then turned his body to face me fully. “Maybe I can change your mind if I leave you with something to think about.”

He seemed to be speaking in riddles. “What are you talking about?”

“In books, what keeps readers even more interested that’ll hook them to read the next one?”

“Cliffhangers.” The moment the word left my mouth, his lips was pressed against mine. The kiss felt wet, especially after he shoved his tongue down my throat. But I found my body pressing closer against his, hands pulling him closer to me. His mouth was rough against mine, unyielding and relentless and then he pulled away as quickly as he came onto me, breathless.

“How’s that for a cliffhanger?”

I could barely process what the hell just happened. He came onto me and kissed me senseless and the best reaction on my part would be to pull away and slap him. It should’ve been an automatic reaction but his lips felt fiery and wet against mine and it awakened the fucking woman inside of me, the one that’s been dormant for so many years.

My phone suddenly buzzed and it was enough to ruin whatever moment I was trapped in with this stranger. It was my brother. A simple text. An urgent text. It was enough to make my heart drop to my stomach and my brain to go overdrive with fear and worry.

“I’m still right here, you know,” the man said, reminding me that he was still in front of me.

I shook my head at him, letting out a shaky breath. “I have to go.”

As I pushed past him, he reached for my wrist and wrapped his hand around it. There it was again, another shockwave of electric current. “I didn’t even get your name.”

Hastily pulling my hand from his hold, I shook my head and flashed him a dry smile. “I think this is a better cliffhanger than the one you thought about.”