3. Two nights ago

ANNA

TWO NIGHTS AGO

"Pour me another shot of tequila and a shot of vodka please," I requested from the bartender whose brows rose up in a questioning manner as soon as I asked but he didn't dare to ask any questions. At the moment, my only intention was to down as much alcohol as my body could take and thankfully, I had a very impressive alcohol tolerance so getting drunk and completely wasted had never actually been an issue for me. 

"Sure thing madam," I heard him respond, but I'm no longer paying any attention to him at all. 

I just took a seat and focused on my phone while waiting for the bartender to return with my two shots of tequila and vodka respectively. 

"Is this seat taken?" I heard a deep suave voice ask and I immediately turned my back to check out who it was that owned such a gentle, yet quiet and seductive voice. 

My breath hitched when my eyes met with one of the most beautiful humans that I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. 

I have seen quite a number of fine looking gentlemen in my twenty one years of living life but for some reason, this man was just a different breed entirely. He smelled absolutely wonderful and expensive and to top it off, he looked very neat, calm and gentle. 

I have always known how to compose myself and acted as if I didn't care even when I did and since the last thing I'd ever do is embarrass myself by openly drooling over a man, I decided to act nonchalant as usual. "No, it isn't," I replied to him and looked away immediately. 

The bartender came back with my shots of tequila and vodka. "Thank you," I muttered to him and he smiled at me before going back to whatever he was doing. 

I picked up my phone from the table again to just distract myself with it before taking a swig of the tequila shot and letting the substance burn my throat. I did the same with the vodka shot and I'm pretty sure I had a light frown on my face after downing both shots at once. 

I know I mentioned that I had a good alcohol tolerance and I was ready to drown myself in alcohol today but at the same time, I still wasn't a huge fan of taking alcohol on a regular basis. I took them only when I was stressed and needed to relieve myself because somehow, it helped me a lot.

I quickly sent a text message to my friend Theodore, letting him know what I was up to at the moment. He was the reason I came to Las Vegas but since he lodged me in at the hotel, he was nowhere to be seen.

To Theodore: I am currently at a bar right now. If you come back and you can't find me, just text me and I'll text you my address. 

I sent the message before asking the bartender for another shot of just tequila this time. I had sent two messages earlier today to him but I'd gotten no response from him. 

I took a swig of my second tequila shot before typing another message to Theodore. 

I needed to be in Manhattan in the next two days as my elder sister was expecting me already.

As soon as I dropped my phone, it beeped and I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that it was a text from Theodore.

From Theodore: I am so sorry Anna. I won't be able to come to see you right away but I promise, first thing tomorrow, I'll be there. I'm so sorry for the mess. 

I frowned at his message. He begged me last week to come to Las Vegas so I could accompany him as his plus one to an event hosted by one of his father's friends and after lodging me, he just left me and now he's telling me this? 

 According to what he had told me earlier, the event would be taking place tomorrow evening which was why I came today when I could have come tomorrow instead. 

He had insisted that I come in today because he wanted to show me around the place and give me a mini tour of the things he enjoyed here and not only did he not give me a tour, he also left me here all by myself. I suddenly had the urge to take the earliest flight to New York and let him go to his event by himself cause I hate it when someone doesn't keep their word. 

To Theodore: Where are you and why did you make me come here if you knew you wouldn't have time for me? I'm pissed off right not so don't even think of calling me or anything cause I don't wanna talk to you. 

I typed away angrily before dropping my phone on the table in frustration. I took in a deep breath and exhaled deeply before ordering another shot of tequila to help calm my raging nerves. 

"Boy problems?" I heard someone ask from beside me and I tilted my head to look at the man that had spoken up.

  I shook my head. "Definitely not sir," I responded sharply. 

My phone rang almost immediately and I glared at it because it was Theodore calling even after I had warned him not to dare call me. I ended the call furiously because the last thing I wanted to do was say a word to him. 

 The man beside me hummed. "I would doubt that because you seemed to be aggressively tapping on your phone and your facial expression says that someone has definitely made you upset," he stated insistently and I sighed.

"He is not my boyfriend," I corrected quickly. 

"If you say so lady," he nodded his head.

"What's wrong? You seem pretty stressed and really pissed," I heard him say after a while.

"Have you ever been disappointed before?" I asked him randomly. 

I wasn't a very vocal person or someone that would speak to a stranger comfortably at any point in time but here I was, initiating a conversation with the absolutely delicious looking man in front of me. Knowing that it was very unlike me made me conclude that it was the alcohol talking and not the real me. 

"Hasn't everyone been disappointed at one point or the other? I mean, that is what brought me here in the first place and I'm trying not to be upset about it," he responded, sounding even more attractive. 

"It's actually normal for people to disappoint you and I'm so upset because I had to stay in my hotel room all day and it's not that I have an issue with it, but the person who lodged me in just left me and didn't even text me until I texted him first," I voiced out, still upset by the fact that Theodore had done that to me.

"He sounds like a dick to me. How could he do that to you?" he replied and I let out a small laugh.

"I know right? How could he? After begging me to come all the way from school to help him out and this is what I get? Unbelievable!" I clicked my tongue in disappointment.

"That's life for you and people will never fail to amaze you. It could either be in a good way or in a bad way," he said.

"What happened with you? Who disappointed you? Your girlfriend?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Not at all. I don't have a girlfriend," he replied to me and I nodded my head.

Soon, we began to talk about a lot of things from people in general to how life was and so many other things that didn't even relate with each other. 

Talking to him felt easy for me as it was rare for me to speak to a stranger for too long so it surprised me. Not only was I comfortable speaking to him but I also laughed too.

The more we spoke, the more appealing he was to me. I began to notice his features; from his perfectly structured face to his pointed nose. I traced his sharp jaw with my eyes before my eyes landed on his lips. 

His heavy lower lips were appealing. I quickly took my eyes off his lips as I didn't want to get caught and it was surprising of me to stare at a man for that long.

"You never told me your name," his deep husky voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I cleared my throat. "The name's Anna,"

"Anna. A nice name. I'm Alejandro but many people call me Al," he introduced himself to me.

"Alejandro," his name rolled out of my tongue and I felt a jolt of electricity down my spine.

I loved how his name sounded on my tongue.

We continued to talk and before I knew it, it was almost eleven at night and I knew I had to go back to my hotel room and get some sleep.

I yawned. "Tonight was lovely Al. Thanks for tonight," I said to him, getting up from my stool.

"I should be the one thanking you. You made my night," he said to me and our eyes locked for some seconds before I looked away, not wanting to be drawn to him anymore as I knew it would be the last time I saw him although I wasn't sure that I felt that way.

I called for the attention of the bartender. "My bill?" I requested.

"Worry not. I will pay for everything," Alejandro interjected, dropping his black card on the table, surprising me.

I already had an instinct that he was rich but I was still surprised when I saw his black card.

"You do not have to do that," I told him and he smiled in return. 

"It would only make me ungentlemanly to watch you pay for your own drink when I'm just right here," he replied.

"I didn't come with you though?" I countered.

"But you kept me company and it was very interesting talking to you," he retorted and I curled my lips to the side, short of words.

I stood by the side of the road, waiting for a cab when a car suddenly stopped in front of me.

"Hop in, I will drop you," Alejandro said to me.

"My hotel isn't very far from here so you don't have to worry about anything," I told him. 

"I insist. You don't have to worry because I won't be kidnapping you," he assured and I knew from his tone that he was joking and so I chuckled. 

I was a little hesitant about getting into his car since I didn't know him but then again, I was tipsy and I needed to sleep and so I accepted his offer anyway. 

"Thank you for the offer," I said to him, putting on my seatbelt.

We said nothing to each other until we arrived at the hotel.

I took a deep breath. "Thank you Al," I said.

"You are welcome," he replied.

I yawned. "It was nice meeting you today," I told him.

"Likewise Anna," he replied.

"Let me," he said to me and I creased my brows. I'm confused.

"I was referring to your seatbelt," he said.

He leaned forward to help remove my seatbelt and just when he's about to go back to where he was seated, our eyes locked and I felt my heart racing faster than usual. 

I held my breath as he kept staring at me. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I saw his lips parted.

Everything changed in a blink of an eye and before I knew it, I felt his lips on mine.