Chapter 5- Mira’s plan begins

MIRA

I saw his warm, brown eyes widen in surprise. Then they darted to my face, my wet dress, and my cleavage.

They lingered there for a fraction of a second, and I knew I had got him.

This was almost too easy.

With a slight start, he looked me in the face and opened his mouth to say something. The words didn't come.

"Well?" I said sharply. "What are you staring at?"

"Listen, I'm sorry," he began.

I interrupted him. "You were probably staring at someone else just like that, so it's obvious you weren't even paying attention to where you were going. For Pete's sake! This place is full of people in case you hadn't noticed."

I paused to take a breath.

He took the opportunity to say, "Like I said, I apo-"

I put up my hand, palm up. Around us, conversations had stopped as people watched the scene. A man in a navy blue suit, probably the manager of the casino, was coming towards us, pushing his way through the small crowd.

"Save your apology for someone who cares," I snapped.

From my purse, I yanked out a handkerchief, dabbed at the area around my breasts, drawing Nicholas's eyes to it again.

Deepening my frown, I turned, my heels slipping a little on the broken champagne glasses, and stormed off. Most of the people crowding around stepped back to let me pass.

As I walked past the man in the blue suit, he came forward, holding out his hand.

"Madame," he said in a low, apologetic voice with a heavy accent. "Madame, I'm sorry about this. If you will let me assist you—

"Stay back!" I said, and his hands dropped back to his side.

He looked helplessly at another man who was obviously a bouncer by his size, dark glasses, and the earpiece on his ear. He was standing right in my path, feet slightly apart.

"Please, come with me," he said in a low, deep voice. He glanced at my feet, at the tiny shards of glass around my shoes, at ones clinging to the bottom of my dress. "Let's get those out so you don't get hurt."

As he moved to take my arm, I hit his hand with my purse.

"Don't you dare touch me, or I'll break your arm," I threatened, even though the man was almost twice my size.

With a nod, he stepped back.

No one bothered me anymore.

I had spotted the restroom. I headed there.

The way I had planned it, Nicholas would be coming after me now. I thought he was, but I wasn't a hundred percent sure.

I stopped, pretended to shake something off my shoes.

Yes. That firm tread behind me had to be his. I walked faster.

"Hey! Wait!" he called. "Slow down a little."

I didn't stop until I was in the restroom area. Then I spun around, glared at him, crossing my arms across my chest. The movement pushed up my breasts a little more.

He came in slowly, closed the door behind him, looked around, and seemed satisfied we were alone.

"What is it now?" I said harshly. "You got another glass of champagne you would like to pour on me?"

For a moment, his eyes darkened, and I thought I had overdone the 'angry woman' part.

Then a smile played around his lips.

"Well, you're quite something," he drawled, lightly tugging on the silver cross earring on his left ear as he gave me a once-over.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I said.

He was slow in answering. "It means that no one has talked to me the way you are doing now. People are rather... afraid of me."

"Well, I'm not!"

"I can see that," he said.

Now his lips twitched in amusement. My eyes narrowed.

"Something funny?" I growled.

"Oh no. No."

With a huff, I marched over to the sink, surveyed the damage to my dress in the mirror, and turned on the faucet.

He came closer.

"I'm really sorry about your dress. Your pretty dress," he added. "Obviously apologising is not enough, so what can I do to make you forgive me?"

"What makes you think I'll ever forgive you for being so clumsy and ruining my evening?" I asked.

"Oh, there has to be something. I'll do anything."

I raised a brow. "Anything?"

He didn't hesitate. "Yes."

It was a good thing he couldn't hear my heart pounding in my ribs. A lot depended on what I said next. It was a gamble, but I had a feeling this gamble would pay off.

He certainly seemed more than a little interested in me.

I pretended to think. "Fine then. I'll forgive you only on one condition. Make out with me."

Our eyes met in the mirror. His widened in surprise, then almost immediately darkened with what was certainly desire.

"If you didn't mean that, you better take it back," he murmured.

"Why?" I let my lips curve into a challenging little smile. "Are you chickening out?"

"You think I can't do it?" he said.

I tossed my head back. "I know you can't."

The air between us suddenly grew charged, electric. It became hot, too hot.

Nicholas's hand on my waist was hotter. It seemed to burn through the material of my dress. Slowly, he turned me around so I faced him.

"I always win dares," he muttered and crushed his lips on mine.

I opened my mouth just the tiniest bit, barely enough to draw a breath. He thrust his tongue inside, tasting, exploring.

His lips moved against mine as he or I—now I didn't know which—deepened the kiss.

Nicholas moulded me to him. I felt my breasts press against his chest. My head spun. I was lost in a thousand different sensations, and then...

His hands travelled down my back to cup my bottom. In an instant, that contact brought back every horrifying detail of that night years ago.

I felt the blood freeze in my veins.

With a pant and gasp, I stumbled backwards and pushed Nicholas away with shaky hands.