The handsome stranger

Evelyn's POV

We both burst into laughter.

Then Mariam tried on the dress to know if it fit or not. I watched her change, hoping it would. “So are you inviting a lot of people?” I asked to kill the silence between us.

“No, just my friends at work and anyone they choose to bring along,” she answered.

“I'm sorry that I won't be at the party,” I needed to apologize.

“I know you are pregnant and need rest, but I'd love it if you were there when I cut the cake.”

“After that, I'll head back inside.”

“No problem.”

Silence settled for a moment then I spoke. “I love you, Mariam. I wish I could do more than this for your birthday, and I promise that when I become financially stable, I'll call for a grand party on your birthday because you are the best, and there has been no one like you even up till now. Happy birthday, my beautiful princess,” I celebrated her once more.

“Aw, you are so sweet. You are the best thing that happened to me and I love you too,” she leaned closer to me and kissed me because I was sitting and she was standing.

We smiled at each other fondly and focused on the dress. The dress was an off-shouldered one, short and glittering. I put a lot of effort into the dress because it was my first design in three years.

People arrived for the party and we all sang a birthday song for the birthday girl. I heard from my friend how people compliment her in the dress and she thanked me for that. However, I felt really excited about hearing that people liked my design and it was a great encouragement to me.

After cutting the cake with her and wishing her a happy birthday, I kissed her and went back to the room to think of a new design.

As I was drawing and throwing the sheet of paper of designs that I wasn't satisfied with, I heard footsteps behind me so I turned my chair around to see a drunk man staggering. He must have been looking for the bathroom, but there was a public bathroom for guests, and he had the wrong room.

I had to stand up before he did something stupid like urinating in my room.

“You've got the wrong room, sir,” I walked closer to him, lifting my hands to guide him.

The man raised his head and looked at me. I was stunned when he looked at me and paused but there was something I liked about his face.

No, I didn't fall in love with him! I already told myself that I was giving no one any chance in my heart. I had just admired his beard. I loved how he shaped it around his jaws. This drunk man looked older than me, perhaps ten years old but I was stupidly attracted to him.

“Why do you keep looking at my lips, are you in love?” He made me feel weak by leaning close to me. He had to bend a little because I was shorter. What was I thinking when I came to help a drunk man out of the room? He was stronger than me and was huge as well. Would I be able to control a man like that who was drunk and couldn't even stand straight?

I looked into his blue intimidating eyes as he leaned closer. “Don't be hilarious, sir. You are drunk and you shouldn't be here,” I sternly told him.

“Then why do you keep looking at me as if you haven't seen anyone like me, huh?”

I rolled my eyes, “Don't flatter yourself, Mister.”

“I love the way you rolled your eyes,” he smiled at me.

“That's enough, please leave my room.” I pointed at the door.

The man smirked at me as if teasing me so I looked at him, frowning and gesturing for him to leave.

“You keep looking at my lips, do you desperately want to taste them?”

“No,” I grimaced. “What do you…” the man cut me off and kissed me. His mouth tasted good, like alcohol, and when I wanted to push him away, he wrapped one of his arms around my waist and pulled me close.

“You shouldn't be doing this, Mister. You are drunk!”

“Your lips make me more drunk, beautiful.”

It happened so fast that I found myself kissing him back and letting him have his way by pushing me to the bed as he rocked my mouth with his. I tasted his hot saliva and moaned to his kisses.

For a moment there, I loved what was happening until I remembered how Nathan used to manipulate me into having sex with him. I definitely wasn't going to have a one-night stand with a strange man who appeared drunk.

I broke the kiss just when he was bringing my body to the bed. I resisted by using my leg to stop him from pushing me to the bed.

After I pushed him away, I walked to the door and led him out of the room. I should have done that before he kissed me. I began to regret that I kissed a handsome stranger so I angrily dragged him out of the room.

“That's the bathroom,” I left him in front of the door but he came back to me.

“Why? Did you not like my lips?”

“Will you cut the crap? Are you mad?!” I was mad at him for making a fool out of me.

“Please don't tell, don't be upset. I'm sorry,” he sounded calm.

“You should be, you forced me to do something…”

“I know and I'm sorry.”

Stupid me looked at him as my anger washed away and then I walked back into my room that night. I rushed to the bathroom and washed my mouth so I'd stop smelling the alcohol in my mouth. When I realized that I spelled a little like him, I took a bath and changed my clothes. That bullshit would never happen again.

I quit designing and went straight to bed. I was angrier with myself for being a pushover again. I felt dissatisfied because, to me, it appeared that I hadn't learned from my past. I kissed a man because I liked his beard. Aren't I stupid?!