Shadows of the Past Read Free Page B

you going to be here?”
    He turns toward me and the expression in his eyes makes me sorry I asked. “I’m not certain.” He walks over toward the bar and lifts a decanter. “Would you like a drink?” I nod and kick my heels off before walking over to him. He pours amber liquid into a crystal cup and hands it to me.  
    After pouring his drink, he turns to me and lifts his glass. “To a bit of luck on an unlucky day.”  
    We clink our glasses together and then drink. I swallow and the burn catches up with me, making my eyes water.  
    “Wow.”
    “Yes, it’s something, isn’t it?”
    I walk over and stand next to him, following his gaze. To the side, in the garbage is a black bottle with a name brand that I recognize from work. I blink rapidly and look at my empty glass and then back at the trash.  
    “Was that? Is that? Wuh?” I stutter and point at the bottle.
    He understands me. With a sorrowful smile he nods. “Yes, it is and this bottle was just under ten thousand quid. I saved it for a special occasion that never came.”
    The lost look in his eyes kills me. My stomach falls into my feet, and I stare out the window at the street below.  
    “I know how that feels.”
    His gaze slides to the side as he looks at me. He smiles slightly then resumes his stance, staring outside.  
    “What’s with the look?”  
    He’s quiet for a moment, and then turns toward me to speak.
    “Nothing, this is an anomaly, that’s all. I don’t typically do this, but when I do there’s non-stop talk about expenses and investments, about money and what it can do.”
    Nodding, I say, “Everyone wants a piece of you.”
    His gaze narrows and he takes my hand, turning me toward him. “Except you.” He studies me, watching my eyes as he asks, “You really don’t know who I am?”
    “Should I?”
    There’s no reply. Instead, he slowly lowers his mouth to mine. His hands travel down my bare arms and up to my shoulders before cupping my face. His kiss is slow and soft, building in pressure with each pass of his lips.  
    Heart racing hard, I hold onto his neck as he pushes me into the sideboard. The decanter is behind me. I break the kiss, worried about spilling the bottle. “Wait a second. The bottle.” I manage to tell him between kisses, but he doesn’t want to stop.
    When my words penetrate, he pulls away. In a husky voice, he rasps, “You’re worried about breaking the bottle?”
    “I don’t want to spill that. It cost a fortune.”  
    He nods and then lowers his eyes, letting his gaze ravage my body. Leaning in he whispers, “Then let me spill it all over your naked body and lick it off.” He watches my reaction closely, keeping that beautiful face on mine.
    I feel heat rush to certain places when he says those words. I’m not sure what does it—his willingness to blow that much money on a stranger or the compassion in his eyes—but those few words push me over the edge. I know he’ll do it, and I can’t say it doesn’t sound fun. Grabbing his tie, I pull his mouth down on mine and kiss him hard. Butterflies erupt inside of me, fluttering through my stomach with every touch of his hand.
    Before I know it, I’m up on the sideboard with my legs parted, allowing enough room for him to stand in the middle. His kisses drop from my mouth to my neck as his hands find the zipper on my dress.  
    He freezes for just a moment before letting my dress slip down. I haven't kissed anyone a long time, and I’m surprised I want more.
    "Are you certain about this, love?" he asks, voice full of concern.  
    “Yes,” I take hold of his tie and pull him down, smashing our lips together. Heat rises through me, flooding my body in all the right places. The dress drops and suddenly there’s nothing between us from the waist up.
    Hot Guy’s gaze drops and drinks me in. The way he looks at me makes my stomach twist. I yank the hem of his shirt free and run my hands up his sides. He sucks in and closes his eyes before