I blew the cigarette smoke from my mouth as I looked up at the cloudless night sky. I was what they called an occasional smoker. I only smoked when I had too much stress and that night...I had too much stress.

I lost my job just because one of the girls was screwing my boss and she wanted my position so my boss had to choose between me and a hot pussy...you can imagine what he chose, right? Well, it didn't matter to him who he threw out or what their situation was.

At that moment I was two months behind rent, and I got my fourth notice just that morning, my stepfather took my mother on a cruise ship around Europe yet my mother had always been my lifeline and I had a bunch of relatives who didn't want anything to do with me.

In short, I was screwed.

I pulled in the spicy smoke again and locked it up in my lungs for a couple of seconds before I let it out in a sigh. My mother always warned me about smoking. She said every cigarette halved thirty minutes of my life. I couldn't care less if life was as hard as what I had to endure.

My friends took me out that night as a way to cheer me up but the more I stayed in that posh bar with a cologne that could turn you asthmatic even if you weren't and the pompous bastards that looked down on you as if you were a mere insect in their soup, the more I contemplated about the possibility of me taking my life right then in that alley—not because I couldn't live anymore but rather so that I wouldn't be in that bar anymore.

I raked my hand through my raven hair and turned to the back door that had just swung open. A tall lanky man in a gray suit came out with his female partner and they staggered to one of the dark corners. Their giggles and moans made me want to gag. Didn't people have any modesty nowadays?

There were clean toilets for crying out loud—or at least a car because if the man could afford that suit, he sure as hell could afford a nice car!

This was some sort of a joke for my friends and I could go on and say that they enjoyed seeing me struggling in life. They had good jobs, one of them had a husband and a beautiful two-year-old. The four of us had been friends since high school and now it was no longer friendship—we were like sisters.

But out of all of them, I was the one who wasn't doing very well in life.

The three of them thought to take me out and try and raise my spirits, maybe let me meet some hot, rich guy who would agree to pay for my rent and find me a job.

Fine, I was a little short on money at the moment....but I wasn't that desperate!

At the age of twenty-two, I was independent and my mother believed in me to make it in the world on my own—it's the reason she didn't invite me to go along with her and Stuart on the cruise—oh, that and the fact that they were celebrating their tenth year anniversary.

I was a little envious of my mother. She wasn't able to find love with my father but Stuart loved and cared for her. Nothing much had changed between them ever since they got married. I could feel love still radiating in both of them every time they were together. I wanted something like that for my own one day....but I would not find it in the back alley of that bar, I told myself as I dropped the butt of the cigarette and stepped on it as the couple in the dark corner became loud and feverish. I rolled my eyes and looked down at my watch. It was a little to one a.m. and it was about time I went back home since I had to start job-hunting pretty soon before I found myself out in the streets!

I didn't hear the movements of the man behind me until I was about to open the door and enter the toasty entrance when he suddenly pressed his hard body against my back.

My eyes widened in shock and then anger rocketed through my veins as I pushed hard back trying to dislodge him. I wasn't overly surprised by this because I was in a fucking bar with three-quarters of its occupants drowned in alcohol, seeing warping rainbows and flying ponies in front of them by now.

The man placed his hand over the door and slammed it closed then pushed me back on it.

"How much." He grunted, the smell of alcohol hitting me with a force I couldn't reckon. It was a surprise I was still standing.

"I am not a whore, you fucking drunk, now get out of my way." I elbowed him out of the way but his fingers snared themselves in my hair, pulling it roughly until my skin stung.

I released a yelp of pain as he moved closer to my ear. "Every single woman in this bar is a whore. So, how much will it be tonight?"

"I said--" I was about to step on his shoes when someone beat me to it.

"She's with me." Another man appeared between me and the drunk.

He held the drunk at an arm's length, his long and lithe fingers tightly closed around his neck while the other hand whipped out a phone.

I rubbed my head because there was a tender patch where the idiot pulled my hair.

When the stranger turned to me, my mouth fell open. I was suddenly at a loss for words because the man standing in front of me was like an angel brought down from the heavens to taunt women with his handsome face and god-like body. "Go on inside, baby."

Baby.

He called me baby.

I opened my mouth with the intention of telling him my name and haughtily telling him off about calling me baby but he was saving my fucking butt at that moment and I wanted to act all bitchy with him. I clamped my mouth shut and gave a little nod. "Thanks." I quickly went back inside but not after I heard a pained groan from the drunk.

"Hey, Thea, where were you? We have been searching for you all over?" Wellie, my married friend, came to me with a scowl on her face. Since she was the oldest amongst us, she always acted motherly.

"I was outside having a smoke." I shrugged lightly my eyes still fixed towards the door, wondering what was happening on the other side. I didn't take a good look at my savior because adrenalin was pumping inside my veins and my head was throbbing.

"Anna had to leave. Her boyfriend is flying in tomorrow and she wants to go collect him from the airport." Wellie stated then frowned. "Are you okay? You look a little out of sorts."

I closed my eyes for a moment a took a deep breath, trying to calm down my screaming nerves. "I am fine." But I wanted to know if my savior was alright. Something about him just lured me in—I don't know if it were his gray hooded and mysterious eyes or the tight unsmiling mouth—just something about him was so...

"We should get going. I have a Sunday barbecue to prepare for tomorrow." Wellie looked down at her watch. "This is the longest I have stayed out without Lawrence blasting my phone—I wonder if he and Ivy have finally managed to burn down the house without me being there."

I chuckled softly. Lawrence and Ivy had the best team to get Wellie crazy with worry. For a two-year-old, Ivy was already showing the signs of being too mature for her age but Lawrence was the opposite and he was more of the two-year-old than the father. " I am sure everything is under control."

"I hope so—go and get Nicky from the bathroom while I go bring the car upfront. I think she has passed out on the toilet bowl by now." Wellie rolled her eyes and sighed. "She needs to get pregnant soon or else she will drink herself to an early grave."

"Pregnant?" I snorted. "Why pregnant?"

"Because pregnant women don't touch alcohol for nine months," Wellie explained.

"She can't stay sober for a day," I assured her.

Wellie smiled wickedly. "The guilt that she will have every time she sees a drink while carrying a baby in her womb will make her sober. Believe me, I have gone through all that—I still am."

I laughed as I passed her and made my way through the corridor towards the bathroom.

"Nicky?" I called as I softly knocked on every closed cubicle—getting curses from several until I found her. "Nicky, we are going—open the door."

The lock slid out and the door swung open exposing the half-asleep blond sitting awkwardly on the toilet. "Is it time already?" She whined.

"Yes, now come on. Get up." I helped her up and we made our way into the corridor, only to bump into my hot and dangerous-looking savior. It looked as if he was waiting for me and when he saw me, he straightened from the wall and approached me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

He sounded concerned. Why would a total stranger worry about someone like me? It's not like I was shouting out desperate like everyone else who had tiny and tight dresses that barely covered their rears and too much makeup on their faces. I was in a pair of skinnies and a black t-shirt for crying out loud. At least if I had on a pair of heels instead of my pair of All-stars then maybe I would have looked a little sexy but nothing about me screamed 'look over here, you over-paid and over groomed rich boy'.

"Yeah, I am fine." I nodded barely holding on to Nicky who was snuggling into me and moaning against my neck, making me cringe.

"You should get your head checked....and when you have time, call me." He took out some fancy-looking card from his pocket and handed it to me.

I couldn't take it since I needed both hands to keep Nicky from kissing the floor, so my mysterious savior stepped forward, his breath suddenly mingling with mine, causing mine to hitch and halt in my throat then slipped it into my jean pocket.

"Call me." He repeated.

"Listen." I took a deep breath and had to stare somewhere else because his eyes were so alluring. "I am not a call-girl, I am not a prostitute, I am just a normal girl with normal life problems who came out to have fun with her friends, okay?"

A smile appeared slowly on his face making my skin burn. "I know."

My mouth fell open. What was I supposed to say to that?

"Thea....take me home," Nicky whined on my neck, cuddling closer to me. She was dead-weight and she was fucking heavy! My legs were singing soprano and it was just a matter of time until they buckled and we both flopped onto the ground.

"I need to get her home." I passed my tall, dark and dangerous savior.

"Goodnight, Thea." He suddenly said, making me stop in my tracks and turn to him.

He stood there, watching me with his predatory eyes drinking me in. He had his hands in his pockets and a small taunting smile on his luscious lips. He was enjoying the sight of me and I...I didn't hate it. Instead, my heart was about to break out of my chest and run for cover. My skin felt hot and alive. What was this feeling for a stranger?

He caught my name, drat!

I turned away from him and made my way outside where Wellie was waiting for us. After placing Nicky at the back of the car, I quickly joined Wellie in front.

"What took you so long?" Wellie asked as she maneuvered the car out of the bar premises.

"I—uh--"I wondered if I should tell Wellie what happened but then it wasn't as if I would surely call the guy.

I mean he was very hot and totally my type but I was going through a crisis at the moment and the last thing I needed was some guy having the hots for me.

"Nicky's dead-weight is similar to a small whale. I had to drag her on her back to get her out." I joked and Wellie burst out laughing.

"It makes sense. With everything that she eats and she never gains weight—all of it must be depositing in her bones. Oh, she will throw a fit if she hears you say that."

"I hope she doesn't get too upset with me because when I finally get kicked out of my apartment, I will have nowhere else to go but her place." I turned to the dark streets passing before us.

I couldn't believe I was still sober at one a.m. in the morning. Maybe it was the stress that was counteracting the alcohol in my system. I have been in a state of constant panic ever since I lost my job and now it felt as if I just had a cup of coffee to keep me awake and for once it was working!

"Listen, I will talk to Lawrence and see they have any posts at his office—get you something temporary while you are still looking, okay?" Wellie said.

"Don't nag him too much into agreeing, okay? You know how much he loves to sulk. I'd hate to come for dinner one night and find bullets in my soup just because he is upset with me." I turned back at Wellie who was smiling fondly.

"I wouldn't say bullets, Lawrence doesn't react that way—but be sure that you will be passed out on our toilet by the time he is done with you." She laughed.

I laughed too, happy that Wellie was head over heels in love with her husband. Lawrence was one of the nicest people I knew. He loved and cared for his family and he worked in a well-known digital company so he was earning enough to have a comfortable life with his family.

"You should come for the barbecue. Anna is bringing Carlen and Nicky, well I think she will still be asleep by then." Wellie said and my smile fell.

"You want me to come to a couples' barbecue with who, the ghost of my so-called love-life? It's bad enough that you guys dragged me into a posh bar where I was almost jumped at by some rabid monstrosity but noooo....you guys still haven't had your share of chuckles and you want me to show up at your barbecue bearing gifts and an empty space beside me."

"Wait, what? You were attacked at the bar?" Wellie's motherly voice came out and I rolled my eyes regretting ever mentioning the incident at the bar.

"Yeah, some hobo thought I was a whore and he attacked me," I said softly.

"Oh goodness, Thea, are you okay?" Gone were the jokes and laughter and suddenly the interior of the car felt small and dark.

"I am fine. I was able to get help and I escaped without so much as a bruise." I lied.

An awkward silence engulfed us in the car for several seconds before Wellie talked. "You should have said something. I mean all we wanted was to cheer you up ."

"Don't worry about it, Wellie. No harm was done." But I was able to capture the attention of some sexy as hell dark angel. I clamped my mouth shut right before those words escaped.

"I am sorry, Thea. Maybe we were a little too pushy tonight. I know you didn't want to go out at all but we invaded your apartment and carried you out." Wellie wasn't going to let the guilt she was feeling go. I knew her and it was the reason why I didn't want to mention anything.

"Okay, will you stop blaming yourself if I come for the bloody barbecue?"I looked at her.

She turned to me with sad eyes but a small smile appeared on her face. Her curly brown hair came around her face like a halo and her cherub face made her look like a fairy. "I will have some hot bachelors for you to talk to. Lawrence's friends are going to come--"

"You know what they say, 'you are only as good as the company you keep.'"I teased.

Wellie scowled. "They are quite nice and you should give them a chance."

"Only you can handle a sulky five-year-old in a man's body. God has not blessed me with the patience to deal with such and it is the reason I am still single till now." I assured Wellie.

"Whatever happened to Kristof?" Wellie frowned.

"It was over before it even started. He just couldn't keep his dick in his pants and every girl that I caught him with was supposedly his cousin—it made me wonder how he even had Asian ties when he introduced me to a girl named Liang Weng as his distant cousin. It was the last straw." Wellie burst out laughing.

"Are we home yet?" Nicky's groggy voice came through and both Wellie and I laughed as he drove towards her house.

The buzzing of my alarm clock wouldn't stop and I didn't have a job to go to so I didn't know why it was cranking up in my ear!

I grabbed the friggin thing and threw it across the room where it shattered into pieces on the opposite wall.

Damn...that was the fourth alarm clock ever since I started living alone. I sat up like the way a vampire would in a movie and looked around my room. It was a good size but I wasn't the cleanest person on this side of the world. The clothes I wore last night were at the foot of my bed together with several t-shirts and pants. A frowned as I tried to figure out what was so important that had me set an alarm for it as I turned to my phone and I saw six missed calls from Wellie!

"Fuck!"I hissed as the remembered the bloody barbecue.

I ran into the bathroom and took a quick shower, getting rid of last night's events and watching them as they drained down my shower basin. After the shower, I blew dry my hair and went to my closet to look for something decent to wear. Wellie loved that I wore more dresses and skirts but with the jobs I got, jeans and pants were ideal.

I took out a jeans short and a white tank top. She was just going to have to forgive me this time around. It was a barbecue to start with.

After taming my dark hair into something between a messy bun and a floppy pony, I applied a little makeup to hide my lack of sleep status and made my way out pulling on a pair of leather sandals and a loose cardigan for the evening.

I was reversing my old BMW out of my parking space when Wellie called again.

"I am on my way. Give me two minutes, Wellie!" I answered her trying to multi-task with one hand on my wheel while the other holding the phone to my ear.

Wellie always scolded me for not having an earpiece but I thought those fancy things belonged to businessmen and women who were constantly on their phones. I barely got calls and if I did it was either from Wellie asking me if I had eaten, Anna asked me what color dress best suited her, or Nicky screaming 'I love you!' while out drinking with her co-workers.

"Bring an extra bottle of wine. I ran out of the good stuff." She said.

"I can only afford cooking sherry at the moment. Will that do?" I teased.

"You are such a cheap ass," Wellie growled and hung up making me chuckle softly.

I made my way towards the closest supermarket and rushed to the wine area. There were so many types, and I just didn't know which were the 'good stuff'. I closed my eyes and quickly picked one up but as I was leaving someone grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

"Are you having fish tonight?" He asked me and when I turned my heart almost froze over in shock!

"You!" I choked out.

He tsked his tongue as if he was irritated. "You never learned my name, did you?"

"Uh--"

"Adrian Hunter." He said.

Adrian Hunter....why did that name sound so familiar?

"If you are having fish tonight, I would suggest this one." He turned to the wine rack and picked out a different bottle.

"Uhm—no, I am late for a barbecue."

One side of his beckoning lips arched up. "Then take this one instead."He got another one for me. "You don't drink much wine, do you?"

"Uhm—I like how they taste but I don't know anything about them," I answered truthfully.

Wellie was more of the wine drinker, Anna and I loved our ciders and Nicky downed anything that would keep her in cloud nine all night.

Adrian smiled softly and placed the wine in my basket. "But you smoke."

"Occasionally—when I am stressed," I answered again looking down at the bottle of wine.

"Careful, it might become an addiction." He warned me, his eyes darkening somewhat making me want to rush the fuck out of there. Where was the emergency exit when you needed one?

"You speak as if you know what an addiction is. Are you addicted to wine Mr. Hunter since it seems you know a lot more than me?" I found myself asking and wondered why I needed to continue talking to him when I should be heading off.

He looked a little different from last night wearing a pair of faded jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt. His tanned biceps were showing and all I could think of is how it would feel to lick them and taste his skin. Fuck. I must have been single for a long time because the things that we're playing in my head about Adrian Hunter were nothing short of an award-wining premium porn movie!

He looked delicious with his disheveled just-woke-up dark hair, his tallness and his athletic body that was screaming for my attention and boy was I giving in to it!

"I do have an addiction, Thea...." He drawled bending a little down so that he snared my eyes from his perfectly molded chest visible from underneath his t-shirt and directed them up to his face. "I have a different addiction."

For a moment, I could have sworn he looked a little embarrassed but the face quickly disappeared and I knew it was about time I left. "Well, I hope you find the cure to your addiction. Thanks for saving my ass the second time and have a great life." I wanted to pass him but he caught my hand again.

"Are you seeing anyone, Thea?" He asked me with so much seriousness in his face, it made me feel like I was at the police station being questioned.

"No, I am not but I don't see how that is any of your business," I said when I finally found my voice.

He let me go and stepped away from me. "Because I wanted to know the reason why you didn't call me."

I stared at him as if I was seeing him for the first time. Did he truly believe that I was going to call him? I didn't even know where he dropped from! "Adrian, I wasn't going to call you—ever," I told him.

"And the reason behind you not calling is...?" He arched his beautiful eyebrow up.

Damnit, this man was too good looking for my own good. Every movement he did made me want to cling onto him like an appendage and I was not the only one to see that because two ladies rudely passed between us while eyeing him hungrily and it made me roll my eyes.

"I am just not interested. Goodbye, Adrian." I sighed and moved around him towards the cashier. A message entered my phone and I read it.

Where did you go buy that wine, France?! :(

I groaned and began texting Wellie when I felt a warm hard body behind me.

"I have never taken a 'no' so direct like that," Adrian whispered against my ear and my entire body quaked and goosebumps rippled on my skin. I shuddered as my heart accelerated. The closeness of his body against mine wasn't doing me any good because I was very much aware of his. "Let's cut to the chase. Thea, I want you. I want you with every fiber of my being. I don't know how it happened or why but I am not going to let this go."

I bit onto my lower lip when I felt a hot hand clasp itself on my waist and squeeze lightly. I had to stop a moan from escaping my lips because liquid heat blazed through my body and went to settle uncomfortably in my groin.

"I know you want me too. You can't deny it. I can see it in your eyes and I can feel it in your body." He rasped.

"You're wrong." I breathed out through gritted teeth but I felt his smile against my earlobe.

"Your body doesn't lie." He whispered and moved away from me, taking his hand with him. My stiff body moved forward as I finally reached the cashier.

With stiff fingers, I removed the bottle of wine and placed it on the counter. I quickly took a box of cigarettes and added it. The girl smiled at me but her smile brightened when Adrian suddenly moved to stand beside me.

"I'll take care of her bill." He told the cashier.

"Wait a minute." I turned to him, upset that he would do such a thing out of nowhere. Yes, I would have loved to save the money from that expensive bottle of wine but at the moment, my pride wasn't going to let me. "I can pay for myself—I am paying for myself." I turned to the cashier as I quickly removed my wallet and dished out some bills.

The cashier took them and I turned to Adrian with a triumphant smile on my face but it was short-lived when I met his smoldering eyes and felt his hand snake down to my butt and squeeze it!

I gasped out loud, catching the cashier's attention.

"Are you okay, Miss?" She eyed me suspiciously.

"Uh--" I am being sexually harassed by this sexy as hell man beside me! I wanted to scream but the worse thing was...my body was reacting differently from what my head was thinking.

His hand went up to my waist and settled there, the heat of his palm penetrating my tank top and making me aware that he was still holding on.

Without another thought, I grabbed the bottle of wine and the packet of cigarettes and dashed for the door, ignoring the cashier as she called out for my change.

I raced to my car and when I got in, I sped out like a maniac into the road. What were the chances that I meet that devil in disguise in a supermarket and have him harass me like that? None! My hands were shaking so much so I reached for my packet of cigarettes, placed one between my lips, and lit it.

The drive to Wellie's house from the supermarket wasn't long and within a few minutes, I was there.

Wellie came around the house looking a little flustered.

"Where have you been?" She asked me as I came out of the car.

"Oh, just here and there." I shrugged lightly as I dropped the cigarette butt and stepped on it.

"Pick that up and drop it in the bin." She snapped.

Well, I couldn't blame her for being annoyed at me. I mean I let myself be harassed by a stranger in a supermarket! I sighed and held out the bottle of wine. "Someone told me this is good."

Her eyes widened when she saw it and some of the anger dissipated from her face. "Wow, Thea. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. So, are the friends around still? I think I need to get laid tonight." Thanks to a certain someone arousing me in public!

"Thea!" Wellie reprimanded.

I bent down and picked the cigarette butt before placing it in the bin. "Can we go now?" I gave her the sweetest smile I could muster.

Wellie scrunched her forehead as we went around to her big and beautiful backyard. "Carlen is here. Oh, he is such a sweetheart." Wellie smiled as we approached the several people sitting around the outdoor table.

"Thea!" A small girl squealed and I was suddenly pounced on and nearly knocked off my feet.

I picked up the little giggling girl and smacked a big kiss on her cheek. "Hey, sweetheart! I missed you so much!"

She giggled and hugged me.

"Everyone, this is Thea Claymont, a close friend of mine—Thea, meet Brody and Erick."

I awkwardly waved to them, not bad looking but totally not my type since they reminded me so much of Lawrence. "Hello."

There was a chorus of hellos and I went to sit beside Anna with her hunk of a boyfriend Carlen after saying hi to Lawrence. Because of his hectic schedule, Carlen was always out of town but whenever he had free time, he was always beside Anna. "Hi, Carlen, long time no see."

Carlen smiled showing off his dimples. "You should make yourself more available, I'd hate to see you on my list of patients one day."

Carlen was some surgeon hotshot in high demand so he always went to conduct seminars, training, and workshops across the country.

I cringed. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Hey, what time did you get home last night?" Anna asked. "Sorry I had to leave without telling you. I have been trying to get Nicky on the phone but she isn't picking up."

I laughed. "She's probably still passed out by now. We took her home a little after one and we were lucky to find her brother there. If anything had happened, Brett would have told us—plus, I am going to pass by later after this."

"Oh, okay—Wellie tells me you were attacked last night."

"Wellie, that fire-starter." I groaned as Ivy slipped from my hands and dashed to her father. "I am okay. The douche was taken care of."

Anna sighed softly as he pushed her light brown hair from her face. "It would have been terrible, especially since we were the ones who demanded that you go out."

I smiled making her see that I was alright—but truth be told, I wasn't okay. I was still a little flustered from what happened in the supermarket. "Don't worry yourselves over such things. I am here, aren't I! I am in one piece and smiling—what does that tell you?"

"Oh, he is here, honey, I'll go and get him." Lawrence looked excited as he gave Ivy to Wellie and walked out.

Both Brody and Erick straightened their clothes and I frowned as I turned to Anna. "Who is here?"

"Oh, the owner of the company Lawrence is working for is in town and Lawrence has been given the task to show him around. He invited him over for the barbecue and everyone thought he would not show up until he called a few minutes ago to ask for directions." Anna explained.

"Oh."I said as Wellie brought me a bottle of cider. I took a large swig of it and turned to Anna.

"Hey, everyone, I'd like you to meet my boss and the owner of the Hunter Digital Media Group, Adrian Hunter."

I suddenly sprayed out the cider that was in my mouth and turned around to meet the smiling menace standing next to Lawrence with a wicked smile on his face. He greeted everyone and when he turned to me, his eyes darkened with mischief and danger.

"It's nice to meet all of you." He said softly.

"Someone please shoot me in the head," I muttered as I wondered where in my life I went wrong to deserve such punishment as meeting this man in a place like that.