Chapter 1: Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 That kiss cost me my boyfriend before the night was even over. It was supposed to be a normal Tuesday night shift at the high-end lounge downtown. My feet were throbbing inside my cheap black flats, and my arms ached from balancing heavy drink trays for five hours straight. I needed this job. I needed every single dollar in tips to pay my overdue rent and keep my phone line active. "Five hundred says you won't kiss the waitress," a loud man in a sharp grey suit smirked. He gestured toward me as I moved carefully between the crowded velvet tables, my tray balanced on my arm. I didn't even understand what he meant at first. I assumed it was just another arrogant customer making a crude joke after having too many glasses of scotch. Then the man sitting beside him stood up. He was quiet, dressed in a dark tailored suit, and he had not said a single word all evening. But suddenly, he was standing directly in my path. His jaw was set in a tight line. His cold, dark eyes locked on mine like he was already making a calculation in his head. Before I could ask him to step aside, his hand shot out and caught my wrist. His grip was firm and tight, completely locking me in place. The rich smell of his spicy cologne filled my lungs, and before I could even draw a breath to protest, his mouth was hard on mine. A violent rush of heat flooded my chest. My body reacted out of pure instinct. My free hand swung back and moved before my brain could even process what was happening. The slap hit his cheek with a crack so loud that the surrounding tables instantly fell dead silent.…