18 chapter 18

Earth to Jacky' I vaguely hear Stevan calling in the background, but I can't bring myself to reply, let alone move or break eye contact with this green-eyed demon. He has me paralyzed to the spot and he knows it. The shock of him being here is written all over my face. I see him say something to one of his friends and then he starts to drift towards me, instinctively I try to move back each step that he takes towards me. But my feet remain rooted to the ground, it's as if my brain is no longer able to follow simple commands.

He reaches me in record time and stands a bit too close to my personal space for my liking, especially after what happened this afternoon. I thought that my body may have overreacted to him when we were together, but after seeing him in the flesh for the second time today, and in close proximity, its almost too much for me to bear.

Immediately the smell of fresh mint and pine, and something else that must innately just be Nikolai infiltrates my senses. I feel my body slightly sway towards him, and I attempt to shake myself out of his magnetic lure, but it's futile the few drinks I had have started to affect my willpower.

His eyes glitter in the dim light as he gazes down at me, 'What a surprise! I didn't realise you would be here tonight Jacky?'

Before I can answer him Stevan claps him aggressively on the back, 'Finally you're here man! I was wondering when the hell you were going to get here! Were you too busy romancing a woman or what?'

Without breaking eye contact with me he says, 'Yeah something like that!'

'Oooft the infamous lady killer! She must've been something else, because she kept you for a hell of a long time.'

He cough laughs, 'I already arrived while you were making your dating speech for the girls, but yes--she was some type of woman. That's for sure.' Again the pompous bastard is looking at me and smirking whilst he mouths off about being with another woman, the nerve. My tipsy buzz fades in the background as my blood pumps hot, heating me from the inside out, but with anger this time. I narrow my eyes at him wanting to throttle him.

Thankfully the rush of anger clears the weird spell he had me under and I finally find my voice, 'Wow sounds like someone was busy today!' I say with a sarcastic smile on my lips.

His brows knit together as if he's not quite sure what I meant by what I said. I don't stay around to figure what that damn expression even means I am way too annoyed. I head toward Cindy and interrupt her conversation with Petar, one of Stevan's mates and grab her arm ushering us to the bar area as fast as possible. I need more distance between me and Nikolai and way more drinks to deal with tonight.

'First of all I have no idea how your friend knows Nikolai but girl I am telling you the man has totally got the hots for you!'

I make a pshhh sound, 'No there's no way!'

She starts chuckling, 'Yes way! I have never seen him so much as stare at the opposite sex at work, let alone chat about something other than work with them. If I hadn't seen one of his ex-conquests at the office that one time then I would've believed him to be gay!'

I wave off the ridiculousness of her statement, because if it were true then he would've shown interest way earlier on, he's had ample opportunity. 'I am telling you he just stares at people intensely. It's kind of his thing!'

She shakes her head at me emphatically, 'Girl I am willing to bet $100 that he wants to sleep with you! He was literally staring at you just then for a solid 5 minutes. If that's not interest are you telling me he's just being a creeper then?'

I don't answer her. I just stay silent. I already know we'll just keep arguing about it if I move my mouth.

She smirks at me and leans in close, 'And something tells me that the interest isn't just one-sided'

I give her the evil eye, and don't take the bait. I down the two shots that have been sitting in front of me, take a bite of the lemon and lick the salt in the proper fashion one does. Then I grab her arm, 'Alright now that I'm feeling buzzed again it's time for us to go for a prowl'. And if I'm honest I need a distraction, otherwise I'll keep looking over at Nikolai and that's just wrong. Tonight is about forgetting about him and I intend to!

'Woohoo!! Yass it's about damn time, let's shake our booties off!' Cindy is already swaying her waist to her own beat. I just smile at her antics.

We call out to the boys that we're going downstairs to dance, and I feel Nikolai's eyes on me again and do my best not to meet his gaze.