Page 10 of The Encounter
How did he know her name? The confusion on her face must have been obvious, because he nodded a head toward Kayla and Robert.
“Robert told me your name. He got it from Kayla.”
Maddie glanced toward them and caught Kayla’s eye. She only winked in response.
That sneaky little—
Jace interrupted her thoughts. “I need to properly introduce myself.” Maddie looked at him. “My name is Jace. I was the Phantom of the Opera you were with on Halloween.”
Her cheeks tinged red at that. She nodded in response.
“I own the bar,” he added.
“Yeah, Kayla told me the next morning. I didn’t realize who you were...”
He leaned in closer so he didn’t have to shout over the music, and his lips brushed her ear, sending shivers down her spine. He rested his hand on the small of her back. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I prefer people not knowing who I am sometimes. It’s nice to be out of the spotlight on occasion.”
She understood. Being a local celebrity had him always on the media radar. It probably helped keep business booming at his club, but Halloween was probably one of the few times he could mingle without anyone realizing who he was and wanting something from him.
“It’s okay,” she whispered back into his ear, holding perfectly still.
He pulled a few inches away from her, but was still within hearing distance. “May I get you a drink?”
At her nod, he took her hand in his and walked toward the pretty bartender he was talking to a few minutes prior. A huge smile spread across her face when they approached.
“Haley, this is Maddie. She’s the one I was telling you about.”
Maddie’s head snapped toward him, and a fire engulfed her face. Holy shit. What had he told her? That she had blown him in his office?
He gave her a quick wink and a slight shake of the head. Maybe he hadn’t.
“I told Haley that you’re a friend of mine, and she’s supposed to give you drinks on the house for the night.”
Maddie’s shoulders immediately relaxed. “Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
Haley reached a hand across the bar to shake Maddie’s. “It’s nice to meet you. What are you having?”
Maddie shrugged. “I still have no idea what this drink is that you all keep getting me.”
He smiled and turned toward Haley, giving her the drink order. Maddie couldn’t hear what he said over the noise, so she, once again, did not know what she was drinking.
Jace smiled over at her and waited for Haley to finish the cocktail. With drink in hand, he led her back over to the couches where they were seated before.
The VIP area still seemed unusually empty. It could have been because it wasn’t a holiday, so there were fewer people in the bar, but glancing over the bar railings down into the main part of the club contradicted that. The club was packed.
In fact, the only people in the VIP lounge were the five of them. Maddie turned toward Jace. “Why is the VIP lounge so quiet? Is this normal?”
He shook his head. “No. We usually sell the tickets to the lounge for more, but tonight I blocked it off so we could have more privacy.”
Once again, her face heated. If he thought he was getting a blowjob up here in front of her friends and the bartender, he was sorely mistaken.
He laughed at the look that must have come across her face. “I meant so I could be out and about without having camera phones pointed in my face and recording my every move. It’s nice not to have to worry about it.”
She nodded. “I can understand that.”
“I’m glad you came tonight.”
