Page 2 of The Encounter
Maddie scanned the crowd, checking out all the costumes, most of which were on the sexier side. Halloween had always been a fun holiday. She loved looking at everyone’s costumes, especially the kids who would go trick-or-treating, which she was bummed she would be missing that night.
The bass thumped, and Maddie giggled when Kayla began making sex eyes at the men near them. The alcohol worked its way through Maddie’s system, and she felt herself loosening up. Perhaps thiswouldbe a night to remember.
And then she saw him.
He wore a Phantom of the Opera costume and was dancing a few feet away from her. He moved in beat with the music, and Maddie swallowed hard. With that kind of rhythm, she could only imagine how good he would be in bed.
He looked over at Maddie and smiled, his mask covering the upper half of his face. His jaw was strong and chiseled, showing off a set of pearly white teeth. Despite not seeing the rest of his face, she knew he was gorgeous. She smiled back and watched as he struggled while a woman ground her ass against him, clearly trying to be impregnated by this man.
He gingerly placed his hands on her hips and moved her away from him, while still dancing as to not offend her. Maddie covered her mouth and stifled a laugh at the scathing look the woman gave him. When the song ended and drifted into another, he managed to slip away from her after saying something into her ear.
He then disappeared into the crowd. Maddie stood on her tiptoes to see if she could spot him, but the crowd was too thick. Disappointed, she turned back to Kayla who was now grinding up on a guy dressed as a priest.
Maddie laughed to herself before motioning toward the main bar, and Kayla nodded her understanding. Slipping into the crowd, Maddie stood in line as she considered what she wanted to drink. Whatever Kayla had ordered her earlier was slowly taking effect, and it had been delicious. But she didn’t know what it was.
“Hey, baby. Let me buy you a drink,” a man around her height said. He grabbed onto her to keep himself upright, and the smell of tequila wafted over her from his breath.
She glanced over at him and shrunk away, attempting to tug her arm free. “I’m okay, thanks.”
“But I want to buy you a drink. And then you can do things for me.” His words slurred together.
“No thanks.”
He put his arm around her and pulled her into him. The stench of alcohol coming out of his pores nauseated her. “I said I’m buying you a drink.”
She pushed at him. “Get off me.”
“Is there a problem?” A voice came from behind them. She couldn’t see who it came from as the drunk man had her in a vice-like grip, holding her against his body.
“Mind your own business.”
“I don’t think the lady wants your company.”
“I said mind your own business.”
Maddie pushed at the man, but he gripped her tighter. “Let me go!”
Before she knew what was happening, she was released and the drunk man was sprawled out on the floor with two security guards on either side dragging him through the club.
“Are you okay?”
She spun around, and the Phantom of the Opera stood in front of her. Her savior. His dark hair was slicked to the side and his strong jaw and full lips looked even better up close.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“May I buy you a drink?”
She blushed as he stepped closer so they could hear each other better. “I think I should buy you one as a thank you.”
“Not happening.” He motioned at the bartender. “What are you drinking?”
“I don’t know. My friend got me a drink earlier that was delicious, but I don’t know what it was.” She described it to him and he smiled and then said something to the bartender who reproduced the same drink.
She took a sip and her eyebrows shot up. “Wow. I’m impressed.”
He winked at her and ordered himself a glass of scotch. Then he led her over to the stairs of the VIP lounge. She glanced at his wrist to see if he had the same band, but he didn’t. The security guard only nodded at him as he let them pass.
Settling on the same couches she and Kayla had been on earlier, Maddie looked around. The room was still empty. Most everyone had made their way down to the dance floor, she suspected, but she hadn’t seen a single person in the VIP lounge aside from Kayla and herself, and now the Phantom.
