"You're out of your goddamn mind," she muttered, turning to leave.
But the guy suddenly grabbed her wrist. Hard. Her whole body jolted as he pulled her back to face him.
"What the hell do you think you're—"
She didn't even get to finish her sentence. His cold lips crashed onto hers.
Nadine froze, eyes wide in shock. One of his hands was already behind her head, holding her in place, and he kissed her, rough and forceful. Panic screamed through her brain. She tried to push him off, fists landing uselessly on his chest, but it was like hitting a brick wall.
When he realized she wasn't kissing him back, he bit her lip.
The sharp pain made her gasp, and the second her mouth opened, he took full advantage. His tongue slipped past her lips, moving like it owned the place, taking over every inch. She couldn't breathe.
Maybe he noticed. Maybe he didn't care. Either way, he finally pulled back and let her catch her breath.
Then he kissed her again. But this time, it was different. Slower. Softer. Careful.
And god help her... her body reacted. Her knees went weak. Her thoughts blurred.
No one had ever kissed her like this before. Not even Matt, her boyfriend. Matt had never made her feel the way this total stranger just did. She couldn't even describe it. All she knew was... she liked it.
Liked it? You've lost it, Nadine.
Realizing what was happening, she panicked and tried to pull away again. But it was useless. His arms only tightened around her.
His lips were warm. Gentle. Dangerous.
Maybe it was the alcohol still running through her veins, but her brain had stopped working. A new kind of hunger took over.
And then, without thinking, she raised her arms, wrapped them around his neck and kissed him back.
His lips fit hers perfectly. Almost too perfectly. Like she'd just stepped into a spell she couldn't break.
They barely made it out of the pool area.
One minute they were by her lounge chair, lips crashing like waves in a storm, and the next they were stumbling through the hotel hallways still tangled up in each other, barely holding it together.
Nadine wasn't sure who pulled who first, but by the time they reached the elevator, her brain had already stopped working. The alcohol, the heat, the adrenaline, it all blurred into one reckless, burning pull.
By the time they burst into the hotel room, she couldn't even remember what floor they were on.
Clothes hit the floor. Logic disappeared. Somewhere in the mess of lips and limbs and bad decisions, Nadine let herself go.
***
"Holy sh*t!" Nadine cursed the moment the horrifying memory hit her.
"What the hell was I thinking back then? This is all that damn tequila's fault," she groaned, burying her face in her hands.
Oh, God… Matt. Her chest tightened painfully.
What the hell am I supposed to do now?
She could barely breathe. Guilt wrapped around her throat like a noose, squeezing tighter with every second that passed.
He doesn't deserve this. He trusted me. He's probably asleep right now, thinking I'm safe.
She let out a shaky breath, fingers digging into her scalp.
How do I even look him in the eye after this?
You screwed up, Nadine. Big time.
After making it back to her hotel room, she locked herself in and refused to come out. The last thing she wanted was to run into that asshole again. Everything still felt like some sick nightmare. Bangkok was supposed to be her escape. Her break from the chaos. But instead, it turned into a complete stressfest.
"This is such bullshit. I came here to relax, not ruin my life."
So much for peace and quiet. She had barely been holed up half a day, and already her brain was staging a rebellion. After exhausting every possible excuse to stay in, she finally admitted defeat and left.
She didn't fly all the way to Bangkok just to mope around because of some random jerk.
Forcing a little cheer into her mood, Nadine stepped out of her room. Before diving into all the sights and culture Bangkok had to offer, she figured she should deal with the more immediate issue, her growling stomach.
With a bit of fake confidence and overly optimistic thinking, she made her way toward the hotel restaurant.
"Please don't let me run into that guy again. Please...."
Half-smiling now that she was feeling slightly more normal, Nadine walked through the hotel, casually watching people pass by. She even greeted a few tourists as she went.
"Hi."
"Hello."
"Good morning."
But the second she stepped into the restaurant, her body froze.
No. Freaking. Way.
There he was. Sitting comfortably, casually eating his lunch like he didn't just turn her whole life upside down.
He looked... annoyingly fresh. His hair was neatly styled, not the messy bedhead she remembered. That plain white t-shirt and casual shorts made him look younger, somehow even more attractive than before.
Nadine gave a bitter smile as she noticed almost every woman in the restaurant sneaking glances at him every few seconds. And of course, he didn't even seem to notice.
"Tch. The guy's got ridiculous magnetism. Just sitting there like a damn statue and girls are already lining up in their heads. God help whoever ends up as his next target," she muttered as she quickly turned around, heading back the way she came.
Thank god he hadn't seen her. That would've been a complete disaster.
"Just my luck. What the hell did I do to deserve this crap?" she grumbled under her breath.
Thanks to that guy, her plan to enjoy the beauty of Bangkok had to be thrown out the window. Sure, she could've just gone ahead with her original itinerary, but no, she wasn't about to risk running into him again.
The moment she got back to her hotel room, she called Monika, her assistant.
"Hey, Mon?"
"Yes, Ms. Nadine? What do you need?"
"Please reschedule my flight to L.A. Make it today instead of tomorrow. Earliest one available. Let me know once it's booked."
"On it."
Not long after, Monika sent her the booking code. The flight was in three hours.
It was a damn shame. This trip was supposed to be her first real vacation in three years. But what could she do? She wasn't entirely innocent in yesterday's disaster either.
Once she finished packing, Nadine called a cab to pick her up at the hotel.
The second she stepped out of her room, she went full CCTV mode. Eyes scanning every direction like she was a fugitive on the run. Left, right, front, back. Nothing escaped her personal security check.
"All clear."
Or so she thought.
Because, of course, the moment she stepped into the lobby, there he was. The very man she'd been trying so hard to avoid, standing right there like fate had a personal grudge.
On reflex, she spun around and ducked behind the nearest wall like it was a mission-critical stealth move.
Peeking out from her hiding spot, she saw him scanning the room, like he was looking for someone.
Please don't let it be me. Anyone but me.
Badump... Badump... Badump...
Her heart pounded like she'd just finished a full-on marathon. Nadine was practically vibrating with anxiety. If he walked in her direction, she was screwed. Her hiding spot? Yeah, total amateur hour. Anyone walking by could spot her in two seconds flat.
But apparently, God still had her on the VIP list.
He turned and walked the other way.
"Thank God he didn't come this way," she whispered, barely breathing.
Watching his back as he disappeared into the crowd, Nadine sent up a silent prayer. Please don't let me run into that man ever again. And if they did run into each other, please let him suffer from sudden amnesia and forget everything that happened last night.
Then her phone buzzed.
Matt.
A pit opened in her stomach.
She hesitated before unlocking it, already drowning in guilt.
Matt:
Miss you :(
Two tiny words.
That's all it took to knock the wind out of her. Nadine's shoulders sagged as she stared at the screen, feeling like the worst person alive.
She let out a long, shaky breath.
God, I'm such an idiot.
Matt missed her.
And all she could think was he deserves better.
***