“Hey, don’t apologize, birthday girl. Where were you going in such a hurry?” He held her by the arms.
Angel tried to hold back her tears, but knew she failed when he exhaled then shook his head. “I’m fine. I was just going to go outside for some fresh air.” Her voice caught on the lie.
“Ah. Angel, you are a poor liar. Come on. Let’s go for a ride and clear your head. You shouldn’t be alone when you’re so upset. Besides, I could use a friend, too.” His blond hair was styled to perfection, his big hand gentle as he brushed it across her cheek then led her outside.
The first raindrops started to fall, and she held onto his hand like a lifeline, determined to erase what she’d seen. She let the semi-stranger pull her behind him, having no clue where he was leading her, and, in that moment, she didn’t care.
The rain beat down, and the wind whipped at her now soaking wet hair, but she embraced the violent storm, matching the emotions churning inside her. She wanted to lash out at someone or something. Angrily, she swiped at the tears flowing down her cheeks seeming to blend with the rain, except, when she licked her lips, she tasted salt.
When they reached a low-riding sports car, a moment of hesitation almost made her change her mind. She didn’t even know the man’s name, and here she was, letting him lead her away from her own party. A vision of Lorenzo and the other woman sent a fresh wave of pain through her.
“It’s okay Angelina, I won’t hurt you. I’m Derek. I’ve known Lorenzo since college.”
He looked sweet and sincere. His smile seemed to convey he knew what she was going through, that he felt her pain. Making up her mind, she nodded and ducked into the passenger seat.
The heavy roar of the engine and the loud beat of some heavy metal song drowned out the storm. With the expertise of a racecar driver, Derek drove them out of the parking lot with proficiency and speed, and she wondered again if it was a smart idea to go with him.
“Derek, do you think you’re driving a little too fast?” she yelled over the throbbing music. Imagining them spinning out of control on the wet roads, Angelina couldn’t help but feel like it would be okay to die tonight. If a person could die from a broken heart, then she was already dead. She shivered, more from the memories than the cold from being wet and dressed in little to nothing.
“Here. Drink this. It’ll warm you up.” Derek’s deep voice soothed her frayed nerves.
He held out a diamond-encrusted flask. She sniffed the contents and smelled sweet lemon. With a shrug, Angelina tipped her head back and let the refreshingly cool liquid slide down her throat, coughing a little at the bite of strong alcohol. It tasted like lemonade with a kick, and she wanted it to stop the chill taking over her body. Several large gulps later, she began to feel a sense of blessed warmth, along with numbness. They passed the drink back and forth between them.
“Yikes, this is some good stuff. But I think we need more.” Angelina shook the container, showing him there was nothing left.
“Ah, sweets, you weren’t supposed to drink so much. Shit, Ren is going to fucking kill me,” he muttered.
“Screw Ren. He’s not my boss, or my anything. He’s a baas-turd.” Her words slurred, and, if she wasn’t mistaken, she sounded like a baby sheep. The thought made her giggle and then break into a full-blown laugh as she repeated the word several times out loud.
Derek seemed to be speaking to himself, muttering under his breath about doing good deeds and killing the messenger. His words made no sense to her fuzzy brain, but she no longer felt like crying. No longer had a sharp pain, like someone had taken a knife and jabbed her in the chest. So whatever he said or did was okay in her not-so-clear mind. He was her knight in shining armor, after all.
Leaning over the space separating them, Angelina placed her palm on his leg. It was wet from the rain, but the muscle beneath her fingers tensed at her touch. Curious, she trailed her hand up, stopping at the juncture between his thighs. She gave an experimental squeeze, and it jumped beneath her fingers. Goodness, she wondered how he kept it contained in his slacks.
“Angelina, stop. You don’t want to do this.” The growl had her gaze jerking up to see Derek’s jaw bunched tight.
“Oh, but I do. Don’t you want me?” She hiccupped, ruining her feigned whine.
With her fingers, she released his belt. The sound of the zipper lowering was overly loud, and his hiss echoed throughout the closed interior, giving her the courage to continue. She marveled at the fact he wore no underwear. The seat belt kept her from her goal. Angelina wanted to erase the image of the other woman with Lorenzo. She wanted to do what she saw Candis doing, be the one to make those sounds come out of his mouth. Finally, the seat belt was open. All barriers between her mouth and the hard cock in her hand were gone.