The Single Dad's Royal Pursuit

Chapter 6- The storm

Mickey slightly squeezed the lady’s hand named Lexi as they shook their hands together. Her smug grin did something in him for some reason. Fascination. The perfect pearly whites that screamed wealth and health were displayed. “Great name, Lexi,” he said.

Lexi still held Andrew’s ward and callous hand that says he seemed a hard-working man. His bright doe-looking eyes behind the thick glasses were gleaming. “You’ve got an excellent voice, mister Andrew. It reminded me so much of my past,” she honestly replied.

“I hope they were great, though,”

“Yes, they were,”

“That’s lovely to hear,” Mickey smiled before looking at the almost empty glass of margarita in Lexi’s hand. “Can I buy you a drink?” he smoothly asked.

Lexi stared down at her cold glass. “Sure,” she agreed. Somehow she was surprised to agree just like that. She planned to celebrate her first night, but she didn’t expect someone would offer to buy her a drink. “Thank you,” In any other circumstances, she wouldn’t approve of it, but for some undefined reason, she trusted her instinct. It was her first time in the city, and she knew she got to be careful.

“No worries, my lady,” Mickey said before looking at Phorn. He understood it and began preparing the lady’s drink. “And Jameson and coke for me,” Mickey added. He side-glimpsed at the beautiful lady and noticed that her face was quite familiar but couldn’t remember when he saw her.

“Irish whiskey, eh?” Lexi smirked.

Mickey nodded. “Yes, my next best choice after beer,” he answered as he moved to sit next to Lexi at the bar.

“Interesting,” Lexi replied, swinging her chair and facing the bar like Andrew though he seemed tall enough to fit in the tiny space.

“Here are your drinks,” Phorn said, serving the glasses.

“Thanks, Phorn,” Mickey smiled at Phorn before shifting his eyes at Lexi.

Lexi couldn’t help but find Andrew’s smile so charming. The cute dimple on his cheek said it all. “Thanks,” she said, lifting her glass. “Cheers?”

“Cheers!” Mickey raised his glass, toasting it with Lexi before sipping his alcoholic drink. “This is good and refreshing,” he commented as he felt thirsty earlier.

“Yeah,” Lexi agreed. The slight alcohol content of Margarita started to do something in her body. She wasn't a hard drinker, although she was used to drinking wines. Her wines weren't just simple ones but were aged into perfection as her dad had a massive wine cellar dated to hundred years ago. He inherited it from his family, being an Earl.

“So, where exactly in the UK?” Mickey asked this time.

“Northhamptonshire,” Lexi instinctively answered right away. She knew she shouldn’t be as it might blow her cover and secret. “You?” she asked back.

“New York,” Mickey answered.

“Sweet,” Lexi whispered, but she didn’t dare open her mouth again.

Mickey smiled while scanning his eyes on Lexi’s face. Then, he went down to her neck and saw a lovely and shining necklace she was wearing. Lexi unconsciously held her neck as she saw Andrew’s eyes look at it.

“Nice necklace,” Mickey remarked. “But I would say do not wear much of that stuff out in the street,” he added. He had seen some incidence where someone tried to snatch things from people.

“Oh,” Lexi mumbled, looking at her hand. “Thanks for reminding me,” she said, putting it under her top. That was one of the no-nos on the list for a foreigner like her in the street of Thailand.

“No worries,” Mickey smiled, “Cheers?”

“Cheers,”

The two didn’t talk much as they watched another person go up the stage and start singing some great medley songs. They only spoke to comment about the songs they were listening to, and from time to time, they toasted and drank as they immersed themselves in it.

Lexi’s sanity was slightly getting impaired with all the glasses of margarita she consumed. The one she was holding in her hand was her fifth one. She had a good time speaking with Andrew, although they mostly talked about the music and nothing too personal. She was glad that she started to make friends, starting from Andrew to Phorn and his barmen.

Mickey, on the other hand, was also enjoying his chilling time. He wasn’t pushy to learn things about Lexi as he noticed she seemed not into it. He had pretty enough drinks that he felt tipsy but not drunk. Lexi told him that she plays piano and guitar too, which he found interesting.

“Thank you and goodnight, everyone,” Mickey and Lexi clapped their hands at the guy who had just finished singing on the stage.

“He’s great!” Mickey said.

“I reckon,” Lexi smiled.

With so much alcoholic liquid she had intaken earlier, Lexi decided to use the washroom. She slightly turned her stool bar chair, and when she was about to move down, she lost her footing on the rest and slipped. Lucky her, she was able to grab and be secured by Andrew’s sizeable warm hands.

The only awkward thing was she landed between his long legs.

“Oh, are you okay?” Mickey asked as he held and supported Lexi. She was now standing in front of him, locked in the middle of his thighs. At his six-foot-three inches height, he got to sit sideways since his body was long enough to fit.

Lexi looked up at Andrew. Although she was already standing tall in front of him, he still towered over her body as he sat at the bar. “Yeah…” she mumbled, squeezing Mickey’s arm she was holding.

Mickey smiled, and for some insane drive, he raised his hand and slowly brushed the hair covering Lexi’s face. She was ever more beautiful closer. Drunk that he was, he slightly moved his head down and aimed at Lexis’s plumpy lips.

Lexi looked at Andrew as she noticed his head was about to nudge down while he beheld her face. She was stunned as she flickered her eyelids while staring at him. Andrew’s long lashes and glossy eyes mixed with blue-gray shades were fixedly locked on her common blue orbs.

The alcohol slowed down her instinctive reaction, and for some reason, she just accepted what was about to happen.

And just like that, their lips touched and began to move.

Lexi couldn’t say she was an expert in kissing, but she had dated guys before, but they only ended up getting the first base. When it came to snogging sesh, she had a fair share of experience.

The two continued kissing and not minding the surroundings as the enticement built up between them.

Mickey deepened the kiss by holding Lexi’s nape while Lexi continuously squeezed his arm and clutched her other hand on his chest. They took shallow breaths in between their kisses, and when Mickey’s hand was about to reach Lexi’s behind, a sudden ring on his phone stopped them.

Lexi balked away as they were both startled by the buzz. She gulped as she quickly poised back herself from the little show she made with Andrew. She noticed him fishing out his phone from his pocket while scowling. He then looked at her and smiled. “Let me take this. I’ll be back,” he excused, standing up to move away from her. Lexi watched him as he entered a restricted part of the bar.

As her sanity brought her back to reality, Lexi quickly took some money from her pocket and gave it to the barman. “Keep the change,” she smiled before storming out of the bar and didn’t wait for Andrew to come back.

Soon as she was out, she marched towards the side street, trying to forget what had just happened between her and the stranger named Andrew. Their kissing session was great but, at the same time, seemed not right. “Cheeky Lexi,” she told herself as she walked away.

Lexi strolled for the next hour, enjoying herself in the red district's colorful lights and busy streets. Finding a seven-eleven store, she walked in and decided to buy water as she felt thirsty from her mini-adventure.

“Anything you want, Miss?” asked the cashier at the counter. Lexi looked at the lady, and for some reason, she caught a familiar alcohol bottle behind her.

“Yes, give me that small bottle Jameson,” Lexi answered, firmly wanting to taste the drink Andrew had earlier. It would be her first time trying, and she couldn’t care less about the hangover and headache she would have the next day.

“Okay,” The cashier said, taking the bottle and packing it in a brown bag. After getting her change, a bottle of water, and whiskey, Lexi went out and headed near the seashore to have her drink while on her way to her hotel. She could see from afar the tall building and knew it would only take a five-minute walk to reach it.

She twisted the cup and began drinking the bitter alcohol. As she planned, she wanted to celebrate her successful escape from her father and his ludicrous plan. Her anger and happy demeanor began to engulf her as she thought about how those happenstances almost ruined her life.

“Ugh! Bitter!!” Lexi grimaced from her first shot, raising the bottle. “I like you, though,” she then continued. For some reason, Lexi enjoyed its bitterness. “Because my bloody life was bitter…” she snorted, taking another chug.

Lexi had downed the quarter of her drink when she saw lightning and heard rolls of thunder just above her head. The wind suddenly gushed while the waves on her now wet shoes and feet began to rise. “Ugh! Rain!? Damn!” she scoffed. The smell of rain and damp ground lingered in her nose, so she took a couple of chugs to remove its putrid smell.

She narrowed her eyes as she tried to find a nearby restaurant on the shore to find shelter. To her dismay, they were all closed, and only the bars at the lane were open. Seconds later, the rain began to pour down, drenching her body. She wasn’t feeling cold at all since her alcoholic drink warmed her body and insides.

Lexi laughed. “This is so freaking fun!!” She yelled as she danced and jumped in the rain, feeling the liberty she just had for the first time in her life.

Lexi continued chugging the bottle, intoxicating her in the process. She was having so much fun that she didn’t realize she was already standing knee-deep in the water. She became careless and slow. Her wits didn’t know the danger was waving in front of her.

Looking up, she felt the pissing rain on her face and skin. She then stepped back and sat by the shoreline. Lexi let go of the half-empty bottle. “Yeah, enough,” she said, resting her back on the wet sand. Glimpsing on her side, she noticed some people playing and swimming in the seawater despite the heavy rain, and that somehow assured her she would be alright to try the water as well.

She then carefully stood up and was about to dive in when two hands grabbed and stopped her. “Don’t do that!” Mickey exclaimed. He was about to go back home when he noticed a familiar lady having fun on the shoreline. When he realized it was Lexi, he dashed towards her and ceased whatever she was planning to do.

Lexi turned, and to her surprise, it was Andrew, holding her and looking at her with worry in his eyes. “A…Andrew…” she mumbled.

“Don’t do that again,” Mickey said, looking at Lexi’s wet face and the seawater behind her.

Lexi smirked. “Sure, kiss me again,” she slurred.

Mickey snorted. “If this is the only way to stop you, sure,” he agreed, locking his lips to Lexi once more.