Prologue
Prologue:
"Come on Anna!"
"Anna!!"
"Anna!!"
I sighed, before giving a helpless smile and gulped the shot.
Ladies and gentlemen, this strong shot thereby took me from tipsy to drunk.
Now, the thing is, I wasn't the kind of girl who has just studied all through her college and university life. I had attended my fair share of parties, made my fair share of mistakes.... but the one thing I hadn't, and couldn't do, was getting drunk.
I had been 'drunk' only one day in my entire life, did some crazy things that night with no control on myself whatsoever, and woke up with no memory of the previous night. Not to forget, a killing hangover, terrible headache and even a bad stomach by evening.
That was the day I decided to never drink again.
And this, right now, was the closest I've come to ever being drunk again.
I'd call this the things we gotta do under peer pressure, but this wasn't exactly peer pressure. I didn't know a whole lot out of the people who had just forced me to drink, except Tara and Justin.
Tara and Justin, both were ironically Zach's bestfriends, but it hadn't taken the duo long to make me one of them.
Ruth had always been a little distant, but I believe she was coming around too.
Which meant everyone except Zach. My boss.
The only thought of Zach made me dizzy. He was tall and handsome, but what I loved the most about him were his hazel eyes and the sharp jawbone, which seemed like it was designed to kill.
Under normal circumstances, I kept these thoughts hidden, but I was afraid that wasn't happening tonight.
I was his date to this party, which is the most acknowledgment I have ever gotten from him in the past two years that I was working under him.
'A strictly professional party'- that is how he had described this to be, but it seemed opposite so. People were dancing and drinking and having fun, and everyone was so friendly, everyone except my arrogant boss.
He'd probably be in some corner flirting with some girl.
Here's the thing about Zach Davis: he's a ruthless billionaire, and along with having all that money at a young age, he's also a big-time playboy. Actually, playboy isn't exactly the right word to describe him. It's safe to say he's always had his own ways with girls.
I was firm as hell that I wouldn't fall for this man.
Not a man who changes his women, or mistresses if you'd call them, faster than seasons change.
And yet, I couldn't help bending in front of his looks.
Maybe it was that he was always so strictly professional with me, and never dared to cross a line against all rumours I'd heard about him that first attracted me to him.
And like a moth attracted to candlelight, I kept moving closer, and yet never felt the warmth.
My mind was a tangle of his thoughts, and my feet couldn't help but carry him around in search of him.
Just when I was about to give up, I heard a husky whisper belonging to someone very familiar.
"Miss. Collins?"
I immediately turned, to the sight most welcomed by my eyes.
"I'd like to be called Anna for the night, please," I gently whispered.
I could see amusement flicker in his eyes but being the good actor that he is, it was hid immediately.
"Are you finding somebody?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.
"I was just... bored," I say. It was the alcohol. I swear it was the alcohol.
"Does my party not entertain you?" He asks, a half smile on his lips.
"I'm afraid not," my voice was low and unintentionally husky.
He takes a deep breath, a small smile on his lips as he takes a step closer towards me, leaving very little distance. I didn't know if it was reality or the alcohol in my veins playing tricks on me, but I felt his hand on my skin, making me contemplate if wearing a backless gown was a good idea or not.
As his hand settled on my lower back, pulling me slightly closer, I knew the idea was good. Definitely a good idea.
"Perhaps I could entertain you better?" He said, his eyes twinkling in a way I couldn't fathom.
They seemed darker than usual and the intensity of his gaze made me feel butterflies in my stomach. I was confident I had goosebumps, as I prayed to God he wouldn't notice.
"I'd like that," I answered before I could give the idea a second thought and his smirk just widened.
The next few minutes were an absolute blur, but I could roughly make out his hand slipping through mine as he confidently walked us from the crowd, towards his personal lift.
Who even has a lift in a house?
Apparently, my boss and the man I was so heavily attracted to, Zach Davis, did.
The second the lift door closed, I felt myself being pinned harshly to the back wall, my hands pinned to the sides and him hovering over me.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He whispered, and I could feel his warm breath fanning my face.
It was probably the alcohol that took over me as I pushed him away.
He, who had clearly not anticipated that, was taken aback but I'm sure he was even more shocked when I wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him.
I kissed him.
I shamelessly kissed the man of my dreams.
I could almost feel his smirk as he kissed me back with an intensity I had never felt before, his nails digging into the skin of my back and I let him take complete dominance until the door of the lift opened and we entered his room, breathless, yet not taking our hands off each other.
He pinned me again, his lips hungrily kissing my neck as I let my hands roam over his hair, clutching them tight– something I had only ever dreamed of.
"You're drunk," he murmured breathless.
"As are you," I agreed, taking deep breaths as well.
His hands clutched the zip of my dress.
"You know there's no going back from here?" He asked.
"That's how I'd like it," A small smile spread over my lips as I felt my dress being unzipped and in one smooth move, the gorgeous piece of red satin fell to my feet.
I was naked and exposed, but instead of making me feel vulnerable, I felt confident when his eyes scanned my body and he bit his lower lip.
When his eyes looked back into mine, I could see a lot of emotions in them, but mostly only two:
Lust and desire.