Soul Stirring Encounter

Chapter Three: First Encounter

SHANAIAH lifted her head, her blurry vision struggling to focus on the speaker. A man stood before her, his physique imposing. His muscles were hard and defined, and he was incredibly tall, maybe around six-two. She looked at his face, unsure if the alcohol was playing tricks on her, but she was certain - he was breathtakingly handsome. She had seen many good-looking men in her life, but none had ever captivated her like that. But this one is such a sexy beast.

She found herself speechless. The rain soaked his muscular body, accentuating his defined abs even more.

She gazed at those large, tattooed arms, biting her lower lip to hold back a curse.

His arms are so big and thick and his bulging pecs are on point. It literally screams s*x.

Gosh! What the hell was she thinking?

“Miss, are you alright? "Can you hear me?" His voice was almost a shout. She wasn't sure if it was just alcohol, but she found it arousing.

Fuck her. She was definitely drunk. She could feel her insides tingling at the sight of him, like she wanted to run her hands over his body while they stood in the rain.

He stepped closer, still receiving no answer from her. "Miss, are you listening, or didn't you hear me?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Did you just assume I'm deaf?"

The man scoffed. "Tss, you can hear, right?"

"I answered, didn't I? You're the deaf one." She retorted.

A smirk played on his lips, amusement dancing in his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

She averted her gaze. What was she doing here, anyway? She was running away. And now she was stuck in the middle of a downpour. She couldn't feel the cold much because of the heat she was feeling inside.

"You should get back to your car. The rain is heavy. Do you want to get sick?"

"Do you think I want this? Can't you see? My tire is flat, and the front of the car is a little dented from hitting that tree."

He glanced at her car, then looked back at her. "Bad luck." She wasn't sure if his tone was concerned or sarcastic. "So, you're stuck here? Do you live around here?"

She gave a bitter smile. "I don't live here. I'm on my way to my cousin's rest house here in Sydney. Do you know where it is?" she asked, showing him the exact address of Bella's rest house.

"That's on the other island."

"Is it far from here?"

"Not really far, but you still need to travel to get there. You can take a boat to get there faster, but you can also take a car. It'll just take longer because the lanes for cars and other land vehicles are different."

She massaged her temples and she softly cursed. If there’s a name for being so unlucky, that must be her name: SHANAIAH JONES. It must be in capslock.

Tears welled up in her eyes again. She wanted to curse Zandro and her sister. They were the reason she is in this situation right now. f**k them! She hoped they were happy as hell, enjoying all the misfortune she was experiencing.

“But if you need my help, I can help you.” He insisted.

She looked up at the man. He was staring at her intently, his expression unreadable.

"You look pretty pale right now, Miss. Are you okay?"

"I-I'm okay." She forced a smile at him.

“But you don’t look okay to me.”

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not! You need help and I can help you.”

She gave a bitter smile and looked at him. "How noble."

"I'm serious. It's night, and it’s raining heavily. It's certain to get worse later, especially since there's a storm coming. And you're stuck here. The vulcanizing shop is far from here. There's only an ocean around here."

She wanted to roll her eyes at him. "I'll just wait here till morning." He frowned at her. “That would be dangerous for you.”

"Isn't it more dangerous to accept help from a complete stranger like you? I'm not sure if you're really a good person."

"I'm not a criminal. I won't take advantage of your situation. I live near here, and I own a small condo."

“Thank you for the offer. But no, thanks. I’m okay here.”

He inhaled sharply. “Did you skip the part where I told you it’s not safe here?”

She looked around. He was right. The area was surrounded by ocean and trees. It was dark, too.

"Look, it's not safe for a woman like you to stay here, especially with the weather. I can offer you a place to stay. I'll also help you get your car fixed."

“Just leave me alone.”

“Don’t ask me to leave you here, woman! You’re alone here, and you look like you’re going to pass out any minute. "Obviously, you're not okay with being left here alone." He said, his gaze lingering on her swollen eyes.

She averted her gaze. The rain was no barrier to her swollen eyes, a testament to her tears. Then, he gently cupped her chin and lifted her face to meet his eyes. She found herself staring into his gaze, taking a deep breath. She felt something stir within her, a warmth spreading through her veins.

Her gaze dropped to his lips, full and red, seemingly so soft. She couldn't help but imagine those lips moving against hers, down her neck, and between her thighs.

“Did someone hurt you? Messy heartbreak? Cheating boyfriend?”

She felt like burning at his questions. She quickly pushed him away. She didn't want his pity, even if he was just a stranger.

"It's none of your business! Leave me alone! Go away!"

"I'm not leaving until I know you're safe."

“That’s really nice of you. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not some knight in shining armor, and I’m not the damsel in distress type of woman. I don’t need any words from you. Sorry to disappoint you.”

"I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm just trying to help. What's your problem? Look, in your situation, you should be grateful that someone is willing to help you. And if I leave you here, you're going to be in trouble for sure."

His gaze dropped on her body. She suddenly remembered her short dress and its thin fabric. She was sure her body was on full display. To him, it was like she was wearing nothing at all.

Her face flushed. She was wearing a dress that showed too much skin. It was all because of her ex-boyfriend, who always criticized her clothes, saying she dressed too conservatively.

A wave of pain and bitterness washed over her. She wanted to retaliate. She found herself staring at the man, noticing how he seemed to avoid her gaze. His shoulders were tense, like he was fighting some kind of urge. She recognized that reaction. She licked her lips, letting her tongue trace the edge. She saw his eyes follow the movement of her tongue. His eyes sparked, his jaw clenched with desire. She knew it. He was just like the other men, responding to her flirtation.

She studied the man in front of her. She wanted revenge. She wanted to get even with Zandro. And she was offering herself with this man's help.

Her eyes narrowed. Maybe if she wanted to reboot her life, she should change her lifestyle. She should shed her good girl image. She better stop acting like a princess in medieval period. It’s time for her to step up her game.

“So, you really suggest I should go with you?”

He nodded. "Like I said, I'll help you, including with your car."

“Oh, that’s really nice of you.”

“I’m not nice. I’m just being concerned here.”

Her eyebrow arched. She didn't believe that. Nowadays, help always came with a price.

"Really? That's still nice of you, mister?"

"Xander." He extended his hand. "Alexander Miller."

"Call me Aya." She introduced herself and took his hand. She squeezed his palm. He pulled away as if burned. Oh, playing the virgin card? She wasn't buying it.

She cupped her chest and let her hand slide down. The man's lips parted. Then, she saw the hunger in his eyes. Their gleam mirrored the descent of her hand towards her thigh.

He swallowed hard.

He wanted her. She wasn't oblivious. She could feel the tension in his body. This hot guy wants her obviously.

“You have to decide now, Miss. I can promise that you can trust me.”

She licked her lips once more, slowly.

When she heard his gasp, she was certain. He was attracted to her. It was crazy, but she liked the effect she had on him.

"We have no time. We have to go before the rain gets worse." His voice was hoarse. He was no longer looking at her. She looked down at his pants. His bulge was obvious, and he seemed to be struggling to hide it.

Oh, she’s not so unfortunate at all.