Chapter 2

Aiden didn't raise his head. His knuckles turned white when he held the icy glass at the sink, staring at his reflection with his cold eyes and that sharp jawline.

In the stuffy air of the restroom, the scent of expensive perfume filled the air.

When Nathalie saw him, she smiled and bent her head. "You're tall, " she said.

He looked at her through the mirror. Just a regular woman who stood there, shaking slightly in heels that were excessively high, obviously drunk and out of place.

Although her makeup remained intact, her eyes were glassy, and her lips curled into an unguarded smile. She took two steps forward and pushed away from the door.

She said, "I had no idea Greek gods used public restrooms." He remained silent.

She had gotten too close now as if she wanted to commit the feel of his suit to memory. Her fingertips lightly touched his arm and moved gently down.

Her closeness made his jaw tighten.

"Nice suit," she said, with her half-closed eyes and her low voice.

“It seems expensive. Are you expensive?” She added.

A flat line formed between Aiden's lips, but still he didn't say a word. Nathalie fell forward again.

"You smell good," she said, trying to put her face on his chest. "Like... safety." That is foolish, isn't it? She laughed.

Aiden looked tense. He was already disgusted by her attitude. He planned to come to the bathroom, clean up, and leave, only for him to meet a drunk lady who was getting on his nerves. His instinct was to pull her away and leave.

However, he remained rooted, for reasons unknown to him. Uncertain of what to do, his arms remained at his sides.

He cleared his throat. "You're drunk."

She mumbled her words as she said, "I'm not, I'm just... at ease." She giggled lazily. "Tessa advised me to relax. My drink was exchanged by her. Clever, huh? You know……. It wasn’t bad after all.”

She looked up to see his eyes. She placed her fingers on his jaw, smiling lazily.

Aiden grabbed her wrist with his hands. "Stop that."

"Why? And get your hands off me.” She laughed.

Her voice sounded sweet as she spoke. "You're not fond of being touched? Is that the reason you held my wrist that way, sir?” She said, trying to tease Aiden.

“Strangers clinging to me in public restrooms bothers me," Aiden replied with cold eyes.

She turned her head and smiled. "So let's avoid being strangers then."

He gave her a low stare. She continued to trace his jawline with light touches while her fingers remained on his face. He should have been sick from the contact, but he didn't. He didn't like people touching him for no reason.

It was one of the things he didn't like at all.

Her heartbeat was fast and her presence felt a certain way.

Something inside him twisted because of the way she leaned into him. She looked soft, desperate, and trusting.

There was something about her scent that aroused Aiden.

Nathalie didn't smell like perfume or alcohol. She smelled clean, sweet, and a bit crazy at the same time. She had a genuine scent, similar to spring air and lavender.

There was a part of him that her scent touched, and that part had been closed off for so long. Nathalie put her head on his chest letting out a sigh.

"You're cruel and cold. Let me guess…… you are a soldier? You are not smiling," she said. "But you scent good."

"Let go of me," he said, but his words were flat.

"No." She held on more tightly.

"Give me a little more time. You're warm. I'm warm. That's good, isn't it?” She asked.

Her mouth nearly touched his neck. Aiden's jaw tightened. He was losing control. Her skin grew thinner by the moment she was on his.

Brushing a lock of hair behind his ear, she reached up.

"You're stunning," she whispered. "Handsome but sad at the same time."

At last, he took hold of her shoulders and gently pushed her away. "You must leave." He said.

"I'd prefer not to," Nathalie said, with stubbornness in her eyes.

His voice was low as he replied, "Really? You have no idea what you're doing."

She looked directly into his eyes and whispered, "You're lonely."

He didn't answer. She came closer and kissed him on his cheek. Aiden was surprised, not because she kissed his cheeks, but because he couldn’t push her away.

"I'm not trying to fix you. All I want is to be close to something real,” her eyes blinked as she spoke to him.

“Joke's on you… something real? You wish. I’m just amazed by how handsome you are.”

She slipped her hands into his coat and spread them out on his chest as if she were trying to listen to his heartbeat.

She looked at him suspiciously. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you talk? Or are you just mysterious, hot, and sexy on purpose?”

She poked his chest. “You’re like one of those romance book guys. You look so quiet, hot, and probably tragic. It’s unfair. Stop that.”

He took a deep breath, attempting to ignore her, to forget how well she looked, how her scent surrounded his senses, and pulled out a feeling he couldn’t explain.

At last, his hands left her shoulders. She remained where she was. She said,

"You are handsome," Nathalie said, smiling shamelessly.

"Stop talking,” Aiden said, giving her a cold look.

He gave her a low glance. He had already lost control. He took his phone out of his coat pocket and pushed a speed dial.

"Rex," he said. "Make a hotel reservation immediately."

Before Rex could respond, he hung up. Nathalie stared at him, looking confused and still half-drunk.

Nathalie turned her head and parted her lips to speak, but Aiden turned away and opened the door instead. He didn’t look at her and didn't say a word to her.

And just like that, she followed him, completely unaware that this single night would change her life.