Chapter 2

Heizel POV

Okay, I’ll admit it. Sitting at the bar and chatting with my best friend—who just so happens to be the bartender at my restaurant—is pretty relaxing. The warm, amber glow of the lights and the soft hum of jazz wrapping around me like a cozy cocoon is one of the few times I can actually breathe. Plus, there’s the added bonus of gossip about the people around us. Reggie, my bartender, is the most colorful person I’ve ever met. He’s loud, always voicing his opinion, even if you didn’t ask for it, and he loves commenting on any gorgeous man who walks in.

Tonight, he’s got his eyes locked on table 10. And in his eyes, that man is a solid 10.

“Alright, Heizel, let’s make a bet,” Reggie says, leaning toward me with a grin that’s practically contagious. “He’s coming here because he wants to hang out with me… or maybe ride me.”

I couldn’t help but snort, nearly choking on the wine I’d just taken a sip of. “Shhh, Reggie!” I hissed, glancing around to make sure no one had heard him. “We have customers. You can’t say things like that, or they’ll hear you.”

Reggie waved me off with dramatic flair, as if he didn’t care that the entire restaurant could be listening. “I’m just speaking the truth, honey. And I’m not the only one who notices. Everyone’s talking about it.”

I shot him a look. “And just who exactly is ‘everyone,’ huh?”

“Gabrielle,” he said with a wink. “And probably anyone who’s ever walked through that door and laid eyes on Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.”

I sighed, covering my face with my hands. “I really don’t need your gossip tonight, Reggie.”

But despite my words, I couldn’t help but glance over at him again. Him. The man who had been sitting at table 10, same spot, same routine. He was handsome in that effortless, ‘I-know-I’m-gorgeous’ way that always made me want to roll my eyes. But tonight, something was different. Maybe it was the way the dim light hit his sharp features, or how the fit of his dark suit somehow made the whole place feel less like a restaurant and more like a movie set.

I couldn’t look away. The tailored fabric hugged his broad shoulders, tapering down to his lean waist. The subtle contrast of the light blue shirt, casually unbuttoned at the collar, made him seem confident—too confident.

As I studied him from across the bar, my gaze caught on something new. Just above the cuff of his sleeve, a tattoo peeked out from underneath his jacket.

It was subtle, hidden just enough to keep it a mystery. But the ink was intricate, the kind of design that made you wonder about its story. It was like a secret waiting to be uncovered, and God, my heart skipped a beat. Was that on purpose? A calculated move? Or was it a crack in his polished exterior, something deeper, darker, begging to be revealed?

My breath hitched, my pulse quickening. Was it wrong that I wanted to know more? That tattoo… it was like a magnet, pulling me in. I could feel my mind wandering, imagining the rest of the design, imagining him, and I couldn’t stop myself. It was a dangerous game, this attraction, and it was getting harder to ignore.

Just then, his eyes met mine.

I froze. Fuck. The world felt like it tilted on its axis. His eyes… deep, molten amber, almost hypnotic, like I could lose myself in them for hours.

For a split second, I thought I couldn’t breathe.

And then it hit me—he noticed me too.

I snapped back to reality, mortified. I had been caught staring. I quickly looked away, but it was too late. My wine glass—my beautiful, perfectly balanced glass of Chablis—spilled across the bar, the crimson liquid spreading like wildfire, soaking into the edge of my jeans. Great.

“Smooth, Heizel,” I muttered under my breath, my face burning with embarrassment.

I grabbed a bunch of napkins from Reggie and started dabbing at the mess, desperate to fix it. But I could still feel his gaze on me. And then, just as I was about to drown in my own awkwardness, I heard him speak.

“You know, you can stare at me if you want. You don’t have to spill your wine next time.”

I stiffened, his voice smooth like velvet, but with that teasing edge that made my stomach flip.

“No… no, I wasn’t looking at you,” I stammered, my voice barely more than a whisper. Did I sound that desperate?

“Didn’t your mom teach you that the world doesn’t always revolve around you?” I shot back, almost relieved that I could say something without sounding completely out of control.

His smile deepened, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of his lips. Then he turned to Reggie. “One glass of Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Raveneau, 2015, for this lady.”

I shook my head furiously, trying to dismiss the entire situation. “No, no, you don’t have to order anything for me.”

“Yes, I do,” he replied, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. “Because of me, you spilled wine on yourself.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but no words came out. Dammit. I was going to lose this argument, no matter how much I tried to keep my cool. That smile… that infuriatingly perfect smile. It wasn’t the kind that backed down.

“Okay, fine,” I muttered, throwing in the towel. “Thank you for the wine…”

“Matthew,” he said, taking the glass from Reggie and placing it gently in front of me. The cool stem felt like a lifeline in my clammy hand. Then, without another word, he turned and walked back to his table.

Wait… what? He didn’t even ask my name.

I sat there for a moment, staring after him, my heart still racing. He didn’t even ask my name. Brutal.

Just when I thought he was some kind of polished, untouchable mystery, he turned it all upside down. This wasn’t a casual encounter. No, it was something deeper, something that made my head spin.

And I hated how much I wanted to know more.