Times Square
Break the Ice
“Are you sure another drink is a good idea, Ms. Stafford?” The bartender, she forget what his name was, asked as she sat on her stool and demanded another shot. Leigh had lost count of how many she'd had. Everything was becoming slightly tilted, but her mind felt fuzzy. It was nice.
“The lady asked for another.”
That voice sent shivers down Leigh's spine. She didn't have to turn to know who was now standing behind her, but for some reason, she did so anyway. Ville stood there looking like some kind of sex God and she almost fell off of her chair at the sight of him... Or it could have been all of the alcohol she'd consumed. She wouldn't rule that out just yet.
“Great show.” She said, trying her best not to slur.
Ville gave his thanks before seating himself on the stool next to her. Then he ordered two shots and turned to face her. “Did you think you could hide from me over here?”
The bartender slid the shots to Ville who in turn, gave one to her. Leigh accepted hers with a grateful smile.
“I wasn't hiding.” She said sheepishly before pouring the shot down her throat. The burn of the vodka was enough to wake her up slightly, but she knew in a few minutes, the liquor would work its magic. Then she wouldn't feel a damn thing. “Well... not very well apparently.”
Ville chuckled. The rumble of his laugh sounded like a purr on Leigh's ears. It was so sexy that she almost leaned in towards his body just to be closer to the sound.
“The offer for dinner still stands, Ms. Stafford.”
Shit. That dinner he wanted to take her to.
Leigh smiled at him sweetly. She wasn't into going out with people she didn't know and though Vee was pushing her to do so, it was making it harder for her to accept. She didn't like being pressured to do things.
“I'm not sure if I can do that, Mr. Valo.” Leigh responded, using formalities since he was the one who started it. “I have a very busy life.”
Ville raised one dark eyebrow and smirked in her direction. She didn't like what that smirk implied. “Veronica already cleared your schedule.” Leigh's mouth dropped open at the revelation. “What time do you usually eat dinner?”
How dare he?!
“How dare you?!” Leigh snapped out, not realizing her thoughts and speech were becoming one and the same. “You can't presume I'd drop everything for you. I don't even know you!”
Ville's blue eyes widened at her shouting. He probably didn't expect Leigh's outburst. She usually kept a tight lid on her anger, but for some reason, this Finnish man irked her. He thought he could come into her club and just start bossing her around. She was the fucking boss!
Lifting his hands as if to defend himself, Ville met her gaze. “Let's start over, alright?”
With a huff, Leigh turned to the bartender. He slid her another shot without a word. Tilting her head back, she let the strong alcohol slide down her throat again before she was able to face Ville without screaming.
“How do you intend to start over?” She asked, feeling her head grow heavier.
Maybe she should slow down on the drinks.
“I'm flying back to Finland tomorrow night. My plane leaves at midnight and I would love to have a normal, civil dinner with you before that. Just one meal and then I'll be gone.”
Ville was trying to be kind and she kept getting cross with him.
Leigh sighed. Staring at the bar top, she wanted to give him a chance. He really had been nice to her. Veronica liked him. Hell, Charlie liked him and Charlie didn't like anyone. Deciding she owed it to him and to herself to give this a try, Leigh turned her head to look at him. He was waiting patiently for her to speak.
With a small smile, Leigh held her hand out to him. He glanced at it in confusion before returning his gaze to her face. “You have a deal, Mr. Valo.”
With a cocky smirk, Ville took her hand in his and shook it. “My name is-”
“Fine.” She said with an eye roll. “Ville.”
Ville's smile widened. “I like it when you say my name.”
Leigh, feeling her pulse increase at the playful way he said it, waved for another shot. It was the only way she was getting through the rest of the night with him by her side.
“The lady asked for another.”
That voice sent shivers down Leigh's spine. She didn't have to turn to know who was now standing behind her, but for some reason, she did so anyway. Ville stood there looking like some kind of sex God and she almost fell off of her chair at the sight of him... Or it could have been all of the alcohol she'd consumed. She wouldn't rule that out just yet.
“Great show.” She said, trying her best not to slur.
Ville gave his thanks before seating himself on the stool next to her. Then he ordered two shots and turned to face her. “Did you think you could hide from me over here?”
The bartender slid the shots to Ville who in turn, gave one to her. Leigh accepted hers with a grateful smile.
“I wasn't hiding.” She said sheepishly before pouring the shot down her throat. The burn of the vodka was enough to wake her up slightly, but she knew in a few minutes, the liquor would work its magic. Then she wouldn't feel a damn thing. “Well... not very well apparently.”
Ville chuckled. The rumble of his laugh sounded like a purr on Leigh's ears. It was so sexy that she almost leaned in towards his body just to be closer to the sound.
“The offer for dinner still stands, Ms. Stafford.”
Shit. That dinner he wanted to take her to.
Leigh smiled at him sweetly. She wasn't into going out with people she didn't know and though Vee was pushing her to do so, it was making it harder for her to accept. She didn't like being pressured to do things.
“I'm not sure if I can do that, Mr. Valo.” Leigh responded, using formalities since he was the one who started it. “I have a very busy life.”
Ville raised one dark eyebrow and smirked in her direction. She didn't like what that smirk implied. “Veronica already cleared your schedule.” Leigh's mouth dropped open at the revelation. “What time do you usually eat dinner?”
How dare he?!
“How dare you?!” Leigh snapped out, not realizing her thoughts and speech were becoming one and the same. “You can't presume I'd drop everything for you. I don't even know you!”
Ville's blue eyes widened at her shouting. He probably didn't expect Leigh's outburst. She usually kept a tight lid on her anger, but for some reason, this Finnish man irked her. He thought he could come into her club and just start bossing her around. She was the fucking boss!
Lifting his hands as if to defend himself, Ville met her gaze. “Let's start over, alright?”
With a huff, Leigh turned to the bartender. He slid her another shot without a word. Tilting her head back, she let the strong alcohol slide down her throat again before she was able to face Ville without screaming.
“How do you intend to start over?” She asked, feeling her head grow heavier.
Maybe she should slow down on the drinks.
“I'm flying back to Finland tomorrow night. My plane leaves at midnight and I would love to have a normal, civil dinner with you before that. Just one meal and then I'll be gone.”
Ville was trying to be kind and she kept getting cross with him.
Leigh sighed. Staring at the bar top, she wanted to give him a chance. He really had been nice to her. Veronica liked him. Hell, Charlie liked him and Charlie didn't like anyone. Deciding she owed it to him and to herself to give this a try, Leigh turned her head to look at him. He was waiting patiently for her to speak.
With a small smile, Leigh held her hand out to him. He glanced at it in confusion before returning his gaze to her face. “You have a deal, Mr. Valo.”
With a cocky smirk, Ville took her hand in his and shook it. “My name is-”
“Fine.” She said with an eye roll. “Ville.”
Ville's smile widened. “I like it when you say my name.”
Leigh, feeling her pulse increase at the playful way he said it, waved for another shot. It was the only way she was getting through the rest of the night with him by her side.