Ivy's POV
"I can't believe it. I'm finally free!" I shouted over the pulsing beat of the club, raising my glass. Whiskey. "Damn, I'm just glad the whole bullshit is finally over" I say, a little too excited at the fact.
My two friends, Addison and Mabel, laughed, clinking their glasses against mine. "You deserve it, Ivy," Addy said. "You finally ditched that nightmare of a job. I hope that fucker rots, I can't believe HR didn't penalize him."
"I know right," I sighed, leaning back against the bar, letting the music vibrate through my body. "I mean… he has his nepo connections. I'm just glad I'm done with all that drama, the unwanted touches, the office gossip… gone. I feel like I can actually breathe again. My only regret is not having the chance to slap him out of that stupid smirk he always wore."
We all laugh. I'm glad we can all laugh about it now. I was traumatized by it for weeks prior.
"Girl, forget that douche," Mabel said, leaning closer, a suggestive grin spreading across her face. "Tonight is all about you. You can drink, dance, flirt, maybe even… who knows… have some fun. You're allowed."
I laughed, tossing my hair back. "Oh, I will. Tonight, I'm going to have so much fun. I refuse to let that idiot ruin my night or my thoughts. I'm glad that phase is finally over."
And that was the truth. For the first time in months, I felt free. No corporate ladder dragging me down, no colleague's hand brushing too close for comfort, no stupid meetings that made me want to scream.
The bartender slid another shot across the counter. I caught it, tipped it back in one smooth motion, warm, liberating, intoxicating.
"Another?" Mabel asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Absolutely," I say, laughing. "To freedom, to chaos, to me not giving a damn tonight…"
"…to finding yourself a man, perhaps" Addy cuts in, raising her eyebrows suggestively and we all laugh at that.
Quite unlikely.
We were in our own little world, the music loud, lights flashing, bodies swaying around us. And then… I saw him.
He wasn't like anyone else in the club. He wasn't leaning against the bar pretending to check his phone or flashing a smile at anyone.
He was standing near the dance floor, watching the crowd with calm, sharp eyes that seemed to notice everything. And somehow, he noticed me.
Our eyes met. Just for a second, but long enough.
Enough that I felt a spark, a tingle, a strange pull that made me want to move closer. He looks ridiculously handsome with a spark in his eyes I can't decipher, all I know is…
Check mate! I think I've got my eyes set on him for the night.
My friends nudged me, teasing. I smile, shaking my head at them.
"Who's that?" Addy whispered. Giggling softly.
I shook my head. "I don't know… but I think I want to find out, I just know that with the way he is looking, I just might go over."
Mabel snorted. "You're drunk, Ivy. How did you manage to find a man that fast."
"I'm not even drunk enough," I said with a grin. "There's just something about him… something different. Can't quite explain it."
"Yeah, that something is your raging alcohol induced hormones, Ivy. Calm your tits!" Mabel cackled, drunkenly.
I roll my eyes at her. "Weren't you all the same people from a few minutes ago hoping I find a man for the night? What happened to that" I questioned, raising my brows.
They both gave each other a look and raised their arms in surrender, giggling. "You got us there, the floor is yours, Madam Ivy." Addy declared.
And that was it. The pull was magnetic. Every time I glanced in his direction, he seemed to be watching, studying, intrigued. Not in a creepy way, more like curiosity, interest, something that made the corner of my chest tighten.
I tried to focus on my friends again, laughed at Addy's joke, Mabel's drunken antics and danced a little more wildly, but every now and then, my eyes drifted back to him. He didn't move, didn't approach… and yet the tension between us was tangible, like the air itself had thickened.
At one point, he stepped closer to the edge of the dance floor, and our eyes met again. I could have sworn I saw a faint smile. Or maybe I imagined it. Either way, my heartbeat was accelerating.
"Ivy?" Mabel's voice pulled me back. Her fingers snapping, "Hellooo…Earth to Ivy . Are you planning to make a move or just stare all night?"
I laughed, covering my mouth. "I'm not sure if I should."
"Girl, tonight is about fun. About being bold. You can't let some mysterious stranger hypnotize you from across the room. Make your move, seductress."
I shook my head, trying to tell myself I didn't want to be hypnotized. But I did. Oh, I did. There was something about him… something I couldn't name, couldn't resist.
And just like that, the music swelled, the lights flashed, and I felt a sudden, irrational urge to go over there. To say hello. To just… touch his arm, maybe even hump him on the dance floor like I had joked earlier.
But before I could, he moved slightly, drifting toward my direction.
My former boldness dissipated completely . Suddenly, I was shy. Ridiculously so. My heart began to race, insanely fast.
Up close, he was devastatingly handsome.
A real, full-blown hunk of a man. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Effortlessly confident. His dark hair fell neatly over his forehead, slightly tousled, perfectly styled to his fitting. His jaw was sharp, sculpted, and his eyes… God, his eyes were dark, intense, and focused entirely on me.
I started to feel a little hot, and it is already hot in the club by the way. But his gaze just does something to me.
"Hi," he said, leaning in just enough that I could hear him clearly. His voice was deep. Smooth. The kind that slid straight down your spine and stayed there.
"Hi," I replied, hoping he couldn't hear how breathless I suddenly sounded.
For a moment, neither of us said anything. We just stood there, staring at each other like the rest of the club had faded into background noise.
He glanced at my glass, then back at my face. "Celebrating something?"
I laughed softly, nodding. "Freedom."
His brow lifted slightly. "That sounds serious. Were you perhaps kidnapped or held hostage prior to now"
"It is," I said. "And no, I was not" I laughed at that.
A slow smile curved his lips, subtle but dangerous. "Then I'm glad I caught you on a good night."
My pulse jumped. I swallowed, suddenly very aware of how close he was, of the faint scent of his musk cologne, of the warmth radiating from him.
"So am I," I said before I could stop myself.
The rest of the night passed in a blur, with laughter spilling too easily, conversations slurring into half-finished sentences, the music wrapping around us like a living thing.
We danced too close for comfort, bodies brushing, hips colliding, breaths mingling.
His hand found my waist at some point. Our touch becoming bolder and bolder by the minute.
We kept leaning into each other, closer and closer, until there was barely any space left to pretend we weren't doing this on purpose. He said something in my ear that made me laugh, his breath hot against my skin, and I turned my face just enough to catch his eyes again.
Safe to say… I jumped him.
Or maybe he jumped me.
Honestly, by then, it didn't matter.
All I remember is that blissful rush, the way the world narrowed down to heat, laughter, stolen touches, and the thrill of being wanted without questions, without expectations. Just desire.
And it was bliss.