Watch Me (Phoenix #1) - Stacey Kennedy Page 0,18

is goodnight. Thank you for walking me.”

“I was very happy to,” he nearly purred, closing the distance between them. He stood over her, this powerful presence of a man, looking at her with a smoldering gaze. “Goodbye, Zoey.” Then his hand was cupping her cheek and his lips met hers, promptly taking Zoey somewhere other than the streets of Manhattan. God, the man knew how to kiss.

When he finally pulled back a long while later, she slid back into her body and reached for more. His throaty chuckle hit her like he’d stripped all her clothes off and entered her as he did last night. She snapped her eyes open to find a devilish grin on his face. “There is no expiration date on my offer,” he told her before walking away.

She remembered how to breathe and gasped for air. Sudden loud voices and cars honking hit her. She blinked, following Rhys’ long, steady gait until he faded off into the shadows.

Reminding herself how to walk again, she entered the cocktail bar and was greeted by the pop music and her two best friends gawking at her.

“What in the actual fuck?” Elise asked by way of greeting when Zoey reached the table.

Zoey slid onto the wooden chair. “I wish I could explain, but I don’t even understand what’s happening.” She opened the wine bottle with the opener left for her and poured herself a gigantic glass.

Hazel’s eyeballs were bulging out of her head. “That was Rhys Harrington.”

Zoey took the largest sip she ever had, cringing against the dryness. “He was the guy,” she said after she swallowed.

“The guy, guy?” Elise asked. “The one who took your virginity?”

Zoey nodded. “Yes, that guy.”

“Jesus,” Hazel breathed.

Zoey nodded again…and again… “If you think that’s crazy, then wait ‘til you hear this.” She recapped what had happened since Archer picked her up at work until they just saw her kissing Rhys-fucking-Harrington. They both knew exactly who he was through the research they’d done on Phoenix.

When Zoey finished, Hazel gave her head a few shakes. “Yup, yup, that is crazy.” She planted her hands flat on the table. “Okay, first, are you going to go to the cops with the evidence?”

She didn’t even need to think about it. “A part of me knows I should come forward. Maybe they’ve done this before. Maybe they’ll do it again. But the other part of me is terrified. I know what it feels like to have my whole world exposed and twisted. If I speak up, my life will be ripped apart. Again. And I would probably get blamed. I just don’t feel strong enough for that right now. I want to focus on moving on.”

Elise reached across the table. “You deserve to move on and be happy.”

“Yes, you do.” Hazel nodded firmly, taking Zoey’s other hand.

“Thanks.” Warmth flooded Zoey’s chest as she squeezed their hands back. She never expected the friendship she had with Hazel and Elise. Leaving them would not be easy, and that stupid lump rose in her throat again.

Zoey washed it away with a long sip of her wine as Hazel asked, “Okay, so now, let’s circle back to Rhys Harrington taking your virginity. Did you know it was him last night?”

“That’s a gigantic no,” Zoey responded, but then she hesitated, reassessed. “I mean, I guess I should have because of his eyes. He’s got these incredibly smoky eyes, so powerful and intense. I’ve really never seen anything like them. But I didn’t think about that until I saw him earlier.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Elise, waving Zoey on.

“Hey, ladies.” All eyes went to the cute thirty-something guy grinning at them. “Can I get you all a drink?”

“No,” Elise said firmly, leaving no room to argue. She pointed back to the bar where his smiling friends were watching this show. “Go.”

The guy’s brows shot up. “Go?”

Elise dismissed him by looking away and focused back on Zoey intently. The guy stood, confused for a moment, but then slowly turned and walked away, facing his friends in defeat.

Zoey chuckled. Obviously, her story had Elise enthralled. She’d never seen her friend react so briskly.

Elise didn’t miss a beat. “How about you tell us why Gorgeous Eyes just gave you the kiss of a lifetime outside?”

Because he’s sweet? Because he feels obligated to help me now? “I think maybe it was to tempt me,” Zoey admitted.

Hazel’s eyes went wide as she nibbled on the end of her straw. “To tempt you to do what?”

“To want more of him.”

The music blared through