A.N - Okay, this chapter was a lot better in my head. Hope you guys like it anyway.

Sorry for the slight delay. :)

Three

"What is it with you and throwing drinks over me?"

"Here we are!" I screamed to be heard over the loud, pulsing music vibrating from the speakers. Glancing back at Jesse over my shoulder, I smiled at him and his flustered expression. It was obvious that the poor guy had never been to a place like this before.

This club was one of my favourites, even if they did demand I.D from everyone who walked past those doors. Not only that, but they stamped everyone under the age of twenty-one, just so the bartenders knew not to serve them alcohol. I rubbed at the stamp on the back of my hand, the fresh ink still glistening underneath the flashing coloured lights as I tried to smudge it.

Stubbornly, it refused to even blur.

I sighed as I rolled my eyes to see if Jesse was having the same trouble but his hands were stamp free. That was a welcome surprise.

"Want a drink?" Jesse's voice was lost in the thrashing beats.

"What?" My voice was louder than his had been.

"I said do you want a drink?"

"Oh," I smiled sweetly. "Sure. Anything alcoholic."

He raised an eyebrow at the stamp I'd been covering with my other hand before nodding and walking to the bar.

This was my payback. He'd gotten me in trouble with my boss over the whole coffee thing and then he made me go against everything Gina had ever taught me about playing hard to get and making the boy come to you.

Although, I suppose, this boy – I mean man. He is over twenty-one after all – has kind of been stalking me for weeks beforehand. If that's not him coming to me then I don't know what is …

Either way, my revenge was making him come to a place that was completely over his head.

I glanced around the crowded club, wondering where Jesse had disappeared to, before jumping when someone rested their hand on my arm.

"Hey!" I pulled back harshly, jerking my arm back and whirling around to glare at the person. It was Jesse. And his shirt was damp with my drink poured all over it, forcing it to stick to his chest much like it had when coffee had been poured over his head. "Oh, sorry, Jesse."

"What is it with you and throwing drinks over me?" He demanded, his joke holding just a hint of anger.

"I'm sorry!" I felt my face flushing as he pulled his shirt up and over his head, revealing his tanned, sculpted body to the attention of every female in the club – available or not.

"It's ok," he smirked, pulling his t-shirt back down, covering his abs up once again as he left his over-shirt on the stool behind him. "It's good to know you have reflexes like that. I don't have to worry about you getting in trouble."

He pressed his lips against my temple.

Pulling away, I noticed a lull in the music and grabbed his hand. "Dance with me!" I called back over my shoulder.

"It seems like I have no choice." He called back, laughing as we found a space on the dancefloor and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I guess you don't," I whispered into his ear. "Are you ready for this?"

"Ready for –" His confused voice cut off as the music began, as loud as ever, and I began to dance against him. "Díos."

Laughing, I turned in his arms, arching my back towards him as I lifted my hands in the air and slowly began moving. His hands tightened on my waist almost possessively and it sent a thrill rushing through me. I tilted my head to look back at him, seeing the harsh glint in his eyes as he stared at various people around the room and the frustration written all over his face.

I opened my mouth minutely, leaning up towards Jesse in an invitation, which he didn't hesitate to take up on. His lips covered mine furiously as his hand rose from my hips to cup the back of my head and he leaned in further.

I loved his kisses. So, so much. It was just Jesse all over - forward but with a shyness that was endearing. His kisses made you want to stay with him, if only to get them on a regular basis. Of course, his looks, accent and intelligence helped too. I'm not completely shallow.

The moment was broken when I felt myself pulled backwards by another man. I didn't even get a glance at his face before Jesse was barking at the stranger to "Back off."

Smiling up at Jesse, I fluttered my eyelashes and adopted a swooning pose. "My hero."

But Jesse didn't look impressed, instead his hand tangled with my own and he directed me back towards our original table where he picked up his wet shirt and shoved it around my shoulders.

"We're getting you out of here," he insisted. "I can't believe I let you bring me here in the first place." He cursed in Spanish under his breath.

I glared up at him. Honestly! Men could be so fickle!

"Hey, Jesse," I accused, lashing out to hide my hurt. It kind of sounded like he was regretting our date and that couldn't happen, if only because I'd had one of the best nights of my life. "I only agreed to a date if I could choose the place. We leave and this date is over."

He didn't even think about his answer. "Fine." The word stung as he directed me towards the door and pushed me out into the cooler night air. And, not that I'd admit it to he-who-ruins-perfectly-good-dates, it felt nice to be away from the constricting club. "Now button up that shirt."

Glancing down at the shirt – which just about reached the hem of my skirt – I rolled my eyes as I understood what he was doing. Apparently, he thought my black mini-skirt, green halter neck combo was too revealing. I crossed my arms purposefully over my chest and regarded him with a sceptical look.

"I swear, Susannah…" Jesse trailed off, refusing to finish his sentence and keeping his gaze on the floor even as he buttoned up the shirt for me and nodded appreciatively at my covered state. He reached out to wrap his arm around my waist. "The things you do."

I twisted out of his grip, and walked ahead of him. "Date's over, remember?" I called without looking back. "I'll find my own way home."

The wind whipped gently at my freshly streaked chestnut hair, the red shining in the streetlight. I had spent ages at the mirror with my straightening iron before I left, to get it perfectly straight before my date. And do you know what I got for my efforts? Nothing. Not even one little compliment.

Okay, so I got one of the best kisses I'd ever gotten before in my life.

But that was it. My drink even ended up on my date.

"Hey, Susannah, don't be like this." Jesse jogged up alongside me. "I'm sorry, okay. It's just ... you shouldn't be spending time in places like that."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm a big girl, Jesse. I can do what I want."

"I know." He sounded genuine as we rounded the corner to my apartment block and he fixed me with a blinding smile. "Well, thank you for a lovely evening."

My eyebrow rose in amusement. "Well, yeah, I guess."

"Goodnight." He pressed his lips against my cheek, lingering on my skin as I felt my skin begin to heat up once again. There was just something about this guy that was addictive. But, I mean, look at him.

Who wouldn't be craving Jesse de Silva?

"Goodnight," I whispered back, my hand lightly running up his chest, trying to rake his shirt upwards and reveal that body I'd learned to love to my gaze.

Chuckling, he tangled his fingers in my own and brought my hand up to his mouth where he pressed a soft kiss against it and shook his head before he let go, my hand falling limply back down to my side as Jesse walked away, still laughing silently to himself.

"Sweet dreams."