His

Rain poured down heavily in the streets of New Jersey, my short black sequined cocktail dress soaked, and my hair drenched and grossly sticky.

My eyes burned, mascara that had been labeled as "waterproof" when I bought it, leaving a black streak down my cheeks.

' Get the London look' my ass.

More like 'get the crackhead look'.

Blinking repeatedly in the hopes of making my vision clear, I drunkenly staggered around, desperately trying and failing to wave down a taxi.

The rain had sobered me up a bit, making what had been a fun night of clubbing, up until now of course, into a total nightmare.

There's nothing wrong with partying on your own, but it would have been great to have a couple friends with a car so I wouldn't be out on the street looking like I'm advertising to men that I'm looking for a good time when in fact, I'm just trying to get back home to my cat.

I've been living in New Jersey for the past three years now, but haven't had the time to make any friends. My job as a waitress at a local diner in New York keeps me busy at all hours of the day. I wasn't making nearly enough to live on, so I started doing hair as well as manicures and pedicures on the side.

No I'm not working to pay off student loans or anything like that. I didn't even go to college. The truth is, living in New Jersey, especially so close to New York, is expensive as hell.

Getting a painful cramp in my arm from having held it up so long, I dropped my limp arm at my side and sighed heavily. I was ready to give up.

I let out a loud, frustrated huff when I heard the sound of my heel snap. "Damn it!" I accidentally stepped in a freaking sewer drain.

Stepping out of my heels, I picked them up and decided to carry them. Aggravated, wet, and tired, I attempted to wave down other taxi cab as it drove past.

The taxi cab didn't stop as it zoomed past, splashing me with water in the process. I gasped in disbelief, because I didn't think this night could have gotten any worse.

Reaching the end of the sidewalk, I waited until it was safe to cross the street.

Apparently, God was punishing me because as soon as I stepped out on to the road, lights were blinding my vision and the sound of a car screeching to a halt rang loud in my ears.

"You almost hit me! Watch where the fuck you're going testa di cazzo(dickhead)!" I shouted out angrily, slamming my hands down on the hood of a black Cadillac Escalade.

There were two men in the vehicle, both very handsome. But only one caught my attention. Eyes the color of amber stare back at me, a bored expression on his handsome, chiseled face.

He had his cheek resting on a propped up fist, waves of curly dark hair slicked back with gel. Two stray strands spilled onto his forehead as he dipped his head, his beautiful eyes still trained on me.

I flipped him off out of anger at almost being ran over. He responds the exact opposite of what I thought he would, his lips curling up into a grin underneath the dark stubble blanketing his mouth and chin.

Rolling my eyes, I turn to continue crossing the street. When I reach the other side, I start down the sidewalk.

I glance back to see that the truck has made a left turn and is now slowly tailing behind me.

"What the hell do you want!?" I shout over the rain as the truck pulls up beside me, the driver with dark hair and eyes rolling down the window.

The handsome stranger in the passenger's seat is the one to speak, his voice husky and Italian.

Of course he's Italian.

"Get in the car."

I paused and looked at them to make sure they saw the "you have lost your damn mind" expression on my face.

"Why the hell would I get in a car with two strange men?" How stupid do they think I am? I've watched way too many crime shows to fall for that bullshit.

"Get in the car," he ordered again, completely disregarding my question, which isn't helping his cause at all.

"Give me one good reason why I should get in the car with the two of you?"

"Because you're wet," the handsome stranger replied.

I scoffed. "That's nothing."

"Well, there is also the fact that you are a young woman."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"I'd rather not see a woman walking alone at night. Who knows what scary men are lurking about."

Like you?

"Then close your eyes," I retorted.

He shrugged. "Alright. Suit yourself, sweetheart." And just like that he gave up, the black vehicle whipping down the road.

I gasped, taken aback. That asshole! He was just talking about how he didn't want me walking alone, but then he just drives off. That defeats the whole purpose of his claim!

More angry at myself for not getting in the car when I had the chance, the man in the upper room continued to reign his punishment down on my head. The rain intensified, thunder and lightning following suit.

Great.

Attempting and failing to catch another cab in a hurry, I quietly grumbled my frustrations and stopped to give my aching feet a break.

As soon as I stopped, a man's voice sounded from behind me. I looked back, the man far more wasted than I as he stumbled around with a bottle of hard liquor in his hand.

"Hey, looking good sweetness," he slurred, wobbling towards me.

Dressed in clothing fit for a club, I assumed he'd just left the one I had spent most of my night drinking and dancing at.

When he started reaching for me, that's when I pulled out my gun and aimed. He froze, seeming to sober up instantly at the sight of my weapon threatening his life.

He put his hands up in the air and began backing up in a cautiously slow manner. "Whoa, whoa, whoa sweetness. I didn't mean any harm."

"Good, because I would hate to have to put a cap in your drunk ass."

He backed down, preferring to keep his life rather than to risk losing it over his perverted desires.

A grin formed on my lips. I knew I made the right decision in purchasing a gun. Living in New Jersey can be rough at times, especially when you're living alone and have no one to lean on for anything.

When I moved here I learned pretty quickly that it's you and you alone. I lowered my gun, but remained alert and ready just in case the guy changed his mind.

He didn't.

In fact, he turned around and started walking in the other direction. Sighing with relief because I wouldn't have to use my gun, I shoved it back in my purse and kept on walking.

Growing exhausted, I decided to give up on hitching a ride in a cab and instead call an Uber.

Pulling out my phone, which was only at five percent battery, I quickly got to work on requesting an Uber.

Just as I was about to submit my request, my phone slipped through my hands.

"Shit!"

I stumbled forward, trying to grab my phone before the stream of water washed it down into

the sewer drain.

"No!" I cried out when I missed my phone by a hair and watched as it disappeared down into the sewer.

I began to sob, because in that moment, this had become the worst night of my life. I was starting to regret not taking that ride when I had the chance.

I just wanted to be in the comfort of my bed with my cat purring in my arms.

Sitting down on the curb, I sniffled, my face buried in my hands. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong tonight- did.

So now I was in desperate need of a miracle.

And fast.

Something heavy and warm was unexpectedly draped over my body. I looked up, the handsome stranger from earlier staring down at me.

"Let's go. I'll take you home."

Offering his hand, I hesitantly took it. He helped me to my feet, opened the door and waited until I was comfortably inside before closing the door and rejoining the other guy in the front.

I wasn't expecting him to come back. I wonder what changed his mind. I snuggled further into the suit jacket, inhaling his scent. He smelled like cinnamon.

Weird, but I like it.

"Why did you come back?" I asked, no longer wanting to guess what his reasoning had been.

"I felt bad," he answered, amber eyes staring attentively at me through the rearview mirror.

"Well, thank you," I murmured, suddenly feeling shy.

After about ten minutes of silence, aside from giving him directions to my apartment complex, we made it to my place.

Unbuckling my seatbelt, I got out of the Escalade. Thanking him once more, I made my way up the steps of the building and into the familiarity of my apartment on the first floor.

"Loki," I called out, searching around the tiny apartment for my cat.

When I caught a whiff of cinnamon, I realized that I was still wearing his jacket. Peeling it off my body, I was disappointed by the sudden lack of warmth.

Opening the door so I could go and return his jacket before he left, I froze, staring up at the wet, handsome stranger standing in front of me.

His hair was damp from the rain, the plain white dress shirt he was wearing clinging to his skin and revealing a set of hard, toned muscles.

I bit my lip.

The man was beautiful. There was no denying that.

And at first, I thought he was an asshole. He still might be. But after he came back to take me home, I'm starting to think that he might not be so bad after all.

"You forgot your-"

Soft lips aggressively collided with mine. I was pushed further into my apartment, the sound of the door closing filling my ears.

His lips tasted good, so instead of pushing him away like a normal person would have a total stranger, I allowed him to keep kissing me.

One thing led to another, and before I could even register what had happened, I had hooked up with a complete stranger.

A handsome stranger to be more specific.