Adrenaline buzzed through me. I wasn’t even bothered by the stupid nickname she refused to stop calling me. It was growing on me, not that I’d let Tiffany know.
Meanwhile, she’d already returned to the other end of the bar and begun talking animatedly to someone as she kept an eye on the servers.
No, not someone. Audrey.
Her hair was tied up, bringing sharp focus to her bright eyes and soft lips, which she’d painted a shade of red that sent my blood rushing south. She was as beautiful as I’d remembered.
Fuck, I’d really been an idiot to leave that morning. I needed not to mess this up.
Audrey’s laugh cut through the noise in the room, a familiar sound I’d been replaying to myself since I’d last seen her, and I swear to God, my heart skipped.
It was the moment her eyes met mine across the bar that I felt my confidence restoring itself. Recognition, surprise, then thankfully, joy and lust played over her features, and I knew that no matter how this ended, I wasn’t the only one who had been remembering our night together.
“Fancy running into you again.” She shot an incredulous look over her shoulder at Tiffany. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Thanks. I have it on good authority that the drinks are pretty good here.” What the hell. One wouldn’t hurt. “What would you recommend?”
She hummed, making a show of thinking it over while smiling at me. “There’s a rum-based one topped up with sparkling wine. It’s one of my favorites.”
“In that case, how could I refuse?”
I watched as she made it, enjoying having a moment to re-familiarize myself with the little details of her. That plush lower lip that I knew felt so good between my teeth. Nimble fingers that could be equally gentle and rough. That careful concentration that she appeared to give everything she did.
Damn, it was good to see her again.
When she passed the finished drink to me, I brought it up to my lips slowly and sniffed, but there wasn’t anything discerning coming off the drink. Taking a sip, I tasted lemon and thyme, lightened by the bubbles and a tangy alcoholic twist.
“Good?” She asked hesitantly.
“Amazing,” I said, taking another sip. “It’s good to see you again.”
Her smile widened. “You, too. I didn’t think I would, after …”
“But you hoped.”
She rolled her eyes. “Still as cocky as before, I see.”
“You wouldn’t want me to change. You like me like this.”
“Is that what you think?” She said playfully.
“It’s what I remember. Among other things.” I didn’t miss the flush of her cheeks at that.
She moved to serve some others before Tiffany shooed her back in my direction.
“So what brings you back here?” She asked, leaning comfortably on the counter between us.
I gestured to the crowd. “Work does. The agency I’m managed by wanted to get a few people together.”
“This is a few people?” The bar was entirely too packed.
“One or two.” Her hands rested on the bar near mine, and I reached out to brush her knuckles. “What about you? Did you decide you needed a side hustle? Not making enough selling booze during the day, so you have to do it at night, too?”
Her head titled back as she laughed, sharp and light. “Shows how much you remember. I don’t sell booze during the day. I market and distribute, thank you very much. Besides, I’m only here to meet cute guys.”
“Oh, really? Any luck?”
She slumped down, playing up a resigned shake of her head. “Sadly, no.”
