He has the nerve to laugh, his smile brightening his entire face. “Well, Al, that was much nicer. What are y’all having?”
“Vodka soda,” Macy says, and I sigh.I suppose it won’t matter. I already have a half-full one sitting in front of me.
“Ultra with a lime.”
He runs a hand through his short chestnut hair, and I ignore the way the simple movement causes his bicep to flex, making my stomach flutter despite all the reasons my brain is reminding me why it shouldn’t matter how nice his arms are.
Pretty boys aren’t worth the price my heart has already paid in heartbreak and everything else the façade of love has cost me.
I learned my lesson. Keep my head down, focus on class, and avoid my dad and his players as much as humanly possible. So far, I’ve succeeded at all of the above.
The bartender’s smile appears to be amused as her gaze bounces from me to Macy to whatever the hell this guy’s name is. I’m not sure I feel bad about the guy at the end of the bar anymore as she takes the order.Just kidding, I do, but I think she’d take pity on me now instead of finding this funny.
“I haven’t seen two ladies as pretty as y’all around here in a long time,” he says, and I down the other shot of vodka since Macy still has yet to take it. I grimace, but the burn is much needed to get through this conversation.
“Al is looking to get out of her comfort zone and back in the saddle. I heard from a friend in class that Twin City is the bar to be at, so here we are,” Macy says, offering me up on a silver platter.
I snap my jaw shut, wondering if she realizes just how easy it would be for me to shove her off the barstools we’re perched on.
His light eyes, which I can now identify as a pale blue, shift to me, interest flaring as he cocks his head to the side. “Is that right?”
I’m going to kill her.
Macy must be forgetting that her room is across the hall from mine, and I could smother her with a pillow while she sleeps peacefully.
I don’t bother responding, instead choosing to take a sip of my drink. The warmth of the first shot and the beer I already had are causing a fuzzy feeling in my body. The second shot hasn’t hit me yet, but there’s no way I’m going to finish both bottles in front of me. I need to be done drinking before I make any stupid decisions.
“I’m going to the bathroom. You’ll keep an eye on her, won’t you?” Macy asks him, before giving me a smile, sealing her fate.
She’s dead to me. I’m actually going to kill her. Tonight was about finding someone for her to hook up with, not me.
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
Macy slides off the stool, disappearing just as I’m tempted to bang my head on the counter.
“You can go back to your buddies. I’m not interested,” I say, hoping it comes across as venomous as I intend.
Instead, he slides into the now-empty seat, and the sheer mass of his body should intimidate me, but my radar isn’t going off. If anything, I’m tempted to appreciate the way his dark shirt hugs him in all the right places. I haven’t been interested in anyone in a long time, and I definitely don’t want to be interested in him.
Angling toward me, he smiles, teasing at a dimple on one side, making me curious if there’s one to match on the other. “I’m Jack. What does Al stand for?”
“Well, Jack, I’m afraid that information is classified.”
He laughs, the other dimple making an appearance as I tryreallyhard not to stare at the strong column of his neck or the dusting of stubble covering his jaw. “Allie?” he guesses, studying me for a reaction as I tap my fingers on the neck of the cold bottle. I raise my eyebrows at him, and he shakes his head. “Alex?”
I shrug, not planning on telling him my actual name, and Jack shifts closer to me, making my head spin.Seriously, what the hell is he still doing over here with me?
“Alex, I think you’re beautiful.”
A short laugh escapes me as I drag my finger over the condensation on the glass. “Does that line normally work for you?”
He chuckles, shaking his head, allowing me to catch a glimpse of silver around his neck before it disappears beneath the collar of his shirt.
“Usually, but lucky for you, I’m a fan of the coy act too.”
“It’s not coy if I’m actually not interested,” I point out, but I’m entertained at the very least by this entire encounter. Or maybe I’m lying to myself because I don’t want to want him.
Jack leans forward, and I find myself angling toward him as well, waiting to hear what comes from him next.It’s definitely the alcohol talking now.“Darlin’, you’re making me look bad in front of my friends,” he teases, and I laugh, hating that I’m enjoying this—even just a little bit.
