She glanced at him. “You first.”
“I’m passing through, but not right away. You?”
She chewed on the edge of her bottom lip. “Actually, I just moved here.”
His grin widened. “Lucky break for me, huh? I’ll be around for a while. Maybe we could grab dinner one night.”
Skylar forced a polite smile, twisting her straw between slender fingers. When his calloused palm drifted to her forearm, she jerked away as though burned. “Don’t touch me.”
He threw up his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry, I was only trying to be nice.”
“Touching a woman without permission isn’t nice. Move on, please.” Her voice was cool, unwavering.
“No need to get upset. It’s a habit of mine when I talk.” He shrugged.
“Look, it’s nice of you to offer to buy me a drink, but no thank you.” She smiled at Dixie, one of the bartenders, when she sat another whiskey sour in front of her. “Thanks, Dixie.” She looked at the man. “This is my last one.” She smiled at Dixie as she handed her a credit card.
Skylar lifted her glass, took a slow sip, and moaned. She could hear that cowboy behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see him talking with the other four men, also in cowboy hats. She caught snippets of their conversation and if she heard her name, she would not be happy. Why is it, when a man gets turned down, it’s the woman’s fault? Don’t they realize it’s something about them, not the woman? She could hear them but couldn’t make out what they were saying. All she knew was they gave her the creeps, and she wanted to be far away from them.
“Are you sure I can’t buy you a drink?” the cowboy said as he slid onto the empty stool beside her.
“I’m sure. I’m waiting for someone.”
“You said you were leaving.” His eyebrows rose.
Skylar looked at him. “I never said I was leaving. I said this was my last drink.”
The man looked at his watch. “It’s awfully late. Maybe he isn’t going to show.” He grinned when she looked at him.
“It doesn’t matter whether he shows up or not. You’re striking out. I am not interested.”
When he wrapped his fingers around her wrist, she stiffened and stared at him.
“I can get you interested.”
“Looks like she’s not into you, Axel.”
“Fuck you, Hal.”
“Get your fucking hand off me,” she snapped as she pulled her wrist free. “Go. Away.”
“You think you’re so much. You’re not the only woman in the bar.”
“I’m happy to hear that, go find another one.”
When he grabbed her wrist again, she picked up her drink and threw it in his face, making him gasp. A bartender handed him a towel, and he wiped his face off, then clenched his jaw and leaned close to her.
“You’re going to fucking regret that,” he snarled.
“Hey, either find another place to sit or leave,” Scarlett, the owner of the bar, snapped.
“We’ll stay for a while.” They all ambled over to a table.
“Are you alright, Skylar?”
“Yes, thank you, Scarlett. I need to head home.”
“Let me have Noah walk you out.”
