“It’s nice to meet you, Alex.”
“The pleasure’s all mine.”
When he let go of her hand, his fingers slid against her palm in the faintest of caresses. His touch was light and oddly familiar. She’d been in situations where strange men had held her hand a little too long during introductions and it always made her feel awkward. Not this time. Alex’s touch was gentle and respectful, despite feeling somehow intimate.
He ran his hand through his hair and looked up at her from under his lashes.
Something about those eyes seemed familiar. “Have we met before? I feel like I should know you from somewhere.”
“I don’t think so. I never forget a face, and I definitely would have remembered yours.”
Hmm. If he didn’t look so lonely, she would have sworn that was a pickup line.
She searched her brain, trying to place his face. He wasn’t one of her clients. “You sure do look familiar.”
“I guess I just have one of those faces.”
And what a face it was. If a marketing executive put his cheekbones alone on the front of a men’s magazine, they’d sell millions.
He drank some of his Coke and then picked up a swizzle stick. The green plastic stick was in the shape of a curvaceous hula lady. Alex shook his head and sighed. He stuck the swizzle stick in his glass, swirled it around and let it go, making the hula lady dance.
“So. What brings you here tonight? I know it’s not the wine.”
The slight compression of his lips was meant to pass for a smile. “I’m celebrating, actually.”
“Really? No offense, but this doesn’t look like much of a party.”
“I guess it’s more of a private affair. I just moved to Vegas.”
“Congratulations on the move. What brought you to Sin City?”
“Business. It’s also a chance to start a new life.”
“I see.” Dana dared to take another sip. The wine wasn’t as offensive this time around. “You didn’t like the old life?”
“All in all, I can’t complain, but I made mistakes. Handled some things badly.”
“Don’t feel too guilty. We’ve all been there.”
“Have you?”
“Oh, yeah. Don’t be fooled by the image of perfection you see here, drinking alone in a cheesy tiki bar.”
“You’re not drinking alone anymore.”
“I guess not.”
“Tell me something, Dana. Do you have any regrets in life?”
“That’s a loaded question.”
“It’s that kind of night, I guess.”
“It’s safe to say I have some regrets.”
“Big ones?”
“Sure. We can’t let them shape us, though.”
