The seat at the end was empty and my benefactor already gone.
I carefully avoided making eye contact with any of the remaining men and slipped past them into the short hallway, my eyes on the floor in front of me. The scarred brown leather boots came into my sight an instant before I crashed into a firm chest. Strong arms wrapped around me, holding me steady when I lost my balance.
Looking up, I found myself staring intohisface, the eyes I’d felt like a physical touch were a unique mixture of amber, brown, and yellow flecks that I’d never seen before.
“Careful, beautiful,” he murmured, tightening his hold for a split second before loosening his arms, dropping them when he was sure I was steady on my feet. “Did I hurt you?”
I shook my head automatically, unable to look away. “No. I, uh, I ran into you, anyway. I’m sorry.”
He chuckled, his eyes crinkling. “I’m not,” he said softly, bending to brush a kiss over my cheek. “I have to be going but come back tonight at ten if you get thirsty again.”
Slipping past me, he left me standing in the hall. My cheeks burned and my gut throbbed as I wondered what he meant by that invitation. It wasn’t until I was climbing into the old truck to start my drive home that I realized I didn’t even know his name.
Roger
It was five past eleven and I’d just about given up when the atmosphere inside the bar changed, the air taking on an almost electric charge. No one else seemed to notice but I knew he was there.
It was a Wednesday night, so the crowd was sparse. When I looked over at the door, I saw the timid man in the same spot he’d been in when I’d first laid eyes on him during lunch, a few steps inside the door, pressed against the wall and trying to build up the nerve to walk inside. He was even wearing the same worn clothes that he’d had on earlier in the day, so he’d taken me up on my invitation to come back but hadn’t bothered to dress to impress.
I was more than a little intrigued.
While I studied him, he looked up and our eyes met. I smiled and raised a hand, motioning him over. He froze like a rabbit that’s just seen a wolf, but then he forced a small smile and began to weave his way through the scattered bodies to my side.
“You came back.”
He hesitated, like he was trying to decide which side of the table to sit on, so I snagged his wrist in my hand and tugged lightly, pulling him onto the bench beside me.
“Um, yes,” he said softly, looking down at the table with a little frown. “You told me to?”
It came out as more of a question than a statement, but the submissive implication had me puffing up my chest. “I did,” I agreed, “but I wasn’t sure you would.” I slid the Shirley Temple over in front of him and my heart did a stupid flip when he gave a small smile.
“Thank you,” he murmured, his cheeks pinking as he wrapped his plump lips around the straw. “This is so good.”
“You’re welcome.” I took another pull from my Guinness. “What’s your name?”
“Um, Ari,” he mumbled around the straw.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ari,” I said softly, leaning over so my words would tickle his ear. “I’m Roger.”
Instead of responding to my flirting, Ari choked on his drink and fizzy soda shot from his nose to spray the table in front of him. Fumbling for his napkin, Ari’s wrist bumped against the glass and it rocked wildly. I caught it just as gravity won and the glass tipped.
“Oh, crud!” Ari winced as soon as the exclamation cleared his lips. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t curse.”
Crud was a curse?
“It’s okay. Let me help.” I wiped the table and tossed the crumbled napkin aside. “See? All better.”
“Thank you.”
“Ari?” When he leveled his wide black eyes at me instead of speaking, I continued, “Did you only come because I told you to or was there another reason?”
Ari’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’m not really sure,” he whispered. “I wanted…something and I felt like I had to come.”
“You did, did you?” I purred in his ear, stifling a grin when he shifted in his seat and a bulge formed in the front of his faded jeans. “What was it you wanted?”
“I..” Ari swallowed audibly. “I don’t know.”
“This?” I suggested, leaning closer to kiss him, toying with his lips until they parted on a sigh. “Or maybe this?” I claimed his lips again, dipping my tongue into his mouth and coaxing his to tangle.
