Chapter One
Another workday wasover; another day of his life gone with nothing significant to show for it. Pulling into the lot at Surly Bird's, Flynn Redford cursed at how many cars were already there. He preferred to miss the evening rush, but he'd been stuck working late. His steel toe boots sloshed through a puddle that simply never dried up as he crossed the length of the pitted lot to the front door.
The bartender recognized him, giving him a nod and pulling his favorite beer from the tap. Scraping back a stool, Flynn dropped his tired body down and sighed.
"That sounded heartfelt."
He took a second to accept the beer, sip it, and relish the first icy taste before turning his head halfway toward the woman on his left. She was a knockout, no doubt about it. Piles of dark hair spilled out around the bun she tried to tame it in, sultry red lips pouting in his direction. Huge tits spilled out of a deep cut sapphire crop top, especially when she leaned on the bar.
He hadn't been looking to get laid, but . . . "Did it?"
Large chocolate eyes framed with heavy makeup blinked at him. "Mm. It sure did."
Now, Flynn was used to women flirting with him. There were simply good genes running through his veins; the only decent thing his parents had given him. But it wasn't typical for a woman to start in on him the second he sat down. "That's life."
This one touched his forearm, running her fingernails along his snake tattoo. "Want help with that?"
Snorting, he went back to his beer and the ball game showing on the TV over the bar. Something about her rubbed him the wrong way. "I don't think I do."
"Really, sugar?"
Her overeagerness nagged at the back of his brain. Was she that hard up? "Yeah, really. I'm trying to decompress after work with a beer. That's all."
"Mmm, I thought maybe you'd prefer to decompress with a companion."
He had to admit, her voice was sexy, whiskey poured over gravel with a hint of smoke. Her mouth was full, her earthy scent enticing. And there was no denying the way she continued to stroke his arm sent shivers straight to his happy soldier.
"And if I were?" Flynn faced her, the full effect of her seduction actually punching him in the gut. "You offering?"
The curve of her mouth lifted. "Have I piqued your interest?"
"As relentless as you are, yeah, maybe you have." He tilted his head to squint at her. Goddamn, she was gorgeous.
Her darkly lined eyes widened. "Where would you like to take this?"
"Well,sugar, I thought you had some ideas. You were pushing awfully hard."
Strong fingers tightened on his arm. "I wouldn't mindyoupushing awfully hard."
Christ, what a terrible line. "It's now or never, doll. What've you got?"
"Your car big enough?"
His laugh was loud, even for a crowded bar. "I know it's a one night stand, but we've got more class than that, don't we?"
"Then your place will have to do." She stood, shoving back strands of escaping hair and adjusting her top so more of her cleavage showed. Any minute, and he'd have to catch his drool.
"You hiding a disillusioned husband at home?" he asked, sliding off the barstool and dropping cash to cover his drink.
"No."
"Course, you can't exactly prove that." Even if he was five minutes from a fuck and duck, he figured he could be gentleman enough to hold the door open for her. Since his car was around the back of the building in the full parking lot, they had a bit of walking to do. Dark had begun to encroach, and one of the lights along the side wall was busted.
Flynn was a bit surprised when the woman pushed him against the bricks with a well-hidden strength he hadn't known she possessed.
"I didn't realize you were that needy, doll. Why didn't you say so?"
Framing her face in his hands, he dipped his head to run his lips along her cheek to her mouth. She shifted, dodging the kiss and grabbing his waist. Thinking she was acting coy, he reached down and cupped her pussy over the seam of her jeans. Her sexy moan was his reward for the bold move.
