Chapter Two
Torn,I studied Blake. I wasn't all that sure I wanted to stay and talk to him. He'd growled at me for crying out loud! Still, the part of me that yearned to fix those who were broken was telling me to keep my ass right on my seat because he needed me to help him. Before I could make my decision, the bartender walked up with my ticket and Blake waved him off.
"Hey, Jimmy. Just put her drinks on my tab."
The bartender glanced at me then nodded to Blake, his face impassive. He turned and carried the check away.
With that, the decision was made.
"That wasn't necessary," I muttered, stuffing my wallet back into my bag.
Blake shrugged. "Think of it as an apology for acting like an ass."
I couldn't suppress the small smile, which curved my lips. "Apology accepted then." If he could be grown up enough to say he was sorry, then I could let it go.
Though I hadn't ordered one, Jimmy, the bartender, brought me another Christmas punch. I thanked him and took a sip, turning my eyes back to Blake.
"Okay, so what are we talking about?" I asked him.
"What?"
"You said you wanted to have a drink and talk to a pretty woman. What do you want to talk about?"
The corner of his mouth kicked up again in that attractive half smile. "I did say that, didn't I?"
I nodded, leaning an elbow against the bar and resting my head on my hand.
"Well, let's start with the basics. Where are you from?"
"Houston," I answered.
"Are you here for the holidays?"
"Yep."
"Are you going to answer all my questions with one word answers?" he asked with a grin.
I shrugged, smiling back at him. "Maybe."
He laughed and I discovered it was just as attractive as the rest of him.
"If you're here to see your family, then why are you at this bar all alone?"
It was my turn to chuckle. "My aunt. She's decided it's high time I settle down with a nice young man."
Blake's brows lifted. "What? What are you, twenty-three, twenty-four? That's a little young to be thinking about marriage isn't it?"
I outright giggled. "Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Blake."
"What?"
"I'm almost twenty-nine, which according to Fenella, means I should at least be engaged to a perfectly groomed warlock."
"Twenty-nine? Really?"
I leveled him with a look. "Now you're just overselling it."
He laughed. "Seriously, I almost didn't sit down next to you because I thought you were probably too young for me."
