Dom does the face up palm gesture in my direction, motioning for me to give my order first.
A few more points for Dom. If he keeps it up, maybe I'll lower one shoulder of my cardigan after all.
Halston waves a dismissive hand. "I already know what Cecily wants."
My head bobs in agreement.
Dom props a foot on the bottom rung of the barstool, gaze attentive as he says, "Two of whatever is so good Cecily has made a habit of drinking it."
Halston beats back a sly smile. "He's cute," she says to me, like Dom's not there.
Dom tuts. "I'll tell my cousin you said so, since we share a resemblance."
"Ew," Halston says, tossing blueberries and mint into a shaker. "Don't do that. Klein does not need another woman telling him how gorgeous he is." She grabs the muddler and gets to work.
"Is that your assessment too?" Dom asks, eyebrows lifted. "Did Klein hit the genetic lottery?"
"Let it be known," I start, tapping the tip of one rounded fingernail on the bar top, "that while Klein is conventionally attractive, he is not my cup of tea."
But his cousin might be.
Dom presses his lips together, slowly nodding his head. "What is your cup of tea?"
"Hmm," I say, coy. My chin tips sideways an inch. "Polite men who don't live with their mothers, steal condiments, or call mebruh."
Dom blinks those striking blue eyes at the list I've rattled off. "That is oddly specific. And very understandable."
I shrug. "Prior experience determining future preferences."
Dom smiles again, andwow. The nerves had been too sharp for me to fully appreciate his smile before, but now? I can say with total confidence he has the best grin I've ever seen in-person. Easy, effortless, crooked at first like he's trying not tolet it take over, then bursting onto his face as if he can't help himself.
Halston sets our drinks down. Pinkish-purple hued, mint leaves and blueberries floating amongst the ice, a lime wheel adorning the rim.
"Cheers," she says, disappearing around the other side of the bar.
We clink glasses and take a sip. Crisp. Cold. Refreshing. Halston never misses.
"Delicious, right?" The tip of my tongue pokes at the corner of my mouth, gathering a lingering drop of mojito.
"Dangerous," Dom adds, taking a second sip as his gaze firmly lands on me. Is he talking about the drink, or me? Do I want him to be talking about me? I like the way his lips work the rim, his generous lower lip pressing against the glass. Luscious was the right word to describe his mouth.
I clear my throat. Press a palm to the side of my heated neck. "Tell me about you. Where did you grow up?"
"Here, actually. The Phoenix area." His elbows rest on the bar. "What about you?"
"Not in Phoenix, but in Arizona. Olive Township. It's a small town a couple hours east of here." There it goes, that twinge in my heart. Try as I might, it happens when I think of home. I'll be honest, I miss the town a hell of a lot more than I miss my family. My sister followed me to the Phoenix area when she became an adult, and my grandma already lived here.
"I've heard of it. Klein's mom took us there when we were little. To an olive grove, I think?"
"That's what it's known for, or was anyway, until some travel magazines featured the wellness spa."
"What made you move to Scottsdale?" His gaze is open and curious. Interested. There's a lot going on around us, superb people-watching, but his eyes remain fixed on me.
"I needed to put space between me and my family. Mostly my parents. They're..." Manipulative. Exacting. Difficult. "...a lot."
"That's tough," Dom says sympathetically, but nothing else.
"What about your family? How are they?"
