I turn on my barstool and come face to face with a woman.
Not just any woman though . . . the woman who I immediately saw when we walked into the bar.
Platinum-blond hair, freckles splattered across her nose, and rosy cheeks . . . and now that I’m seeing her up close, the prettiest pair of eyes I’ve ever fucking seen. One blue and one green, both highlighted by mascara-coated eyelashes.
Jesus.
Not to mention . . . curves.
From what I can see, amazing curves.
“You know, it’s rude to sit next to someone and not introduce yourself,” she says with a confidence I’m jealous of.
From under the bar counter, I feel Abel kick my leg, encouraging me to turn.
So I do.
“Sorry, I didn’t intend to be rude.”
“What did you intend, then?” she asks as she leans one elbow against the bar counter and rests her head against her hand.
Jesus, she’s so hot.
Swallowing and attempting to find my cool, I say, “Find a place for my friend to sit because he has fragile legs.”
She grins. “Well, in that case, I should praise you for being a good friend.”
Abel slides my drink in front of me and pats me on the back. Then I feel him leave, just like that. He’s not even going to feel out the situation with me. That means I’ll never hear the end of it if this doesn’t go the way he’s planning.
I take my drink in my hand but don’t sip it, not yet.
“I like to think that I am.”
“Well, now that your friend seems to have rested his legs and is sneaking out of the bar, do you care to introduce yourself?”
I hold out my hand. “I’m Ryland.”
“Ryland, nice to meet you.” She takes my hand in hers, her tiny fingers wrapping around my large ones. “I’m Gabby.”
When she lets go, she sips from her drink, only for her eyes to return to mine when she lowers her glass back to the bar.
“Gabby, it’s nice to meet you as well.” Feeling all kinds of nervous, I take a quick sip of my drink. “Are you in Almond Bay visiting anyone? Just move here?”
“No, actually,” she answers confidently. “I was in town for business.”
“Business?” I say. “What do you do?”
Her eyes glance to the side before a slow smile spreads across her lips. “I work for a travel company. I go around from smalltown to small town and scope out the scene, trying to find the latest and greatest nugget to write about.”
“Wow, that’s really interesting. I’m assuming you travel a lot.”
She nods. “Yup, all over the country.”
“How does Almond Bay rank? Did you find a nugget?”
“I did,” she says as she lowers her hand to my thigh.
Fuck . . .
