I took a slow swig of my beer, closing my eyes just to listen to that delicious voice of his. “Are you here on business, Godric?”
“I am. You?”
I peered down at my simple navy cargo pants and white t-shirt. I laughed outright imagining myself going to a meeting with the legendary General Carvene dressed as I was.
“No. I live here on base.”
When he took the longest drink so far, I waited. Just waited, with my eyes now open, for him to speak in that beautiful accent. He sat his beer down very gradually and paused. He leaned closer to me, and I didn’t move as he stole my remaining shot of whiskey.
When he downed that, he asked evenly, “Are you married, Poppy?”
The bar quieted once more, and I glanced in the direction of the throng. They were still talking, but it seemed more passive. Or perhaps I was just getting used to their disorderly group. I shook my head and pushed my beer away. I knew where this was going.
“No, I’m not married. Not yet, anyway.” I flicked a finger at him. “You?”
“I’ve never been married.” He drummed his fingers on the bar, his long tan fingers. “Your age?”
“Old enough.”
“For?”
“What you’re about to ask me next.”
More drumming of his fingers. “I need your age, Poppy.” He didn’t pretend ignorance.
I liked that about him.
“I’m twenty-four.”
His fingers stopped drumming. “And you’re not married?”
“Not yet,” I repeated.
His pointer finger started drawing invisible circles on the wooden bar. “Is that why your father is an overbearing asshole?”
I pulled my beer back to me. “I guess this isn’t going where I thought it was.”
His laughter tickled my ears in the most pleasant way, deep with a rumble of an entertained man. “All right. No more talking about your father.” His pointed finger made those lazy circles on the scarred wood. His voice lowered to a dominant purr. “Would you like to leave here with me?”
I took one last drink of my beer. “To have sex?”
I could be blunt too.
“Yes.” There was seductive humor in his tone.
The noise had definitely died down in the bar.
I peered out into the crowd, but no one was looking this way. I pushed my beer away from me once more. “You haven’t even seen my face.”
“And you haven’t looked at mine either.”
True. “Then why?”
He shrugged. “I like your voice.”
My lips curved up. “I like yours too.”
“So?” Godric waited with patience I didn’t have.
