Something hasdefinitelypossessed me.Is this bartender a warlock, casting spells on his unsuspecting patrons?
His lips tilt up in a grin, and I’m nearly blinded by the beauty that this man holds in such a simple human act.
“If I had to guess, I’d say, you’re new at this.” He takes a sip from the amber liquid in his short glass, eyes never leaving mine.
Get it together, Kate!I look away to regain my composure, schooling my features to try and look a little bored, like I’ve seen those exotic, skinny girls do.
Model face, model pose.
My leg crosses over my knee, and I pout my lips out before I look back over at him.
“New at what?” I tilt my head to the side.
He smiles with just his lips again for a brief moment before he motions the waitress over with his grumpy face back on.
“Water with lemon,” he instructs.
She nods, scurrying away.
“So, do you have any pets?”Wow, Kate, what a dumb question to ask a big shot in a bar...
He bites his lip as he looks down, and I really wish it were me doing it instead.
“I do not, unfortunately. Do you?” He’s watching me again, and I know if I didn’t have that fourth drink, I’d be crawling under the table.
His gaze is . . . intense.
“I have Speckles. He’s a box turtle. His favorite things to eat are raspberries and pickles, but he also drinks cabernet.”
His eyes light up as he stares at me. “You have a turtle?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. I’ve never met anyone who owns a turtle.” He takes another sip of his drink as the waitress returns with the water. “Especially one that drinks wine.”
He hands the water to me, and I accept because I am so thirsty. I take a long gulp before responding.
“Well, not everyone knows what amazing pets and companions they make. Did you know that turtles can live to be over one hundred years old? So, I got Speckles when I was three. He could stay with me my entire lifetime, and I’ll never go through the devastation people experience when a pet dies.”
I am studying the veins in his hand curved around the glass, but I look up to see another smile on his face.
“What?” I ask, feeling self-conscious about my turtle-related ramblings.
He shakes his head, tipping the remnants of the glass back over his lips. “Nothing. Do you want to come home with me?”
The intense green stare is back, and I realize that I very much want to go home with this man.
“Do you...want to take me home with you?” It’s a dumb thing to say, but for some reason, I feel the need to confirm his words.
“I don’t ask people to do things if I don’t want them to do it.”
I get lost in his eyes and the alcohol swirling inside me for a few long breaths.
Then, I nod, standing up from the booth. I’m fueled by four mystery pink drinks and a terrible morning that I want permanently erased.
In fact, I’d like the last eight years I spent with Stephen to be erased. This man seems like the perfect one to get the job done.
I realize that I have no idea where Mel went. Glancing around, I see her back over at the bar, laughing with the long-haired bartender. A warm, strong hand unexpectedly curls around mine, and I immediately sink into the contact.
