I nod, keeping my eyes on the dark amber liquid as he pours it into a glass. The usual burn is exactly what I need tonight. Clean, simple, nothing complicated.
Then, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I glance over, trying to ignore the pull.
There she is.
Dakota.
The woman I haven’t been able to stop thinking about ever since I laid eyes on her.
She’s sitting just by the window with Violet. Her hair’s pulled up in a loose ponytail, but it still tumbles over her shoulders as a wave of auburn fire. Her freckles stand out against the soft tan of her skin, and those brown eyes—damn, those eyes—look straight through the room, landing on nothing in particular.
It’s not just that she’s gorgeous. It’s something else. Something that grabs me by the throat and makes it hard to breathe.
She carries herself in a way that says she doesn’t need anyone’s attention. She’s perfectly comfortable in her own skin, but there’s a quiet, powerful energy about her that makes me want to know more.
I can’t take my eyes off her.
Riley slides the whiskey toward me with a grin, and I almost miss it. Damn, I’m slipping.
“Hey,” I say, tapping the bar and shooting him a grin. “Get one for yourself, alright?”
Riley chuckles, shaking his head. “You buying me drinks now, Reid?”
I glance over to Dakota, then back to Riley. “For sure. And I want to buy drinks for the ladies over there, too.”
I nod toward Dakota and Violet with a wink.
He laughs and walks off, and I grab the glass, knocking back a long drink. The burn’s intense, just what I need, but the moment I set the glass down, I feel the itch to move. To do something.
I walk over to their table, keeping it casual. No need to rush. They’re deep in conversation.
Violet’s animated as always, but it’s Dakota who catches my attention. She’s laughing, but it’s the kind of laugh that makes everything else around her fade. It’s easy, unguarded.
I slide into the chair next to her, but neither of them seems to mind.
“Mind if I join?” I ask, flashing a grin.
Violet shoots me a knowing look, but Dakota? She just raises an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smile.
“Only if you’re buying,” she says, a playful glint in her eye.
“Well, since you did mention it,” I say with a mock serious tone. “Let’s make sure the drinks keep flowing.”
I order the next round and slide into the conversation, watching how Dakota reacts to everything. She’s easy to talk to, but I’m still trying to figure out what it is about her that keeps pulling me in.
Maybe it’s the way she listens. Maybe it’s that subtle confidence she wears without even realizing it. But whatever it is, I’m hooked.
Violet laughs at something I say, likely something stupid, but I barely notice. My focus is on Dakota, and I’m not even trying to hide it.
She doesn’t seem uncomfortable, though. She’s cool. Calm. It makes me want to dive deeper, see what makes her tick.
“So, you two always hang out here?” I ask, leaning back in my chair and taking a casual sip of my drink.
“Nah, just a special occasion, Reid,” Violet teases. “You know that.”
I smirk, leaning in slightly. “A special occasion? What, like a birthday or something?”
Violet waves me off, grinning. “We just survived the Harvest Parade, that’s all. Trust me, that’s cause for celebration.”
