“Here’s hoping.” The corner of his mouth lifts, and I follow the movement because he looks so damned fine. Good Lord, I need to get a grip — and by grip, I meannotof him.
He’s smooth. He knows how to talk to alady.Oh, and that shit-eating grin… Damn.
The last thing I need on my plate is a sexy, smooth-talking cowboy. Why? Because men are complicated, no matter what they say. That southern accent goes straight between my legs, and if he saysma’amlike that one more time, I can’t be held accountable for what I might do next.
“Thank you and good evening.” I decide to wrap this up before I get carried away, and nod like I’ve just stepped out of nineteenth century England. Internally, I facepalm myself. I may as well have just bid him farewell while I’m at it, and put my newly formed fair maiden skills to the test with a jousting pole.
I push off the bar that I realize I’ve been resting on, just in time to see him tip his hat and say goodnight in return. A gentleman and sexy as sin. Nice combo.
I walk with as much grace as a farm girl like me can muster, knowing there’s a chance he’s following me with his gaze. The sharp sting of tequila didn’t just warm up the cockles of my frozen heart, it seems, but now my two friends are staring at me with the same wide-eyed expression. I was kinda hoping no-one had witnessed me slinging back a shot with the cute cowboy just now, but I’m quickly reminded that nothing goes unnoticed around here.
“What the heck!” JB is already mouthing loudly before I even get back into my seat.
My wide eyes must tell the picture of a thousand as I press my tequila-stained lips together.
Sadie is waggling her eyebrows at me as I try to pretend I haven’t been gone for the last fifteen minutes.
“Did you guys just see that?” I blow out a breath.
“Um, yeah, it was a little hard to miss,” JB giggles, giving Sadie a nudge with her elbow.
“Who on earth is that?” Sadie asks, her eye gaze shifting over me to Mister Smooth, and I can’t help but take a peek myself. Sure enough, there he sits holding a fresh beer looking as sexy as sin.
Suddenly, as if by a silent siren call, his head turns and his eyes flick over to find mine. Yes, I’ve upgraded fromladytosiren.I quickly look away, feeling like a flounder and needing to breathe.
“He said his name was Brett,” I whisper.
“Uh-huh, and he’s not from around here,” Sadie says, still looking in that direction.
“Where is he from, did he say?” JB asks, also following Sadie’s gaze.
“Nashville, however, I didn’t interrogate him after doing the slip n’ slide across the bar,” I mutter.
“Awww, it’s love at first sight,” sings Sadie.
“Can you please stop looking at him!” I hiss, but even I can’t be that serious for long.
They both giggle like little schoolgirls.
I level them both with a stern look. “You two! Stop it.”
“Well, from over here it looked like you were having quite the little meet-cute,” JB goes on.
“He just felt bad for me embarrassing myself and using him as a landing post, so he subsequently paid for our dinner,” I say, like that’s the most normal thing in the world.
They both gawk at me. “He was just being nice,” I quickly add.
When I glance up they’re both still staring at me.
“And you’re still sitting over here with us?” JB giggles. “Wow.”
“She’s fearless like that,” Sadie says. “A nice, charming man shows up in town and you run a mile.”
“Very funny. I didn’t run. In fact, he asked me if I wanted to have dinner, but I explained the code of bestie conduct.”
“Oh, god, tell me you didn’t.” Sadie, my so-called best friend, palms her forehead. So much for having an ally.
“You’d rather I ditched you both for Mister Smooth Cowboy over there?”
