Kelly shook her head with a resigned groan. “You know, Aria, sometimes the perfect person might be right in front of you, and you wouldn’t notice or rather in your case, choose not to notice.”
“Yes, but—”
“Wait.” Kelly held up a hand to stall her words. “Hey, Doug, crank up the radio, will you,” she shouted to the barman slash owner. He grinned and turned up the volume. “I’m sure I heard your name.”
“My name—”
“Listen.”
“Yes, folks, you heard right. This dedication goes out to Aria Singh. Reece wants you to know he’s thinking about you, sweetheart.”The soft hum of Leslie’s voice, the town’s resident DJ, floated over the radio as one by one, patron’s stares turned on Aria. She reddened the same time her spoon dropped back into the bowl and sent chowder splashing over the sides. Leslie continued,“He’s requested this song, just for you. Enjoy.”
While Aria battled for calm she didn’t feel, Kelly’s eyes widened when Enrique Iglesias’sTonight I’m Loving Youspewed out the speakers.
“Wow, the man sure knows how to pick his tunes.” Her friend grinned.
Aware of the not too subtle hint behind the words, Aria cringed. Nothing but plain open flirtation about what and how Reece wanted her—something she had no intention of fulfilling.
Her friend sobered when her gaze met with Aria’s irritated ones. “You okay?”
“God, Kelly, how could he?” She winced and ducked her head in a vain attempt to ignore the other patrons. They talked about her, and she hated the feeling.
“Chill out, sweetheart. It’s just a dedication and a sweet gesture.”
Aria glared at her friend, but Kelly’s gaze remained fixed on the bar, her lips wide in an engaging smile. She followed her friend’s stare. “Shit,” Aria mumbled.
Reece sat at the bar. He raised his glass when she snagged his gaze. His devilish smile heightened by a cocked brow so sexy in appearance and damn hard to ignore. She looked away.God, he had a lot of nerve.To calmly sit there and pretend innocence. He was probably aware people gossiped about her and appeared to relish the fact when he raised his glass to several patrons who seemed impressed by his daring.
“Let’s get out of here,” she muttered and reached for her bag.
“No. We came to dinner, and I aim to finish this gorgeous chowder else I’m stuck with Mom’s chicken noodle soup.”
In spite of her irritation, Aria laughed. Kelly’s mother tended to create dishes too weird for Kelly’s taste. “Fine.” She huffed as her friend downed the contents of her bowl. No longer hungry, Aria kept her gaze downcast
“You okay?” her friend asked. Aria shrugged. Her bracelets clinked on the hard surface of the table as Kelly reached for Aria’s hands. “Even among the cold mountains, the sun tends to shine bright. It may not be as warm, but its beauty on the horizon gives one a glimmer of hope.” Kelly smiled. Her voice, however, held a strange firmness. “Jay was a perverted idiot to treat you the way he did, but all men are not the same. You’re only thirty-three, sweetheart. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. From what you’ve told me, your one-night stand, whatever the reason behind it, rocked you to the core. I think you should at least give Reece a chance.”
Aria’s chest tightened. Tears pricked the back of her lids. Kelly’s colorful personality and sisterly protectiveness restored Aria’s faith in humanity. If a total stranger cared, then she should at least heed her friend’s words.
“I have a feeling Reece isn’t the type of man who’d hurt you,” Kelly’s soft words distracted her contemplation. “Promise me you’ll attempt a friendship with him?”
“Something tells me any relationship with him would end up in the bedroom.”
Kelly chuckled. “And that’s a bad thing. Why?”
“Of course, you wouldn’t think so.” She rolled her eyes, and Kelly laughed. Out of the corner of her eye, Aria caught a glimpse of Reece. He headed in their direction. Hastily, she set some money on the table and shot up out of her seat. “I’ll see you outside.” She wasn’t quick enough. Reece blocked her exit.
“Running scared, babe?” His lips twitched.
She scowled. He took a step closer, boxing in her between the booth seat and the table. She glanced over his shoulder and eyed the interested stares of the other patrons. Embarrassment heated the back of her neck up to her cheeks. Momentarily flustered, she bit her lip.Two can play this game.
Her lips parted in a seductive smile, she stepped closer to him and palms flat, placed her hands on his chest. At her touch, his gaze, hooded with blatant lust, turned midnight blue quickly and caressed her face. Taking advantage of his distracted state, she ran the tip of her tongue over her lips. He groaned as his gaze followed her tongue. With a soft laugh, Aria applied pressure and shoved at his chest. Surprised, Reece backed up a step. Not giving him a chance to recover, she darted toward the ladies’ room.
Inside, she splashed cold water on her face then dabbed it with the paper towel. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. A pink flush covered her usually controlled features. God, the man, crumbled her defenses with the ease of a Cheshire cat. Several deep breaths later, she tossed the squashed towel in the bin and exited the restroom. In the dimly lit passage, she stopped short. Reece leaned casually against the arched entrance to the bathrooms, blocking her exit once again.
Aria reined in her impatience. “Stalker much?”
“Yes.”
His soft chuckle annoyed her. “Give that smug grin a rest, would you?”
