“I just said I would get you your beer.” His breath wafted over me. Stale beer and something else. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. “You just gotta say thank you.” He winked, and I felt my stomach roll. There could be no mistaking what he meant.
“I’ll pass but thank you,” I stressed the last two words.
“I’ll get her that drink.” The voice was male, masculine and deep. And my head snapped up. My eyes finally met his as he stood just down the bar from me. His head was cocked in our direction like he had been enjoying the show. “Anything she wants.” His drawl washed over me in the same way his eyes did. Like he was undressing me. “Take your hands off of her.” He was younger than the man who had been hoping to get lucky, but there was a note of authority to his voice.
Put that with the easy smile and those gorgeous blue eyes, and it was a heady combination.
A combination I really shouldn’t be staring at.
“Aww, come on.”
“I said hands off.” Booted feet made short work of the space between us. “Now.”
I could do nothing but stare at the etched wood of the bar and my hands that were on it.
“Whatever you say.” The mocking sarcasm wasn’t lost on me. The last thing I needed was a bar fight over who was going to buy me a drink. I had too many problems of my own to deal with that right now. “Wasn’t that interested anyway.”
Startled, I turned my head sharply.
What a dick.
But Mr Stale Beer was gone. In his place was Mr Pretty Blue Eyes.
Mr Gorgeous Smile.
“I’m Havoc.”
***
Havoc...
It was obviously some kind of nickname, but it suited him somehow. Just one look at him, and I could tell he caused havoc for miles around. Especially with women. With those twinkling blue eyes and those dimples that deepened when his smile widened.
“Darcie.” I finally found my voice, extending my hand formally. Which just made me even more embarrassed. What did I have to go and do that for? I was about to drop it when his fingers curled around my palm, his other hand coming to rest on top, so my one small hand was trapped between both of his. “Darcie Summers, Mr Havoc.” I gave him a nervous smile because what else could I do? The man-made me nervous. There was no getting away from that.
“Just Havoc.” His smile turned down slightly as two beers were placed on the bar by his elbow. He flicked his eyes to the side. “Keep them coming.” His accent, whilst not as thick as the older man from before, was still thick and sweet as treacle. “In fact, whatever the lady wants. Put it on my tab.”
“You got it.” Brown eyes crinkled in amusement as the bartender turned and went back to wiping down his already gleaming glasses.
“Are you ok?”
“What?” I stuttered, “Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?” My hand went to my face instinctively, my thumb brushing under my eye. I had thought I had got rid of the smudged mascara from my last bout of crying, but maybe I had missed a spot or two.
“Here.” I watched in amazement as he licked the pad of his thumb. He swiped it under my left eye. “There, good as new.”
His skin against mine was gentle, but there was a roughness there, even under the wetness.
I couldn’t help it; my eyes met his and skirted away.
“So want to tell me why you’re crying?” He tipped the frosty bottle to his lips, and I could do nothing but stare at the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he drank deep.
“Who says I’ve been crying?” I let my own hand curl around the bottle. It was icy cold against my palm.
”Whatever you say, darling.” Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he turned. Leaning on the bar, he gave me the full weight of those piercing baby blues. “I don’t need to know your secrets, but I can tell when a girl’s upset.” Another long pull of his drink. “And you are upset.”
“I would rather not talk about it.” I shut the subject down. I didn’t want to talk about it. Hell, I didn’t even want to think about it. Not yet anyway.
“Whoever HE is, he’s a damn fool for putting tears in your eyes.”
