I’m good.
My mouth falls open when Ridge shakes his head, making her frown. Then he carries on to the bar…alone.
Okay, then.
The redhead stares after him for a moment, then shrugs at her friend and laughs it off.
I finish my drink and put the glass down.
Someone shouts on the dance floor, and I turn to see Carla laughing. Flint has both his hands on her waist and his mouth to her ear. He says something else, and she laughs again.
I look back at the bar.
A blonde is now leaning her hip against it right next to Ridge. He has an empty beer bottle in one hand and is waiting for the bartender. The blonde is angled into his space and smiling. He doesn’t even look at her. He accepts our drinks from the barman, then he pushes off the bar and walks away.
Maybe he isn’t into women. That’s probably it.
He’s so pretty and yet so masculine. Ridge is going to make some male very happy one of these days.
I watch Carla and Flint. They’re talking and laughing. He has a hand on her waist or her arm. She clutches his shoulder and giggles.
It’s really cute watching them flirt.
Ridge comes back with my Cosmo in one big hand and a fresh beer in the other. He puts mine down in front of me.
“Thanks,” I say. “I really appreciate it.”
“No problem.” He takes a swig of his beer.
“Um…listen. You don’t have to hang out with me if you’d rather be somewhere else. I won’t be offended. You can go and do whatever you’d normally be doing.”
I’m thinking he might have turned those women down because Flint asked him to keep me company. The last thing I want is to be anyone’s handbrake.
“I’m good.”
“Oh. Um…okay then. As long as you’re sure.”
“I don’t feel obliged.” He takes another pull from his beer. “Same applies to you.”
“Right.” I nod. “Good…okay.” I shrug.
I look down at my drink. He looks at his.
“Honestly, I didn’t want to come here tonight,” I blurt. “This isn’t really my thing. Crowded bars. Loud music. All of it.” I widen my eyes. “I’d rather be home.”
“Same. It’s not my thing. Flint dragged me out and insisted we come here after dinner.”
“Really?”
“I was quite happy with a beer and some wings, but… Flint said I was being boring.”
I laugh. “Carla did the same thing. She told me I needed to live a little.”
He leans in a fraction because the music has swelled, and I get a good old waft of him right up the nostrils. My olfactory senses are loving it. He smells clean and warm, soapy and manly. It makes me want to groan.
“It’s not you at all, but I will be leaving after this beer. I told Flint I’d stay for two.”
I laugh. It comes out with a little snort I wish I could take back. “I told Carla two as well.” I hold up my drink. “We could be twins.”
