Page 75 of The Captain

I shrugged. “Who knows. I’ve been going here for a while.”

“But you don’t come out.” His words came out as a statement, not a question.

“No. I really don’t.”

He looked at me, and I couldn’t help but like having his full, undivided attention. “Why did you come out tonight?”

I gestured over my shoulder in the direction Victoria went. “My friend invited me.”

“Is that all it takes? An invitation?”

“Well.” I licked my lips and took a sip of the bitter beer, even though I really didn’t want it. “It’s better to have an invitation than to go somewhere alone.”

“Hm,” he hummed. Then his beers arrived, and I felt equal parts relief and disappointment that he was going to leave.

It was for the best, I told myself, not wanting to feel like I was sad about it.

“You better drink up.” He nodded to my still over half-full beer and then handed me the other one he just ordered. I stared at it in shock and watched as he handed cash over to the bartender.

“Oh,” I said, glancing at the drink. He lifted his beer up for me to tap my drink to his, and I smiled for the first time since he sat down, lifting my beer to tap it against his.

“Cheers,” he said, taking a massive gulp of his beer and shocking me. I still only took a sip, knowing if I tried it, the beer would end up back on this bar top before it ever hit my stomach.

“Wanna dance?” he asked out of nowhere, holding his hand out to me.

I chuckled and shook my head. “No.”

He looked delighted yet surprised, all at the same time. “Why not?”

“I don’t dance.”

“Sure you do, you just need a few more beers, and you’ll be a pro dancer.”

I laughed along with him. “Yeah, no thanks. I still have dignity in place.”

“Bah.” He waved his hand at me and took another sip of his beer, waving his hand for another. The man was going through it quickly, and I’d yet to touch the one he bought me. “That’s just too much good judgment stopping you from having fun.”

“Oh, is that what it is?” I asked, giving him a grin. It felt a hell of a lot like flirting, but there was no way. This guy was gorgeous. His jaw was square, his scruff was perfect, his eyes were kind and warm, his smile was infectious…no way was he into me.

“It definitely is,” he said, leaning closer to me.

Okay, maybe it is flirting.

“Did you watch the game?”

Considering this was the hockey bar, I had to assume that he was talking about the hockey game the Vapors, the college team, just played.

“Oh uh.” I bit my lip and pretended to look at the team for something sports-related, then slowly shook my head as a smile slipped onto my lips. “No.”

His jaw dropped open, and he looked at me in surprise, but there was a hint of humor in his eyes that kept the smile on my face. “No? How could you have not watched the game?”

“Because.” I drew the word out, looking for an explanation but coming up blank. “I just…didn’t?”

He shook his head, there was still the spark in his eye, but he said, “That’s very disappointing, Sunshine. How dare you not watch me win the game?”

“Oh well, since you’re being so modest…”

“What?” He held up a hand. “I shot the winning goal.”

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