Page 11 of Bucked Hard

But this is different. And maybe I should be scared, he’s more than a little scary looking, but for some reason I’m not. I’m interested. And my body is telling me that it’s not all one sided, even if my brain is insisting otherwise.

I lick my lips and muster up a smile as I reach the side of their table. My palms are sticky and I don’t seem to know where to look.

His friend is sitting, leaning over and chatting it up with the brunette. Mountain man is still standing, an empty chair right in front of him, and I wonder why he isn’t sitting with his date.

I admit I’m sort of glad he’s not, but still, it just adds to his mystery.

I put on my happy face and stand next to the blond.

“Hi, you ready for another round?” I push a smile to my lips and hold it there.

“Yes.” The blond starts off snarky, but when she glances up at the standing sentry glaring at her she changes her tune. “Yes, please, two more rum and diets. Thank you.” Her sticky sweet change of manner makes me smile.

“And for you two?”

“Yes, ma’am. Gimme another Guinness on tap.” The guy sitting down gives me a warm smile, it’s flirtatious but not obnoxious.

He’s cute in a cocky, mischievous sort of way, but I don’t feel anything dangerous with him. “And I’m trying to think of the name of a drink for my friend.” He looks up at the other guy then toward me with a question in his eyes.

“Okay, I’ll try to help,” I answer, trying to keep my eyes on him.

I feel his friend staring at me and the warmth that covers my cheeks is sinking down over my torso, making me shift my legs in an effort to keep the tingling between them at bay. “What’s in it?” I ask, trying to focus.

“Well, I think it has something called ‘Relax’ and then it’s mixed with something else called ‘Lighten up and have some fun.’” He turns from me so his words are directed at the brooding mountain standing to his left. They’re buddies alright, no doubt about it. He backhands the man mountain in the gut and doesn’t get his teeth knocked out as a reply. “My friend here needs a double.”

I take a shaky breath before I look up. It’s one thing glancing his way from across the room, but this close I feel like I’m lighting up inside. A glow is radiating out from inside me and I’m just sure everyone can see it. Somewhere deep inside I have this niggling feeling I’m going to be humiliated somehow.

I’m about to ask if he wants an actual drink, when the lady selling roses steps from the crowd to his left and leans into the table so both guys can see her.

“You like to buy a rose for your dates? They’re a dollar each.”

The girls both flip their heads around with hope in their eyes.

What girl doesn’t like to get a rose?

And there it is, exactly what I was expecting. Mountain man reaches for his back pocket and my heart sinks. He pinches a fifty-dollar bill from his wallet and reaches to the roses as he shoves the money into her hand.

I don’t wait for his order. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.” I look down at the floor and wish I could crawl away. A thick wall of people blocks my retreat, forcing me to make my way around the back of the table behind both guys.

“Come on, Rachel, why do you care?” I whisper to myself, fighting off the prickle of jealousy about a man I don’t even know.

I’m close enough I pick up on the girl’s joyful giggles, and against my better judgment I swivel my head around just enough. Out of the corner of my eye I see them each holding a red rose under their noses. I look anywhere but athimas I shuffle forward, putting as much space as possible between me and the table before I have to turn around to go behind.

My muscles tense as a hand comes from nowhere to rest on my arm. It’s crowded in here and I hate it when customers touch me.

The hand is firm, not forceful, but I mean, just use your voice. I’m already shaking with embarrassment, thinking of all the ways I can just go crawl into a hole.

“What?” I snap, my lips quivering. I’m ready to unleash on someone but the smell hits me.

The aroma of roses and the quintessential scent of a real man engulf me and I lift my eyes to see him standing there.

The mountain.

And he’s holding the entire basket of flowers looking at me with something in his eyes that makes a kaleidoscope of butterflies start flapping in my belly.

“These belong to you.”

ChapterFour

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