Page 13 of Burdens
I turned my head to the side, only to findherstanding right next to me. One of her hands was propped against the counter, while her other swayed behind her back. She was so close, her front brushed against my shoulder as she looked down at me.
I slowly brought my gaze up, letting my eyes wander over her body and relishing the opportunity to really take her in. I knew I should be a better man, but my eyes lingered on her luscious breasts before I finally met her gaze.
Every thought I ever had seemed to fade away when her dark green eyes locked on my brown ones. For a moment, I lost myself in them and let myself drown in the lust swarming in her pupils. I thought she was beautiful from the little I’d seen, but she was even more stunning up close.
And when she gave me one of the sexiest smiles I’d ever seen, my heart skipped a beat.
I suddenly felt nervous and Inevergot nervous. I prided myself in being confident and good at everything I put my mind to. I never failed or gave up.
But there was something about her, about the way her voice poured over me like honey that put me on edge.
I’m in deep trouble.
I should excuse myself and brush off her statement as a misunderstanding.Shouldbeing the key word. The last thing I needed in my life was someone like her to walk into it, but she was a stranger and something about the look in her eyes hooked me in.
Something that I curiously found myself wanting to discover more about. Even if it was just for one night. Besides, I never backed down from a challenge.
Oh and fuck it.What do I have to lose?
“Hi,” I blurted out.
Smooth, Noah.Real, smooth. God, I’m so out of practice.
Her eyes shone with amusement. “Hi.”
Keeping my gaze on hers, I drew out the chair next to me and placed my hand on her lower back, inviting her to sit. My fingers briefly brushed against the sliver of her exposed skin when I pulled it away as she slid onto the stool.
Even the smallest contact set my nerves on fire.
She propped one of her elbows onto the bar, resting her face in her palm and tucking her other hand under it. “I’m Mia.” She offered. “What’s your name?” I knew she was lying about her name, but I didn’t blame her because I was about to do the same.
I held my right hand out. “Jonah.”
She pulled her hand out from under her elbow and grabbed mine, my calloused hand enveloping her delicate one. “Nice to meet you, Jonah,” she said, smiling.
I wasn’t a jealous person by any means, but in that second, when the fake name I’d given her left her lips, I’d never been more jealous of a nonexistent man in my life. I even found myself, for an infinitesimal moment, imagining what my real name would sound like from her lips.
We lingered for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes as if waiting to see who would give up first.
“Likewise, Mia.” I raised her hand and brushed my lips across her knuckles. I noticed the sharp intake in her breath and the dark blush that crept up her face.
“Can I get either of you anything?” A soft, slightly accented voice snapped the thread holding our suspended moment.
Mia slid her hand out of mine, returning to her previous position, and turned her attention to Andrea. My eyes, however, remained on her as she gave our bartender her order. “Could I have another Macallan 18, neat? Please and thank you,” she said with a bright smile.
I raised my brow at that and looked over at Andrea, who gave me a knowing look. Her gray hair was pulled up with a claw clip as usual, and she was wearing an oversized black blouse, the front slightly tucked into her dark jeans. Her older brother, Marco, owned the place and she’d been serving me my one glass of the same thing ever since I stepped foot here ten years ago.
A Macallan 18, neat.
This was just a simple coincidence, but out of all the things she could order, the fascinating woman next to me drank the same thing as me.
“And for you,” Andrea started, even if she knew I never had more than one glass, but I cut her off before she revealed my name to the beautiful stranger next to me.
“Make that two. Thank you,” I said, despite having barely made a dent in my first one.
Andrea gave us a quick nod and made her way to prepare our drinks. After handing them to us, she gave me a look and shook her head before letting out a huffed laugh and leaving to tend to another customer who had just walked in.
I grabbed the tumbler and brought it to my lips, taking a sip and hoping the bite from the whiskey would distract me from the effect Mia’s closeness was having on me.
