Page 12 of Here With Me

Keep those off. I’ll be there.

ChapterThree

Noah

Ishove my panties into my bag and say goodbye to the other bartenders. They were oblivious to what I was doing since I snuck into the bathroom to freshen up.

Once I go out the front doors, I walk around the building where food trucks park overnight. My nerves are in overdrive as I wipe my sweaty palms down my sundress.

I’ve never met a man before where the chemistry is so intense and immediate.

And hell, he hasn’t even touched me yet.

I’ve also never had a one-night stand.

I played it cool, but my heart raced as we talked. When he texted, asking to see me after my shift, excitement ran through my body at the thought of us being alone together.

Magnolia was right. I need to get out and experience life instead of only focusing on work. Although, I’m not sure she was referring to this. She’ll flip when I tell her it’s with the guy from the arena.

I hardly know Fisher, and it should be concerning I’m about to go hook up with him. But this mystery man makes me throw all logic out the window. After being embarrassed when he didn’t immediately jump to ask for my number, I was enthusiastic when he showed up at the bar. He was more calm and chatty than our first conversation, which helped me relax and not be so nervous.

The more we talked and flirted, the more I craved his attention. I haven’t slept with a man since Jase—two years ago—and I’m ready to break my dry spell. There was one guy after him named Dylan, but it never went all the way. I stopped it before we could go further because I felt guilty as hell, like I was somehow cheating even though Jase and I were over. We’ve remained friends, so that’s a part of it, but it’s been long enough now. I need to get laid without worrying it’ll somehow affect my ex.

I kept watching Fisher’s calloused palms—a sign he most likely does manual labor or works outside—and it made me want to find out what else those hands could do. My vibrator is soul-snatching worthy, but a girl can only go solo for so long before it’s not enough.

I miss the physical contact and the emotional release that comes with having a partner.

If I’m going to have a random hookup, it might as well be with a guy who looks like he knows what he’s doing. Even with a bar between us, his deep voice and dark gaze had goose bumps covering my skin.

It doesn’t hurt that he’s too hot for his own good and much more experienced than me. He kept up with our conversation and then again when things escalated to sexting, so it’d be no surprise to learn he’s just what I like in bed, too.

“Excuse me, cowboy. You waitin’ for someone?” I ask as soon as he comes into view.

Fisher turns, and a deviant smirk plays over his scruffy face. He’s pulled his hair back into a low messy bun, but I’m already fantasizing about threading my fingers through it. His jeans cling to his muscular thighs, and he’s so much broader up close with a barrel chest and thick arms.

“I was gettin’ worried you weren’t gonna show up.” He walks toward me with his hands in his pockets, and an appreciative, heavy gaze roams down my body.

“I think I’m worth waitin’ for, don’t ya?” I inch closer and realize the full length of him is at least a foot taller than my five-foot-four.

“Absolutely. I’ve been dyin’ to try somethin’.”

Before I can ask, he leans down and closes the gap between us. But I stop him before his mouth meets mine.

“You’re not gonna murder me, are ya?” My words blurt out before I can stop them. I suddenly came to the realization that we’re in a very narrow-looking alley with dumpsters and bad lighting. All that’s missing are the constant stream of sirens blasting in the distance.

“Does it look like I wanna kill you?” He takes my hand and pushes it against his erection, proving just how much he wants me. Considering he’s wearing jeans, and I can still feel how hard he is, I should be terrified of how thick his bulge is.

I swallow hard, and when he releases his grip on me, I stand taller. “I mean, isn’t this the start of every true crime podcast episode? Guy fucks girl before stranglin’ her and dumpin’ her body?”

He blinks as if he’s waiting for the punchline. But I’ve watched enoughDatelineto reconsider how stupid I was to meet him back here.

Magnolia will kill me if I let a sexy cowboy who finally cleared out my pussy cobwebs murder me.

Maybe I shouldn’t have given him the idea of dying by orgasm.

“Noah, if I were gonna kill ya, I wouldn’t have been seen with you at a bar with dozens of witnesses.”

Valid point.