Page 5 of Mister Cowboy

She met his eyes, struggling to decipher his body language and tone. Was he flirting or simply stating facts? He was so open and free with his words, yet she found him so confusing, too.

“Fine. You can drop me back at the bar.”

He nodded and shut the door. Alone in his expensive car, she inhaled his masculine scent mixed with rich smell of the leather interior.

After he’d settled into the driver’s seat and started the engine, he looked to her. “Doing all right?”

‘I’m okay. Really.”

“Decided not to go out after Michael was done working tonight, I assume?”

“And I see you decided to skip out on your party early.”

She could make out the faintest hint of a smile in the darkened car. “I did my part.”

“Which was?”

“I paid for the food and booze.”

The parking lot and side street had cleared, and as he parked in front of the bar she could see inside the front window. “Looks like the party ended pretty quick without you.”

He shrugged with one shoulder. “I’m sure they had other Friday night plans.”

The way he said it, as if maybe he were a little jealous, made her want to peel back the many layers of Brecken Blackstone.

“Buy me a drink?” she asked, not believing the words coming out of her mouth. “It is still my birthday after all, and you did ruin it.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Whatever the birthday girl wants.”

* * *

January leanedagainst the bar and pushed to her tiptoes as she pointed to a shelf lined with wine and liquor bottles.

“You’re sure?” Michael raised his eyebrows then shook his head as he grabbed the zinfandel.

She felt him assessing her as he pulled the cork and grabbed two glasses before placing them in front of her.

“It’s just a drink.” She pushed a bill across the bar. “I need change, please,” she said more sweetly.

Michael laughed but turned to the register. “I don’t think that was what he had in mind when he gave you a hundred and told you to order whatever you wanted.”

He handed her the change and she winked. “He should have been more specific then.”

She carried the wine and glasses back to the table where Brecken sat. The intensity in his eyes forced her gaze to dip down and her breathing to hitch. He was so completely out of her league she wasn’t even going to pretend otherwise, which was what the cheap wine was all about.

She sat across from him, placing the bottle and glasses on the table. Then she slid the change back to him. “I hope you like zinfandel,” she said as she poured.

He eyed the wad of money. “I expected you’d get something a little more...”

“Expensive?” she finished for him.

“It’s the least I could do, considering I ruined your entire night,” he said in a teasing tone.

“And almost hit me with your car.”

He lifted the glass, and she followed suit. “Cheers.” He softly clinked his glass against hers before bringing it to his lips and drinking. He grimaced as he swallowed. “That’s terrible.”

With a smile, she tipped back her own glass. “You’d insult my wine choice?”