Page 5 of Inside the Penalty Box

“Sorry, you must have the wrong table. My friend is at the bar getting our drinks.”

The server smiled. “No, miss, this is the right table.” He nodded toward the bar.

I looked up and over to see the guy who’d been staring at me for the past little while with one of his friends. They both raised their glasses to me and smiled just as Willow came back to the table and glanced over her shoulder.

She looked back at me and raised her eyebrows in jest. “Ohhh, this is it. This is where you lose all control and be like your idol,” Willow said, her voice full of excitement.

I felt my cheeks heat and shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Oh, come on, live a little!” Willow cried. “He is fucking hot. Look at him, look at those broad shoulders, those amazing glass-blue eyes against that black hair, his fucking legs… Jesus even I’m getting wet at the thought of having him.”

Was this really something my mother would do? Pick up a complete stranger at a bar and let the night take her where it may? Absolutely! However, my luck, I’d come home with some disease or worse, pregnant. I didn’t have a care about what this guy wanted. Nor was I interested.

“I think my mission to reclaim myself is over,” I muttered, shaking my head. “It was a stupid idea.”

“At least drink the shot.” She gently bumped me.

I gave her a look as we both picked up the shot and drank it back. The alcohol burned as it went down, bringing tears to my eyes, which I quickly blinked away. We placed the glasses down on the table and sat back down just as we heard a man clear his throat.

“Care to dance?”

We both looked up to see one of the guys who’d been with my admirer.

Willow gave a smile and looked at me as if I needed to decide for her, but I just shrugged.

“Well now, let’s let this party begin, shall we?” She threw her head back and laughed, then followed the tall, muscular, dark-haired man to the dance floor.

I sat there shaking my head and laughing as I watched her dance with the guy. Willow always was a free spirit. If I’d not known, I’d say she was my mother’s daughter and I’d been adopted. She was crazy. Once the second dance started, she came running over to me. “You may as well go to bed. I have a feeling it’s going to be a late night.” She giggled, hugged me, and ran back to continue dancing.

I sat there for a bit, watching them before getting up and gathering my things. I took one last look at my friend on the dance floor before walking away. She looked comfortable wrapped in his arms, and the second I saw them kiss, I knew she was fine. She appeared to be having a good time, and there were still many people around, so I made my way out of the lobby. Just as I reached the end of the walkway, I heard a throat clear. The guy from the bar stepped out from behind a pillar to my left, his blue eyes bright and twinkling.

“Your friend is out of control there.” He chuckled, nodding in their direction.

“Yeah, well, what can I say? She’s always up for a party,” I said, glancing over my shoulder to see her grinding herself against the guy she was with.

“I see that.” He chuckled, looking over at them. “And what about her friend?”

I softly smiled. “I’m not really that crazy.”

“That’s too bad. I could use some company tonight.”

I felt my cheeks heat as I thought for a moment. I looked over at Willow to see she was still dancing with the guy.

“Well?” his deep voice asked.

A moment of unease passed through me, then I cleared my throat. “Sure, I’m—”

He held out his hand, stopping me from saying any more. “No names. Let’s just have a night of fun.”

Since I’d just broken up with Greg, and I really wasn’t in any place to be looking for anything, I reminded myself that this was exactly something my mother would want, so I went with it.

“Okay, no names.” I smiled.

He pushed himself off the railing he’d been leaning against and took my hand in his as we began walking.

“How did you enjoy today?” he questioned.

“Oh snorkeling? It was fun. What about you?”

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