Page 2 of Love Like Lightning

Yeah, I guess it’s going to be one of those nights.

Sternly dismissing those thoughts from my head, I turn back to my beer. I’m keenly aware of the group as they collect their drinks and move away from the bar and across the room toward the back.

With them out of sight, my thoughts start to drift back to my ex. Suddenly, a shot glass full of clear liquid appears in front of me. Looking up, Betty gives me a grim smile across the bar with another shot glass in her hand.

“This one’s on me.” She raises the glass and throws back the shot, barely making a face.

I pick up my own, hold it up in thanks, and throw it back. Straight tequila burns its way down my throat to my stomach, leaving flames licking my insides in its wake. The smell of it almost makes me gag, but I somehow hold it back.

I’m sure I grimace. While I’ve enjoyed tequila in the past, I don’t shoot it anymore. I retired from that practice on my last birthday. At twenty-seven, I should probably give up shots completely. I can’t handle them as well as I could at twenty-two.

“You let me know if you need another, yeah?”

“Thank you, Betty.” I muster up a smile for her before gulping some beer to try to wash away the taste of the tequila.

She collects my shot glass and returns to slinging drinks to the crowd.

After a minute, I dig out my phone and pull up a book that I downloaded on the plane. Some people may think I’m uncool for drinking solo at a bar while reading, but I don’t care. It’s far too early to go sit alone in my room, and even if I’m technically not here with anyone, sitting at the bar with all these people around makes me feel slightly less alone.

And that’s more than enough for me at the moment.

One more beer and another tequila shot deep, and I’m having a hard time not laughing out loud at the book I’m reading. It’s a paranormal polyamorous story, and the characters are hilarious. Betty came by and placed a glass of water in front of me a little while ago, probably not wanting me to get sloppy drunk at her bar. So I alternate small sips of water and my beer.

Before I can turn another page in my e-book, I become hyper aware of someone standing right next to me at the bar. People have come and gone all night, but my body hasn’t reacted like this to anyone else. When I quickly glance to my left, the tall, smiling man I noticed earlier is there.

Does he ever not smile? He’s close enough now that I can make out a distinct dimple in his right cheek. Glancing my way, he catches me staring. I must be tipsier than I thought, because I don’t look away for a long moment. My eyes lock with his hazel ones, and his smile turns into something flirtier. Quickly turning back to my book, I try to refocus, only to feel my cheeks heat when I realize I’m at a sex scene.

Of course I am.

I can’t read, not while I still feel his eyes on me, so I just stare at my phone without processing anything on the screen. I’m not sure how long I sit there, studiously ignoring him, but I hear Betty walk over and take his order, and I notice his deep, kind voice.

“Hey, I don’t know you.” Those words must be directed at me.

I glance his way again and find his eyes fixed on me. They’re really quite beautiful eyes. Hazel with flecks of gold ringing his irises. Green and brown surrounding the gold.

“No, you don’t.” My eyes drop down to his lips. His smile, I mean his smile. And I glance away again, grabbing my beer and drinking it down to the last drop.

“Are you from out of town?” He shifts so he’s facing me instead of the bar. “That was a stupid question. I’d know if you were an Ever Lake local. Where are you from?”

Biting the corner of my lower lip, I return my gaze to his and make an honest effort to not let it dip lower than his eyes. I try; I really do, but even so, I flick my eyes down to his lips. He’s got such great lips. Full, totally kissable. His bottom lip is slightly fuller than the top.

Gianna, we’ve sworn off men, remember? No men. No lips.

“Boston.” Maybe if I keep my answers short, he’ll lose interest.

Betty walks back over and deposits several drinks in front of him. He hands her a card with a thank you and turns back to me.

“I’ve never been. What brings you out here?” He leans closer so he can hear me over the noise in the bar.

“A business meeting.”

“Oh.” His smile somehow grows, and it only makes his face even more beautiful. “A businesswoman, huh? What kind of business?”

He seems so genuinely interested that I tell him. Not as much as I could, but most people start to tune out when I get too into the math of it all. “I work with numbers. Accounting mostly, business finances. Mostly helping businesses out. Stuff like that.”

“You’re smart.” His eyebrows raise as he nods his head.

“Uh, yeah, I am. Thanks?” Glancing down to my phone, I wonder how I can get out of this suddenly awkward interaction.

---