Page 47 of I Love My Mistake

“Is it?” He touches it, wiggles it around. “Nah. It’s okay.” He motions to the bartender – a woman who reminds me of Trinity from The Matrix, and she leaves to get a drink.

“I’m Mark.”

I look into his eyes, unflinching, taking a moment. He is the most handsome man I’ve ever met… besides Michael. This man is very different than the brooding ball of mystery that Michael is. This man has an ease and open confidence about him that makes him feel more present, when I look at him. Like he is nowhere else but here with me.

I hold out my hand. “I’m Nicole. Very odd to meet you.”

He’s been thoughtfully inspecting me, too, and he smiles. “Yes. It is.” He holds my hand a moment longer than is necessary and…I don’t mind.

Trinity-Bartender returns and places a beautiful glass of white wine in front of me.

“Thank you.”

“No problem,” she says, serenely. I watch her walking away. She had a weird look on her face. I let go of his hand. What is going on here?

“Pretty glass,” I say, changing the subject and sipping from it. “Oh, good wine, too. Buttery.”

He nods, but says nothing. I’m nervous, so I ask, “So, what were you and Amber doing?”

“Working out a problem. Is she a good friend of yours?”

“She’s one of my best friends.”

His thumb absently moves up and down his almost empty glass. “You have more than one?”

I look at it as I answer, “I have two.”

“And your boyfriend? Is he your best friend, too?”

I laugh. “Nice way to find out if I have a boyfriend.”

He smiles a disarming, provocative smile. “Caught me.”

I tilt my head, looking at him from the corner of my eye. “And you? Are you here alone?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” he says.

“And… now we’re even,” I smile, biting my bottom lip without knowing it. My body is turned completely to him, and his to mine. Trinity-Bartender sets down another pint in front of him and takes his old, warm one away. Neither of us looks at her this time.

“Okay. I’ll go first,” he says, but his thumb distracts me, now melting the ice on the new chilled glass. He glances from it to me, amused. “What it is about my thumb?”

I avert my gaze innocently. “What do you mean?”

“Amber was staring at it, too.”

This makes me grin. “She was? That’s hilarious.” I laugh, taking a sip of wine and looking away as I debate whether or not to be honest with him. Honesty wins. “Okay.” I look back to him and he’s smiling in such a way that shocks my system. “Um…it’s just that it’s very sexy what you’re doing. And the way the condensation is melting as you rub that glass…well, it implies your body heat is high.” I look away, embarrassed.

His eyes narrow in thoughtful concentration. “I see. I see. What if I do this?” I look at him. He brings up the glass and licks it like a dog, but not in a sexy way, in a goofy way that is funny as hell. I burst out laughing and he grins.

“Oh yeah!” I joke, “Just like that. That was incredibly hot.”

“Is everyone watching? Do they all want me now?” He puffs up his chest and looks around like a proud rooster among hens.

“They are. The entire room is enthralled.”

“Good. Good.” He settles back with a relaxed smile. He’s very real. There isn’t anything posed or self-aware about his attractiveness, which is why his peacocking was funny. It’s the total opposite of his natural state of being.

“So, we got off topic. I’m Mark. I live in San Francisco. Yes, it’s far away, but please don’t make that face. Come back to me, here.” He points from my eyes to his. He caught me processing that San Francisco isn’t here. He doesn’t live here. Don’t get too excited about this one, because he’s leaving. And why do I feel disappointed by that? I just met him.

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