Page 2 of Wild Bliss

She was also married to the sheriff, who didn’t trustSawyer. And for good reason. “I just need to set these down and then I’ll getout of everyone’s hair.”

Callie leaned over to pet the dog, who was drooling, thoughCallie didn’t seem to care. “Why would you say such a thing? Come on in andstay awhile. It’s cold out there. You need to warm up. Though be careful withthe eggnog. Max spiked it.”

“You should have known that would happen.”

She straightened up, lips curling in a mischievous grin.“Well, it wouldn’t be so bad if it was only Max. I’m afraid Van spiked it, too.And Ty. And then Mel added a couple of drops of his whiskey tonic…”

“Let me guess.” Despite how out of place he felt, a smilecrossed his face. This town was beautifully weird. “To keep the aliens away.”

The old man was serious about keeping the aliens away.

“You know it’s high mating season for… I don’t remember whathe called them, but the outcome for us is the eggnog is seriously spiked.” Shefrowned. “It’s too much. I was hoping for something sweet with a little kick,but I’ll have to settle for a beer, I guess.”

He didn’t like the sound of that. “I thought you brought ina full bar for these things.”

She nodded. “Yeah, but it’s kind of a self-service thing,and I am not a bartender.” Her stare focused in on him. “Not like you are. Youknow there are rumors you once worked at a super-fancy hotel in Denver and knowhow to make way more than you pretend to.”

He shouldn’t. He should run and run fast. The sheriffwouldn’t like Sawyer mixing his wife’s drinks. And yet he couldn’t quite turnher away. Callie was kind to him despite knowing as much as she knew about hispast. “I’ll see what you have. You want sweet, right?”

“So it is true. You pretend to only know how to pour beer,”she said as though she’d solved a mystery.

Sawyer placed his gifts on the big table designated for themand sighed. “I might be better than I tell people, but honestly, I don’t getmany requests for espresso martinis at Hell on Wheels. And I might be out ofpractice, so this could be terrible.”

He made his way to the makeshift bar and quickly figured outhis best bet was a chocolate martini. He found the shaker and was pouring itout for Callie in no time at all. Dog sat patiently beside him, her tailthumping.

She needed a name.

“Here you go.” He slid the glass Callie’s way.

Her eyes lit up. “It looks delicious.”

Sawyer frowned. “You know I’m not the only bartender here.”He pointed across the room. “Alexei literally tends the bar at your restaurant.And so does the new kid. Van.”

She shrugged. “But you’re here.”

Jen Talbot strode up, slapping a hand on the bar and givinghim a long-suffering sigh. “Thank the universe. Sawyer, I’m going to need oneof those. Max ruined the eggnog, and I don’t know what is in the thing Nellbrought. She said it was an old recipe from her momma, and she called itwinter’s dew. I don’t think it sounds good. She said it’s the essence ofwinter, which is pretty much snow and cold.”

Jen kind of scared him so he made a big shaker full. Likeher best friend, Rachel Harper, Jen could be quite a lot to handle, but thenmost women in Bliss were. “Here you go. This should take care of you for acouple of drinks.”

Jen took a sip, and her eyes closed. “Damn, it’s good. Ithought Alexei knew how to make a martini.” Jen pointed his way. “You are akeeper, Sawyer…” She frowned. “I don’t know your last name.”

And he was okay with that. It wasn’t like he was angling toget invited to dinner. It wasn’t like he wanted to belong here. “It’s justSawyer.”

“Okay. Maybe I don’t know your first name,” Jenacknowledged, and then her attention was wrenched away as two small boys ran bylike whirling dervishes. “Logan Talbot and Charlie Hollister-Wright.”

Both boys froze like they were playing Simon Says and Simonhad said freeze.

Jen moved in front of her son, wrinkling her nose withobvious affection. “Slow down.”

“Yes, momma,” the little boy who looked an awful lot likeStef Talbot said.

“Yes, Auntie Jen,” Charlie Hollister-Wright repliedpolitely. And then they were off again, though slightly slower this time.

They ran past a woman in a red sweater and jeans, her darkhair flowing around her shoulders.

Sawyer stood there because something odd happened. Maybe itwas the scent from whatever Nell brought. Maybe it was a contact high fromstanding too close to the eggnog. Maybe it was a stroke. He wasn’t sure, but hecould have sworn the damn world slowed down and a fucking spotlight came out ofnowhere, shining down on that woman. So pretty. She practically glowed. Shesmiled at someone, though Sawyer didn’t see who because the stroke he wasobviously having made it hard to look at anyone but her. Yeah, this was adangerous health situation. His eyes should be able to move.

In the distance he could hear music playing. Hopefully itwas from the speakers and not from whatever was happening in his fucked-uphead.

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