Page 15 of Twisted Collide

“A little bit of both.”

“You’re a grumpy introvert.”

He lifts his wrist and looks at his watch. “Wow, ten minutes, and you already got me pegged.”

“You’re practically an open book.”

He’s quiet for a second before finishing his drink and gesturing to the bartender for another. “Another of whatever she’s having, too.”

“Would you like to start a tab?” she asks with a little too much honey in her tone, considering she’s been lukewarm at best with me.

“Yeah, let’s do that.” He turns back to me. “If that’s okay with you?”

“I’m all in. I’m definitely okay with hiding out and drinking right here for the rest of the night.”

“Now that seems like a long and complicated story.”

“It is. I imagine it’s about as long and complicated as whatever brought you here.”

He chuckles a bit darkly. “If that’s true, then we might as well get the bottle.”

I lean closer to him, my lip tipping up into a smile. “Now that’s a good idea. Which one do we get? Whiskey or tequila?”

The stranger lifts his glass and takes another swig of his whiskey. He grins. “Whiskey, of course.”

“Wow, you’re either hardcore or just old.” I grimace, and he laughs, so I start to laugh. The bartender returns with my fresh drink, not whiskey, and I take a sip. “So, how about an agreement? No talking about what brought us here.”

He thinks for a moment, then nods. “That I can do. Anything else off-limits?”

“Sports.”

“Well, we already established you hate them all. Anything else?”

“Not unless you have something to hide,” I respond with a smirk.

“No mention of real life.”

“Real life? What does that mean? Doesn’t that fall under the previous off-limits number one?”

“Not really. Number one is more or less the catalyst to arriving here. I mean, no talking about work.”

I raise my glass, moving it closer to him in a cheer. “Now that I can agree with. No talking about work or anything serious. And no sports.” My glass collides with his before he pulls back and lifts his brow.

“Well then, what can we talk about?”

“We don’t even have to talk about anything if you don’t want. I’m more than happy to just keep you company. Drown my emotions, and then . . .”

“And then what?” he says with a note of challenge.

I shrug. “See if I can make you less grumpy.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “I like the way you think . . .” His eyes narrow. “I don’t know your name.”

“Isn’t that more fun?” I tease, not really caring either way.

He stares at me, and I feel like butterflies erupt in my stomach. The way he looks at me is unnerving. Like he’s undressing me with just the way he looks at me.

“Okay.” His one-word answer gives me pause for a minute, but then his lips spread, and damn. Lord, is this man handsome.

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