Page 38 of Totally Off Limits

“Ah…I didn’t remember you being a gambling woman, Sierra.”

Was that true? Maybe not in the past but she most certainly was now. And that was probably stupid, because the odds hadneverbeen in her favor. “People change. And, besides, I trust you, Mickey. You’d never steer me wrong.”

As he pulled a bottle out from under the bar, he said, “There’s a first time for everything.” When Sierra furled her brow as she walked closer, he placed two shot glasses on the polished surface of the bar. “Meaning there’s nothing good about a shot—other than the immediate benefits it provides.” While he opened the bottle, he continued. “You get a nice jolt of liquid courage—and if you haveenoughshots, it can help you forget whatever ails you—but it doesn’t take many of these babies to render you unable to drive or think…or perform.”

Although Sierra knew he could be alluding to playing onstage, she got the feeling he was talking about something else entirely.

“And the morning after’s a real bitch.”

After pouring the amber liquid into both tiny glasses, he put the lid back on and returned the bottle to wherever it belonged under the bar. Then he slid one glass toward Sierra. “But the good thing about a shot is it gives you the benefits of alcohol quickly—so even if this shit tastes like embalming fluid, you get it done fast.”

Touching the side of the tiny glass, Sierra asked, “This tastes that bad?”

“Oh, I doubt it. Johnny’s got enough money to buy nothing but the best—and considering I’ve never heard of that brand of whiskey, it’s bound to be top quality.” Picking up one of the glasses, he said, “Bottoms up.”

With a grin, Sierra lifted the glass to her mouth as Mickey did the same and poured it in her mouth quickly. As she swallowed, her whole body shook. The drink was strong and burned going down her chest. “I thought you said this was the best.” Sierra tried like hell to keep her face from scowling, failing miserably.

Mickey laughed at her feeble attempt, because there was no hiding that she wasn’t loving it. “Whiskey still tastes like whiskey. No getting around that.”

“Then I guess I’m not a fan.”

“I can’t say it’s an acquired taste.” Mickey picked up the bottle again, holding it poised over his glass. “Do you want another?”

“Hell, no.” Sierra licked her lips, but that didn’t remove the taste. “I think that shot of whiskey will be with me for a really long time.”

Mickey chuckled, putting the lid back on the bottle. “What does that even mean?”

Suddenly, it struck her just how easy it was to talk to this man. Not that Austin was hard to talk to, but with Mickey, it felt immediately natural—no trying to figure out what to say or how to say it—and the thought made a small smile appear on her lips. “It means that I’m pretty sure I’ll never need another shot of whiskey again.”

“That’s serious.”

“Oh, there’s more,” Sierra said, her smile widening. “I even think that shot completely cleaned out my pipes—like drinking a shot of ammonia.”

Mickey started laughing, shaking his head as he returned the bottle to its place once more. “Yeah, that’s fair—but did it help loosen you up a little bit?”

“I don’t know. I doubt it.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t be asking you questions.”

Sierra tilted her head as if the motion would help her understand his words. “What? I’m not sure what you mean.”

Mickey’s face was impossible to read. Walking back around the bar, he got closer to her before he spoke. “Why are you here, Sierra?”

For a second, she felt winded—but it was a valid question. Whywasshe here? It was something she hadn’t fully analyzed, maybe because it contained a whole shit-ton of things she didn’t want to admit to herself.

But partial truth might work. “I’m here because I need a friend.”

Mickey was now so close, she could feel his body heat. Maybe it was more obvious because she was hardly wearing anything. Shifting his gaze from her lips to her eyes, he spoke, his voice softer than she’d expected. “Is that what we are?Friends?Friends forever? Like all the nasty girls in school used to write in their yearbooks:Best friends forever.And I doubt they ever even talk to each other anymore.”

Of all the things she’d expected him to say, that wasn’t it. “Aren’twe friends?”

“Are we? Did we stay in touch after I left town?” His face was even more shrouded, unwilling to share with her whatever the hell was inside. “Hell, we didn’t even keep in touch after we graduated high school. We just…ran into each other sometimes.”

“But…we had some kind of connection.”

“I guess you could say that…but we never acted like real friends.” The way his lips pressed together seemed to dare her to argue.

Why was he being so cold all of a sudden? Sierra couldn’t understand it, especially after the other night. And it made her confused, because now she just wanted—needed—to connect with someone she cared about…someone she thought felt the same way.

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