Page 21 of Melody

A new smile crept up on the right side of Kyle’s face. “Watch me not grill you for info. I’ll save it for the date.”

“Ooh. I’m impressed.”

“Youshouldbe.”

A customer approached the bar and asked for two shots of whiskey and a draft. Scarlett took care of him in short order and then turned back to Kyle. “So what were we talking about?”

“What you like to do for fun—and you told me you’re still getting familiar with Silver City. So I’m going to give you some options and you can pick.”

Not only did that give Scarlett a little zing of excitement, but it again reminded her of how different Kyle was compared to Tommy. When she’d been with her ex, anything they did was what Tommy wanted to do. Scarlett’s opinions and wants didn’t matter. “Okay.”

“We could go to a movie or go bowling. Um…ziplining, but I’ve never done that before, so I can’t vouch for it. There’s a museum here and in Charlotte.”

“That’s close by, right?”

“Yeah. That’s where I live. It’s, like, fifteen minutes away. I’ve never been to either one of them, but it’s something. Um…pickleball.”

“Pickleball?Isn’t that an old person game?”

“I don’t know. I just know everybody at work won’t shut up about it. I thought it might be kinda fun. Maybe not.” When she nodded, he continued. “Then there’s Razor Ridge Drive a few miles out of town to the west. Great view of town from up there.”

“You know what?” Scarlett asked, drying her hands on a towel. “All of those things sound lovely—so I’ll let you surprise me withthattoo. Is that okay?”

He practically beamed. “Okay—but only if you promise to be honest if you don’t like what we’re doing.”

“I trust you.”

Kyle cocked an eyebrow in the sexiest way and Scarlett felt something deep inside her perk up. Holy shit. That was the first time in a very long time that she’d felt something akin to desire.

Wow.

She was officially hooked.

“Do you trust me enough to give me your phone number…and maybe even your address so I can pick you up?”

“Shouldn’t we decidewhenwe’re going first?”

“Whatever you want, Tink.”

It was definitely official. She wanted Kyle…but she wasn’t going to say that. She did, however, finally give him her number.

CHAPTER 9

Kyle drove in the direction of Tequilaville on a Monday night a little over a week later. He and Scarlett had communicated both through phone conversation and texting to arrive at a good day for both of them. Kyle had asked for the entire day off and Scarlett said she always had Monday nights off.

And although five o’clock seemed a little early, she was game. The sun would already be down—and what Kyle had planned had to happen earlier in the evening rather than later. He’d asked Wolf for his advice after Pedro’s inappropriate suggestions had landed like a lead balloon. Although the comedic effect had gotten the laughs their bassist had been playing for, the suggestions weren’t helpful at all.

It wasn’t that Kyle was trying to impress Scarlett—but he didn’t want to treat her like dirt, either. As he drove through Silver City to the west end of town, though, he questioned it. Because after he and Hayley broke up, he’d gone through a string of rebound girls, ones meant to make him feel better in the short run. And it had worked. Why didn’t he feel the same about Scarlett? After all, he still wasn’t looking for a relationship. He and Hayley had been together for years and he wasn’t ready foranything long term right now. But there was something about Scarlett and he knew he just needed to get her out of his system before he could move on.

But that was all she had to be, because Kyle wanted to take advantage of the rock star lifestyle once Intent to Murder made it big. He wanted to have his pick of women who were willing to do anything to sleep with a guitarist in a well-known band.

Unfortunately, that meant that Scarlett would be short-term—but he enjoyed her company and thought she was hot in that petite way about her.

At least that was better than a one-night stand.

As he drove his old blue Charger down Silver City’s Main Street, he wondered if his fascination was because she hadn’t been as easy to pick up as all the other girls over the past year. That had to be it. She’d made him pursue her before finally giving in. And, after all this time getting to know each other, he felt like when it was over, they could still be friends.

If not, he’d have to start getting his drinks from the other bartender at Tequilaville when things went sour.

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