Page 24 of Watercolor Skulls

I tuck a runaway curl behind my ear. “Actually, I’m here for a date. I mean drink. I’m here for a drink,” I say nervously.

“Awe, I see. Well I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to see when you’d be interested in starting.”

“Oh, anytime. After this weekend I should be good to go.”

“How about Monday?”

“Yeah, sure. I’m excited,” I tell him.

“You want a drink?”

“Not at the moment. I’ll wait for my friend.”

He nods, grabbing a couple of empties from the guys sitting beside me. After he sets two fresh ones in front of them he turns his attention back to me.

Bill leans against the counter. “A date huh?”

“Drink. I misspoke.”

“So, you must be meeting new people then?”

“A few.”

The door opens behind me and Bill’s eyes lift over my head. A lopsided grin forms on his face. I spin on my stool and there stands the giant of a man. “He came,” I say breathlessly.

“Wait. What? Dan is your date?”

I swivel to face Bill. “Drink. We are having a drink.”

He laughs. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

I give him a dirty look before I can stop myself. He only laughs harder.

Sliding off the stool I walk over to where Dan remains frozen in his spot. His eyes run up and down my body. His nostrils flare and I notice him clench his hands into fists. His eyes pull away from me to stare at the men behind me. The look he gives them makes even my balls shrivel up.

What? I shake my head at my own thoughts. These people are changing me. I run my hand down my makeshift dress. Or maybe they are just giving me the space to evolve into me. My tongue runs along my teeth.

Dan looks good. He is in a tight fitting pair of black jeans, black boots on his feet. A chain hangs heavily at his side. The grey t-shirt he’s wearing clings to his muscular frame. His hair is messy today, not combed smooth like it was at the shop. It looks like he’s been tugging at it. Was he at war with himself on whether to come here or not? My eyes lock on his amber ones.

His muscles tense, veins popping on his tattooed forearms. “Lily,” he murmurs quietly.

“Dan.” I dip my head, clasping my hands in front of me.

He reaches out and grabs my hand. A jolt races up my arm. My eyes fall closed as I blindly let him lead me to a booth in the back corner of the bar. I open my eyes when we stop, he is waiting for me to sit. So, I do. When he doesn’t move I slide farther down, he follows in right beside me.

Immediately I feel trapped by his big body.

And. I. Love. It.

His warm leg brushes against mine.

“I don’t like the way those guys are looking at you,” he states, a tad bit angrily.

My stomach flips a three sixty.

Glowing amber eyes dart over my face. “You look nice,” he says before turning away from me.

Bill saunters over and sits down across from us. “So…”

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