Page 3 of Must Love Alligators

“Yes.”

Okay, so she didn’t lie.Or even act sheepish for getting caught faking a reason to leave.

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to leave and that seemed a lot easier than explaining all the reasons why.”

She gave Chase a look that clearly indicated his following her and asking her why she was leaving wasexactlywhat she’d been trying to avoid.

Right.Got it.“So, yeah, okay.Have a great night.”

She narrowed her eyes.“Okay.”

On his way back to the table, Chase realized that he had been kind of an ass because he was very unused to women treating him as annoying or suspicious.He was pretty used to women treating him like theywantedto be around him and that having him follow them would have been welcome.

Bailey Wilcox acted as if she’d barely registered his presence.

Huh.That was…interesting.

And now tonight it was happening again.She was still reading and highlighting and Chase was ninety percent sure that she had no idea he was here.Hell, she probably didn’t even know the color of the bartender’s shirt.

Her hair was falling out of her ponytail, her glasses were sliding down her nose, and her baggy clothes gave no indication about any ofhercurves.She was little.Shorter than him.Slim.Those were the only physical details he could really discern.

Okay, so he’d also noticed the freckles that danced across her nose and cheeks.And that her eyes were a very interesting green-blue color.And that there was tiny bit of pink on the skin in the V of her shirt indicating a slight sunburn.And seriously, why did her hair not stay up in the ponytail?The ponytail holder had slipped at least two inches down, the ponytail hanging at a weird angle, long silky brown strands escaping to fall against her neck and cheek.She had one tucked behind her ear right now, in fact.Why not just put it back up?It was as if she didn’t even notice.

It also looked like someone had just held her head or even that fucking ponytail while kissing the hell out of her.

It was driving him crazy.

But none of it was any of his business.She clearly didn’t want company, and it would be a definite asshole move to go over there and insinuate himself into her evening.

“My roommate’s out for the night.”

Chase looked back down at the blonde.She was pressed up against him.Completely.How had he forgotten about her?But he’d been lost in thought about Bailey Wilcox.He shook the nerdy wildlife girl out of his head and grinned at… He was really going to need to figure out the blonde’s name at some point.

“Sounds good,” he told her.

It did.A hot one-night stand with this southern sweetheart?Of course that sounded good.

“Great.”She slipped her hand into his and started for the door.

Chase looked over to where Mitch was holding court to let his friend know what was going on.Unfortunately, before his gaze got to Mitch, it skimmed by Bailey again.

Who was no longer sitting and reading by herself at the end of the bar.

Now there was a guy leaning on the bar next to her.Very much in her personal space and clearly not taking the hint that she was busy and didn’t want to talk.She was frowning.Then she shook her head.The guy lifted a brow and reached for the folder she was working on, trying to pull it away.

Her frown deepened and she refused to let go of the folder.She said something to the guy that Chase couldn’t make out and then the guy put his hand down on top of the folder, leaning in slightly, and saying something Chase couldn’t make out.

What wasnotan asshole move?Helping a woman get away from an asshole who didn’t know how to take no for an answer.

Chase had already let go of the blonde and started toward Bailey when his would-be date asked, “What’s going on?”

He looked back.“Sorry.Something came up.”

He didn’t want to go home with her.That was definitely a shock.But he didn’t really have time to analyze it beyond acknowledging it was true.

“You’re not coming?”she asked, looking confused.

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