Page 5 of Tall, Dark & Horny

After flashing her a grateful smile, I made my way to the bar. The man I noticed earlier was now seated on one of the leather stools, nursing a drink. Something amber and smoky swirled in his glass.

“First time here?” the bartender asked me, already setting down a napkin.

I nodded. “It wasn’t exactly planned.”

“Sounds like you could definitely use a drink then. We just added a smooth, honey-infused whiskey to the menu a few days ago.”

My nose wrinkled. “I haven’t ever tried whiskey before.”

“How about a small taste to see if you like it?”

He didn’t wait for me to reply before he poured. With the bartender distracted, I stole another glance at the man beside me. He wasn’t looking my way anymore, but the strange awareness didn’t fade. If anything, it had sharpened.

“Here you go,” the bartender said, pushing a glass toward me with about an inch of golden-amber hue liquid in the bottom.

I shook my head with a soft laugh. “If that’s a sample, don’t worry about bringing me a real drink if I like it.”

“Lightweight?”

“Yup.” I nodded. “This will be plenty.”

As I took a careful sip, he mixed another drink in a tall glass and set it down in front of me. “A sparkling lavender-lemon spritz with edible petals that will help chase down the whiskey if it’s too strong for you.”

The liquor he’d given me was sweet with just enough bite that I felt it in the back of my throat. “Thanks, the whiskey is good, but I’ll probably need this. Although, it’s almost too pretty to drink.”

“Seemed fitting to serve to a woman as gorgeous as yourself.”

The man beside me finally spoke. “You drove in during the storm.”

I looked over, surprised he’d noticed. “Yeah. My flight was canceled, and everything else just sort of spiraled from there.”

“Not many people find this place by accident.”

I swallowed. “Believe me, it wasn’t on the itinerary.”

He studied me for a beat, as though he could see more than I was saying. “Sometimes detours take you exactly where you need to be.”

My pulse stuttered. “Let’s hope so since the vacation I had planned isn’t going to happen anytime soon.”

He offered a hand. “Adan.”

“Calliope.”

The moment our palms touched, warmth surged up my arm. Not from the drink—this was something else. Something deep and elemental.

I pulled my hand back, trying to hide the slight tremble of my fingers.

“Your luggage has been delivered to your room, Miss Ash,” the woman at the front desk called.

After gulping down the remainder of my whiskey, I stood. I was still a little unsteady as I dug through my purse for some cash. Forcing my attention toward the bartender, I asked, “How much do I owe you?”

His gaze darted toward Adan before he flashed me a quick smile that didn’t hold his earlier warmth. “It’s on the house, Miss Ash.”

“Thank you.” I dropped a few bills for a tip on the bar top before grabbing the spritz. “I guess I’ll take this up to my room.”

“Enjoy.”

As I turned away, I caught one last glimpse of Adan over my shoulder. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me.

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