Page 32 of Guarding Bristol

The bartender leaned over and said something to him, probably that his bill had been paid.

TJ stopped, then looked around.

Oh, shit.

She quickly looked out the window.But too late.He’d already spotted her.

And when that dark gaze landed on her, she swore it got harder to breathe.

She smiled at him and raised a hand to give him a friendly wave, ordering herself to stop getting all fluttery over a guy she didn’t even know.Not really.

Except it felt like she did.And she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so attracted to anyone.

His expression was just short of frosty as he slowly turned and made his way toward her.Her heartrate sped up, every feminine cell in her body sitting up at attention.“Hi,” she said before he could, because she was nervous and couldn’t stop herself.“Just stopped in for some dinner?”She took the final sip of wine, her mouth suddenly dry.

He nodded, his gaze moving over her lilac-colored scrubs and lingering on her chest for an extra moment in a way that made her pulse trip.Although to be fair, maybe he was looking at her ID badge, and she was just a dirty bird.“Did you pay my bill?”

She swallowed twice to get the wine down.“I—”

“Look, I appreciate the thought, but I don’t need any more charity from you.You’ve done more than enough already.”He opened his wallet as if he was going to take out money to pay her back.

“Don’t.Please.”Blood rushed to her cheeks.He wasn’t being rude, but she was embarrassed for making him uncomfortable.And it was so incredibly annoying to be attracted to someone who was so cold to her.“It was nothing, really.And you weren’t supposed to find out it was me.”

Something close to amusement warmed the inky depths of his eyes.“But I did.And it wasn’t that hard to figure out.”

She grinned.“No, I guess not.I’m not exactly stealthy.”She waved his money away.“Seriously, please.”

“All right,” he relented, although she could tell he felt awkward accepting it.“Thanks.”

“My pleasure.Here, please sit.”She gestured to the empty chair across from her.“I promise I won’t make any more demands of you.”

He hesitated a moment, then pulled the chair out and lowered his long, lean frame into it.Up close, the size and power of him hit her all over again.She tried not to stare at the bulge of his biceps or the roped muscles in his forearms.

And those eyes.Dark and rich as black coffee, rimmed with thick black lashes.The full goatee looked amazing on him, framing his mouth and giving him an almost dangerous edge.It was hard not to stare at his lips, too, or wonder what they would feel like on hers.Hard and masterful, she bet.

Yep, you’re a dirty bird.

She mentally shook herself, a little amazed that he’d accepted her invitation.“So, how are things?Getting settled okay?Job’s going well?”She hadn’t meant to fire three back-to-back questions at him like a machine gun, but she was all nervous and jittery.

“Things are good.”

The answer was vague, but his voice was as gorgeous as the rest of him.Deep and dark enough to send a pleasurable shiver up her spine.“I’m glad.”She was thrilled that he’d taken the opportunity to turn his life around.

“You work at the hospital?”

“Yes.I’m an ultrasound tech.”And she could sure use some company after the day she’d had.

“Ah.So you...scan babies and all that.”

“It’s a common misconception that we do mostly OB scans.We actually do a ton of other things like check for tumors and gall or kidney stones, clots.Today I did a scrotal scan.”

He winced.

“Good thing, too, because this poor guy had a testicular torsion that required emergency surgery.”

Oh, God, the look on his face.“That sounds...eventful.”

“Yes.I assist with prostate and breast biopsies too.”

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