Page 8 of Legends Luke

She knew better than to divulge too much personal information to a stranger, especially at a bar, so she glossed over his implied question. “My friend’s name is Noah Spellman. Well, he’s not technically a friend. Not yet. We haven’t exactly met. This is a blind date, and I’m nervous about it, in case you can’t tell.”

Easton leaned on the bar and held her gaze. “I haven’t seen him, but don’t worry. You look gorgeous. If anyone should be nervous, it’s Noah. You are way out of his league.”

He moved away to prepare her drink, and Melody was left sitting there, breathless. She found herself wondering if the bartenderwas single and if maybe she should give up blind dates and try to seduce Easton. He was charming and handsome and ran the bar in addition to tending it. He was just what she was looking for. Of course, she had thought the same of another guy she believed to be perfect for her, and he wasn’t attracted to women at all.

Her phone’s screen flashed, snaring her attention. She lifted it from the bar, and her facial ID unlocked the screen. A stab of disappointment hit her chest, and she pulled her purse closer to her before sliding her phone back inside.

“Uh, oh. That text couldn’t have been good news to take your pretty smile away.” Easton placed her mojito in front of her and studied her as if he didn’t have a bar full of customers waiting to be served.

“Noah can’t make it. He got stuck at work, and now his car won’t start. We’re going to have to reschedule for another night. How much do I owe you for the drink?”

“You shouldn’t go yet. Stay and enjoy your drink. In fact…” He glanced over his shoulder before taking a step to the side and pointing. “See the guy over there? Brooding, looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here, wearing the T-shirt that should have been thrown out years ago.”

Melody leaned to the left a bit to better see the man sitting on the stool directly opposite from her. He studied his phone with a scowl, his dark hair falling to his forehead, the caramel highlights shining under the fluorescent lighting. His lips were pulled into a thin line, his nose hooking at the end to cast a shadow over the crevicebetween his nose and lips. His jaw darkened with evidence of a five o’clock shadow.

Her body shivered, and she quickly glanced at Easton to see if he noticed her reaction. Fortunately, he was watching the other man as if waiting for the guy to notice Easton’s stare. The man scanned the bar without looking at the bartender once.

“W-what about him?” She hated the quiver in her voice, but if Easton noticed, he didn’t let on.

“Well, take your mojito over there and sit on the empty bar stool beside him. He’ll make sure no one bothers you while you enjoy your drink. I’m going to bring you one of our most popular appetizers on the house. Call it a welcome to Fire Creek.”

Melody was sure she’d rather take her chances on the table of guys who had already issued her an invitation than sit beside the man who exuded danger even from such a distance. Schooling her features to hide her uncertainty, she cocked her head to one side. “I never said I was new to Fire Creek.”

Easton grinned. “You didn’t have to.”

He left her to go and talk to the other man. The other man raised his head and pierced her with an intense stare.

“Whoa,” she murmured under her breath. She had no idea that shade of blue existed in an eye color. He had to be wearing contacts to get the pale, icy hue she was struggling to look away from.

The man turned back to Easton, releasing her from his stare, and Melody felt an odd sense of loss. Even as intense as his eyes were, she could have looked into them all night without regret. Theywere beautiful, if a bit unusual. Soft in color, but strong in contemplation. The contrast intrigued her, though not enough to sit at his side. She would wait for the bartender to return, settle her bill, and go home to delete her dating profile.

She felt the hot breath on her shoulder and smelled the heavy odor of onion before she heard the voice in her ear. “Hey, gorgeous. They’re playing our song. Come and dance with me.”

A man gripped her upper arm before Melody could respond. Though he pulled her from her seat lightly, she stumbled to gain her balance on the shoes she wasn’t accustomed to wearing. She fell against him, and he chose the opportunity to place his hands on her ribcage, his thumbs lightly grazing the underside of her breasts.

Her hands immediately flattened against his chest, his silk tie tickling her fingers, and she shoved with as much strength as she could muster. “What do you think you’re doing? Let me go!”

Another pair of hands suddenly landed on her upper arms, but before she could wiggle away, she was lightly moved to the side, a squeak escaping her throat. She was able to place a hand on the back of a bar stool to steady herself. Then in a matter of seconds, a fist flew out from nowhere and connected with a sickening crunch against the jaw of the man who accosted her.

Melody’s mouth flew open, but her scream caught in her throat. Her unwanted dance partner fell to the bar floor, his hand cradling the side of his face. Then her rescuer turned toward her.

She stared into the pair of intense, icy blue eyes, now darkening with a fury she hoped wasn’t directed at her. The danger shesensed from across the bar invaded her space. But instead of being afraid, she felt drawn to the man towering over her.

The man wouldn’t hurt her. She couldn’t say why she felt certain of it, but she sensed in her bones it was true. He was a man she could trust with her life, but she knew her peace of mind was in serious trouble.

Chapter Five

Luke watched the man in his rumpled suit hit the floor and felt no small measure of satisfaction. The group of men in expensive suits had arrived early in the evening to celebrate the retirement of someone in their group. They wasted no time in getting drunk and rowdy. He’d been keeping a close eye on them all night. When the guy got handsy with the woman at the bar, he welcomed the excuse to knock him on his ass.

The man stared up at him, confused about what happened. Luke fought back the urge to kick the man for getting too drunk to maintain control. The man’s buddies gathered around, but none of them stepped up to defend their friend by fighting Luke. It was probably the smartest decision they’d made all day.

“That’s it for you guys,” he snapped. “Grab your friend and get the hell out.”

He turned his back to them, not bothering to see if they did as he ordered. If they didn’t, Easton would have the cops there in a heartbeat. As a stand-in for his brother’s usual bouncer, Luke’s job was only to de-escalate the situation. Someone else could clean up the mess.

But when he turned his back to the suits, he wasn’t prepared for the wide eyes meeting his. Framed by inky black lashes, the irises reminded him of his favorite whiskey with swirls of rich amber mixed with hints of chocolate to make a tempting combination. They perfectly matched the long hair curling in soft ringlets and falling in shiny, thick strands.

For a moment, whatever he’d meant to say to Easton’s girl — which is how he referred to all the women Easton met at their family’s bar — slipped from his mind as he studied the woman. He’d noticed her when she came into the Fire Bar and Grille alone, a fresh face the regulars at the bar zeroed in on as a new conquest. That was the problem of being the only bar in a small town. Those who frequented the Fire Bar were bored with the same people who partied there every weekend, so a new face added some excitement they couldn’t resist.

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