Page 2 of Protected By West
He gestured at Tracy’s drink. “Another one for the lady.”
The bartender turned, leaning on one elbow as she looked Tracy over from head to bar and apparently was unimpressed. “What were you having again?”
Tracy barely held back from baring her teeth in a lupine grin. “Cherry Whiskey Sour.”
“Yeah, I remember now.”
Oh she did not remember, Tracey had to smile at that.
Apparently, the bartender was trying to make a point, turning back to lean on both elbows to look right at the man, and show off her impressive cleavage. “And you, honey? What do you want?”
Tracy saw a muscle tick in his jaw before he replied. “I’ll take a whiskey. Neat.”
“I was kind of hoping…” The bartender pouted a little and Tracy barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “That you’d like it… wet.” The bartender’s tongue added emphasis to the T at the end of the word and that’s when Tracy lost control and laughed.
She tried to cover it with her hand over her mouth, but she wasn’t fast enough and as the cowboy shook his head at the bartender, the bartender was staring at her with thinly veiled hate in her eyes.
As she walked away, Tracy looked at the cowboy. “Now, thanks to you, I’m going to have to watch to make sure shedoesn’t spit in my drink.” She turned her head to watch the bartender as she stepped up to the well.
“You don’t have to do that.”
Her shoulders shook a little at his words. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t like my drinks watered down by anything.”
“I’ll watch her to make sure.”
His reassurance turned her head, and she looked him over again. “How will you do that?”
He shrugged his shoulders, and she found herself wishing that he didn’t have that blazer on so she could see how well that long sleeve plaid shirt fit his body. “I can watch her out of the corner of my eye and look at you at the same time.”
“Ah…” She smiled at him. “That’s smooth.”
“I’m not trying to be smooth,” his smile was exactly that, “I’m trying to get your attention.”
Tracy looked down at the wrap dress she was wearing. It was one of her favorites and she knew he looked good in it. Good for him. He had good eyes and was a fine judge of women if his reaction to the bartender was any indication.
She moved without thinking, reaching down into her glass, she plucked the cherry out by the stem and opened her lips, dropping the cherry between her teeth.
Then the burst of flavor from the fruit flooded her mouth.
Tracy closed her eyes and sighed.
Or rather… she moaned.
And so did he.
Smiling to herself, she opened her eyes and looked over at the handsome cowboy beside her.
He shook his head. “I think I should have ordered what you’re having.”
She smiled at him. “This is kind of a scene from When Harry Met Sally, isn’t it?”
Shrugging, he chuckled. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Oh?” She teased. “Are you a Western movie fan? Or is it any kind of action?”
“Action?” He questioned her back. “Is that because I’m wearing these boots?”
She looked down, following the gesture of his hand because it was what he was inviting her to do, but the length of time it took her to lift her gaze back to his face was all her own. “Just making an assumption,” she answered him. “Am I wrong?”
