Page 1 of One Night to Fall
PROLOGUE
JESSE
Well, well, well. Look what we have here.
The Range Bar and Grill is packed tonight, a local band playing in the corner of the rustic establishment. It’s a regular hangout for my family—for most locals, really—but tonight I’m flying solo.
And it’s a good thing too.
Because if I play this right, I might end up beingverybusy the rest of the night.
The guy at the bar isn’t from here, and he’s a little older than I am with dark hair and the perfect amount of stubble. Even from across the room, I can tell he’s muscular, his dark green shirt practically molded to him, his forearms flexing as he takes a sip of his beer.
A beer that’s almost empty.
And what a coincidence, mine is too.
Perfect.
Moving through the crowd, I pause only briefly to talk to a few regulars before sidling up to the bar—right next to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Delicious.
Brushing my shoulder against his, I smile, turning my body to face him. “Sorry about that,”—my words a confident rumble as his gaze sweeps over me—“or maybe not so sorry,” I add, watching as the corners of his lips turn up the slightest bit. “Can I buy you a beer?”
“You old enough to do that?” he responds with an eyebrow raise and a look that says he’s not totally kidding.
“I’m twenty-four. Wanna see my license?” I tease, leaning an elbow against the bar and invading his space. His cologne is expensive, masculine but not overpowering, the kind of thing you’d wear for a special occasion and not just every day.
Interesting.
“Awfully confident, aren’t you?” he asks, throwing back the rest of his drink before turning on the stool to face me, shifting so I’m now standing between his knees.
I might have been the one to walk over, but he’s throwing his dominance around like a heavyweight champion.
And I like it.
“Pretty sure we wouldn’t be having this conversation if I wasn’t.” I let a lazy smile slide over my face before offering him my hand. “Jesse.”
“Nate.” His grip is strong, his skin smooth, unlike mine, and it has a million questions flitting through my mind, but they’ll have to wait. “What brings you out tonight?”
“It’s been a long week.” I lift a shoulder and let it drop. I’ve been restless this year, and no amount of work or celebrations with my family have curbed that feeling. The only thing that seems to help is mind-blowingdo not call me in the morningsex. “You?”
“Here on business.”
“Things went well, I take it?” I motion to the bartender and thank them when two beers are set down on the polished wood surface.
“They did. I’m in town for the night and thought I’d celebrate.”
“I can think of a better way.”
He laughs, a wide smile stretching across his handsome face. “Clearly not worried about rejection, I guess.”
“Should I be? Honestly, the only things that worry me are anything happening to my family, aging poorly, and being forced to do karaoke.”
“Karaoke?”
“Everyone has an Achilles’ heel.” Pushing my leg tighter against his, I ask, “What’s yours?”
“Horses.”
