Page 140 of Enigma: The Complete Collection
He smiles so broadly, wrinkles crinkle his murky blue eyes. “I highly doubt that, sweetheart.”
When he waves his hand at the stool Brandon just vacated, I say, “Feel free, but just a warning, I’m not the greatest company tonight.”
His chuckle vibrates my toes. “That’s okay, I’m never good company, so I’m sure I can handle your moodiness for a night.”
His witty comment awards him my first genuine smile of the night. It doesn’t linger for long. Just one sip of my wine the bartender just replenished has my happiness stepping back to when I was born. My taste buds were spoiled the past month with expensive bottles of wine I’ve never heard of, so they're protesting about the harsh bitterness that comes with a three-dollar glass of house wine.
After ordering a drink, my new companion drags his eyes down my body. I don’t feel threatened by his enthusiastic review. He doesn’t give out threatening vibes.
“Let me guess what brings you to this fine establishment this evening.” He adds a fake amount of poshness to his deep timbre. “Relationship problems?”
“All that from a glance of my body?”
He scrubs at his beard to hide his smile. “Nah. It’s the fact every guy in this place is gawking at you, but not one has been brave enough to talk to you.”
He pulls a packet of cigarettes out of his jeans pocket, yanks out a cigarette, then twists the packet my way. When I shake my head, he dumps the packet onto the counter between us before placing the unlit cigarette between his plump lips.
“The leave-me-the-fuck-alone vibes are bouncing off you, sweetheart. It’s scaring all the guys away, so if you're out here prowling for a man to heat your sheets, you might want to shut down those vibes.”
A rowdy giggle escapes my lips before I can stop it. Hugo, Brandon, and I chose this pub as we’d be less likely to get hassled by locals, wondering why strangers have suddenly arrived in their derelict town. We don’t want any unwanted attention while waiting for Isaac’s security team to arrive. I’m only alone because Brandon left a few minutes ago as he wanted to reach out to some contacts he has in the FBI in the hope of unearthing Megan’s current location, and Hugo needed to use the bathroom. He was apprehensive about leaving me alone, but since I refused to follow him into the men’s restroom, he had no choice.
Besides, I don’t feel in any danger. When I was younger, I went with my Uncle Tobias to old run-down pubs all the time. It’s amazing the wonderful people you come across in the sleaziest looking places. Usually, they're the ones with the biggest hearts as they've been through the toughest struggles. I probably also feel safe as I have my pistol in my bag.
After checking his phone in the top pocket of his flannel shirt, my mystery companion props his elbows onto the countertop before inclining close to my side. “Unless you want a drove of men running toward you, you probably shouldn’t giggle.”
When I eye him curiously, his float over the poorly-lit space. When I follow the direction of his gaze, I do notice several pairs of male eyes watching me.
“Thanks for the warning. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” I return my eyes to his. “I'm not on the prowl tonight.”Or any night.
“That’s my cue to leave.” He stands and swiftly walks away, getting halfway to the door before pivoting back around. I watch him with a hint of amusement, tugging my lips when he strides back to slip back onto his stool. “Ah, stuff it. I only have another five minutes before I’m due back at work, so I may as well spend it talking to a beautiful lady.”
I grin at his cheeky demeanor as he once again pulls his cell phone out of his top pocket to peer down at the screen. Noticing he still hasn’t lit the cigarette dangling from his mouth, I question, “Do you need a light?”
I stop grabbing for the box of matches on the sticky bar top when he replies, “No, thanks.” He pulls the cigarette out of his mouth. “I gave up smoking weeks ago.” He stabs out the unlit cigarette into an ashtray. “Old habits die hard.”
After downing the cloudy brown liquid in the shot glass the bartender just set down in front of him, he signals for another before tilting my way. “So, what caused all this worry to your pretty face?”
“No offense, but you don’t look like a therapist.”
He flashes me a cheeky wink. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, sweetheart. Under this god-gifted sexiness is a real heart of gold.”
Another broad smile stretches across my face. I have to give it to the stranger. He oozes cockiness, and he has a real bad-boy sentiment, except he's one hundred percent man. But even more appealing than his rugged good looks is his cheeky personality.
When he shifts his head to the side, waiting for me to answer, I shrug. I don’t want to be rude, I just don’t know how to answer him without bringing Isaac into the equation. When my attention returns to my glass of wine, in the corner of my eye, I witness him once again checking the screen of his phone. He must be waiting for an important call. Otherwise, why would he constantly check his phone?
“Are you waiting for a call?”
He grins again. It’s a little shyer this time around. “Nah. It’s another bad habit of mine.”
“There could be worst habits you could have.”
“True.” This smile is genuine. “Such as?”
I roll my eyes, not falling for his tricks. He laughs before nudging his head to my nearly empty glass of wine. “This round is on me, Izzy.”
My eyes snap to his as panic surges through me.How does he know my name? I never told him my name.
After pushing off the barstool, I scamper backward. The stranger’s shoulders stiffen as he scrubs his hand down his face. “I’m not here to hurt you, Izzy.” He stares straight at me, stupidly believing his honest eyes will quell the panic radiating out of me. “My name is Hunter. I'm Isaac’s head of security.”
