“So are you from around here?” heasked.
I shook my head. “No, from out of town. Chicago,actually.You?”
He chuckled at me and shook his head. “Oh, so you’re not one of the localshifters?”
I raised my eyebrow at him and wondered what would happen next. “No, purely human.Sorry.You?”
He shook his head and turned and walked away without saying another word. I sighed as I watched him go. “Well, nice meeting you,” I called out sarcastically to the back of his head. He disappeared into the crowd, and I turned back towardsthebar.
It might be harder to pick up a shifter after all. The raging emotion in my head subsided, and I knew that my failure to meet a shifter pleased the vampire, wherever he was. I sighed and downed the rest of my drink and stared forward. I was alone at the bar as I so often was. “Another one?” the bartender asked as he came back to me. “This one’s on thehouse.”
I smiled at him and nodded. “Yes, thank you. It’s going to be that kind of a night, Ithink.”
6
After three more delicious whiskeys,I figured I might as well pack it in for the night. I wasn’t getting anywhere with any of the men and I really wasn’t feeling like picking anybody upanymore.
I was exhausted and it was really a wonder how the hell I was going to get home. It was late, and that trains and buses probably had already stopped. Realistically, I’d have to sleep in the train station and see what I could do about it in the morning. I slammed back my last whiskey, thanked the bartender with a smile rather than a tip, and turned to leavethebar.
Just as I began to walk through the crowd, I bumped into a tall, hard body. I stumbled back, flustered, and apologized profusely. I looked up then into the eyes of an extremely handsome man. His hair was long and dark and disheveled, and his eyes were a deep forest green colour that were absolutely hypnotizing. He smiled down at me with a lopsided grin and shrugged, “It’s nothing. Where yougoing?”
I nearly swooned looking up at him and I could feel myself blush profusely. Raising my hand up against my cheek, I felt the heat radiating off my face. I hoped it was dark enough that he didn’t notice, but by the maniacal grin on his face, I knew that he could see everything. I looked him over, taking in his wide shoulders, tall physique, and piercing eyes, I figured he must be a shifter. By the oval eyes of his I figured he must be some sort of a cat, and I stepped back to get a better lookathim.
He looked beyond amused at my response to him as he crossed his arms and waited for me to answer. I then looked up awkwardly into his eyes and waited, unsure what he was expecting me to say. I then remembered his question and blushed even more violently. “Oh, sorry. I was justleaving.”
He grinned down at me and then frowned an adorable forced frowned. “So soon? The night is young and there’s many drinks to be had. Why not stay a while and hang out?” He winked at me and I knew instantly that my plans hadchanged.
I smiled back at him and nodded. “I guess I could stay for one more, if you’re buying.” I winked at him. Maybe if I was sly about it, he would buy me another drink. I hoped that he didn’t figure out how desperate I was and that I was just beingflirty.
He extended his arm for me to take it and I was confused at his gentlemanly offer. I took his arm and couldn’t help but smile as he led me back towardsthebar.
“Back for another one so soon?” the good-looking bartender asked me. I smirked at him and nodded and he immediately began to pour me another whiskey withlemon.
“You’re a whiskey girl?” the shifter asked. “I like that in a woman. Usually means you’re prettyhard-core.”
I laughed out loud and accepted my drink thankfully from the bartender. I then turned and took a sip and looked up into those green eyes of his. “I don’t know about that. But I have been told that I could be a bit of a freak sometimes.” I winked at him again, trying to give him asolidhint.
He grinned back at me and ordered his own drink. I then cursed myself silently at what I just said. A freak? Seriously? Well maybe I really did have too many whiskeys and should probably slow down before I embarrass myselftoomuch.
As he turned back to me, I leaned against the bar with effort to look sexy but slipped back and nearly fell on my back. His lightning fast reflexes responded instantly as he reached his free arm around me and caught me. I looked up at him and laughed awkwardly as he pulled me up to standing. “Thankyou.”
“Gotta be more careful there…” he said,trailingoff.
“Charlie,” I said as I scratched the back of my neck. He extended his hand out to me and I shook it, his warm hand grasped around mine strongly as he pulled me closertowardshim.
“So what are you hoping to get out of the night at a shifter bar, Charlie?” he asked mischievouslytome.
I did my best to pretend to act cool, but I knew I was failing miserably. That’s what whiskey did to a woman; inexplicably confident, but unfailingly awkward. “Oh you know, just here to see the sights.” I winked. I then felt the heat rise in my cheeks again as I cursed myself for saying something else sostupid.
He didn’t seem to care as he smiled down at me with that brilliant lopsided grin of his. “Well, I hope you like whatyousee.”
I looked up at him and grinned as I sipped my whiskey. I nodded slowly as we looked into each other’s eyes. I could feel the muscles in my body clenching as my need for a man’s touch grew inside of me. The angry voice in my head seemed to have subsided, but I could tell he were still there. The overwhelming sense of being in a room full of shifters seemed to have doled the chatter a little bit, but I knew the effect he was having on me. The feeling I felt in my stomach probably rivaled what Erik was feeling, but I bet his sensations were ten fold. I pushed the thought from my mind and focused on the taskathand.
“Do you want to get out of here?” I asked quickly, desperate for adistraction.
The shifter chuckled and took a step closer. I breathed in his scent, a mix of musky leather, a hint of vanilla, and that sharp smell of animal. It was intoxicating, and it was taking every ounce of effort in my being not to rip off that shirt of his and see what laybeneath.
“You don’t even know my name,” he said,smilingly.
