I turned to see a guy who looked to be my age with shaggy blond hair and rich brown eyes studying me. He was smiling, causing crinkles to form next to his eyes and just above his cheekbones that looked like they could cut glass.
“The one and only,” I said with a quick smile before I turned my attention forward.
“I’ve been sitting here, trying to figure out how to ask you for your name. Now I don’t have to.” He had this depth to his voice that made my body instantly respond. I was fairly certain anything he said would come out sexy. He could sayhemorrhoid cream, and I would melt into a puddle of goo in front of him.
I peeked over at him again. “You were?” I asked, my cheeks warming from his words and the appreciative way he looked at me.
“Absolutely.” His grin grew wider as he held my gaze.
Not sure how I felt about this guy, I pulled my gaze away and studied the bar in front of me. I wasn’t at a place in my life right now to entertain a relationship. Everything was a mess. I was a mess. If only this guy could see behind the dress and heels, he’d run for the hills.
“What is the likelihood of the bartender coming back and announcing your phone number to those who might want it?” His voice was soft and close. Like he’d inched closer to me.
Shivers cascaded across my skin.
Oh, he was good. He must have sensed that it had been a while since a man had paid this much attention to me, and he was exploiting that fact. He wasn’t foolish though. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the closeness that came from being in a relationship. That I didn’t crave it.
But I still wasn’t in a place where I could entertain it.
I glanced back over at him. “I’d say the likelihood of that is slim to none.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You do, huh?”
I sucked in my breath between my teeth. “Yeah.”
He drummed the bar with his fingertips as he leaned closer to me. “So how aboutyouannounce it. then.”
I feigned a shocked look. “Me?”
He nodded.
I narrowed my eyes as if I was thinking really hard about what he’d proposed. “I don’t have a reason to just shout my number to an entire bar.” I moved closer to him. At least I could enjoy the flirting.
“I can think of one.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You can?”
He nodded. “MaybeIwant it.”
“You want my number?”
He grinned.
“And who areyou?”
He stuck his hand out. “Chad Perkins.”
I glanced down at his hand and then back up to him. “Ella.”
“Ella…?” He raised his eyebrows.
I pursed my lips at his interruption, understanding what he wanted from me. “Ella Calipso.”
“Nice to meet you, Ella Calipso.”
I smiled at him as he shook my hand up and down. “You too, Chad Perkins.”
He continued holding my hand well after the socially acceptable time. His thumb methodically brushed over my knuckles as he studied me. “So, what’s the likelihood of you giving me your phone number?” He leaned in closer to me. I could feel his warmth, and all I wanted to do was lean into it.
