He replied with a grin, and I noticed how full and red his lips were, standing out against the paleness of his smooth-shaven face. “You absolutely did. And I’m sorry I intruded on what I’m sure would have been an epic takedown. He was just really pissing me off. Allow me to apologize on behalf of all men, especially those who are still figuring out how not to let their dicks run the show.”
I barked another laugh. “Feminist, are you?”
“I like to think so.” His features still showed caution, but no scowl. I was charmed. And I wanted a reason to forgive him for making the sucking-lemons face at me earlier.
When he didn’t step away, my initial interest resurfaced. Heightened.
Except he’d given me whiplash all night. And I wasn’t into playing games.
“I saw you before,” I said. “During the warm-up act. Watching me. Then you were doing it again just now, at the bar.” I leaned my elbows against the counter behind me. “You couldn’t have missed me looking back at you. But you got all weird and turned away. Both times.” His Adam’s apple worked as he swallowed, but when he remained quiet, I continued, “I’m in the habit of being aware when people are staring at me. Call it self-preservation.”
“Sorry.” He dragged a palm across his face before shoving both hands in his pockets. “I…uh…did notice you.” His sexy voice was lower than I expected.
His expression remained unreadable. Partially intrigued, but also…pained somehow. I grew impatient with his non-reply. “So, there we were, noticing each other—” I gripped the edge of the bar top. “Why’d you look away, then?”
He muttered, mostly to himself, “You could call that ‘self-preservation,’ too.”
I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly through the hum of the surrounding crowd. “Huh?”
“It’s hard to explain. Tonight…I didn’t really come here for…that.” He bit off the word. “I sort of wanted to be alone, and I guess I was trying to stick to the plan. But after noticing you before, then watching you hand that guy his ass a minute ago, I just…had to meet you.”
I still didn’t know what he wanted, and I’d given him plenty of opportunities to clarify. Hot and cold didn’t work for me. Too bad. With that moody, dark gaze, he was exactly my type. “Well, we’ve met now. I guess I’ll leave you to your alone time.” I pushed my elbows away from the bar. “Thanks for the assist with frat douche. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
His eyes widened. “Wait! I’m sorry I made it so complicated. Can we start over? Please.” He stepped closer and made a throaty entreaty, “Now that we’re talking, I’d like to keep doing that.”
I supposed I could give him a pass for being weird at first. We all had our reasons for bad moments. As long as he didn’t makehiscomplicationsmycomplications, we could still have a good time.
Or maybe he wasn’t a casual hookup type of guy? That would explain some of the odd behavior. I could respect that. He’d helped me out with Paul the garbage person, and seemed fun to talk to. I wouldn’t be too disappointed if that was all we did.
“I’m cool to chill. But I won’t apologize for interrupting yourme time,” I joked. “Since I offered to walk away.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” His heavy-lidded gaze raked over my body from the top of my head to the tips of my black calf-height boots. “Like I said, I wasn’t looking…but I’m not sorry.”
I smiled. “How about we start with something simple. Like, what’s your name?”
“Oh, jeez.” He rolled his eyes. “I know I’m rusty, but apparently, I’m also an idiot. Sorry. I’m Billy.” It would have felt natural to shake hands, but his fists stayed determinedly in his pockets. I assumed he wanted to be extra gentlemanly and hands-off after the dude bro situation.
“Mo.”
“Mo. Cool name. Is that short for something?”
I always used Mo with potential dates and hookups until I was certain it was safe to give my real name. A girl never could be too careful. I tsked. “Ooh, tough break for you, Billy. That’s information I reserve exclusively for people I’ve known longer than fifteen minutes.”
He laughed. The look of indecision I’d seen pass over his features earlier broke through for a moment, but he washed it away quickly.
“How about we remedy that?” he asked. “There’s a twenty-four-hour diner north of here. Sophisticated place called Denny’s. Can I buy you a late, late dinner? Or coffee?”
My stomach did a somersault as his question resolved into a beautiful smile. It pulled on my insides like gravity. We’d been able to speak at a normal volume for a few minutes with the band between sets, but the pounding bass started up again.
Billy evidently didn’t want a speedy hookup. And I wasn’t in the mood for quick and meaningless either. That wasn’t the vibe between us. The smart thing to do would be to call it a night. Exchange numbers and plan for another time. But now that we were finally talking, I was reluctant for the conversation to end. And the band was performing its encore.
There was an urgency to the moment I couldn’t explain or dismiss.Dang. I’d come here tonight trying to get out of my head after a stressful few days, and now I was considering something more than a casual hookup with someone I’d barely met. I couldn’t even recall the last time I’d gone to a restaurant with a guy.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted to. As attracted as I was to those full ruby lips of his, I was just as interested in finding out if his confidence was real or forced. I wanted to know if he truly considered himself a feminist, and who had taught him that. Did he actually like Joy Division, or was he wearing their T-shirt ironically? And what had he seen in me that made him want to stop being cautious?
“Yeah. I could eat,” I said. “Although I might be too deaf to carry on a conversation.” I reached up to touch the foam in my ears. “We’re good as long as you’re in the mood to potentially be eating french fries with me in stony silence.”
“Sounds perfect.”
