Blood and Sand

Page 14

CHAPTER FOUR You look well-pressed? Are you kidding, Natalie?
She mentally kicked herself. First, she ran into the incredibly attractive man who’d been sitting at the end of the bar, then she spilled his drink, then she started dabbing what was probably a thousand-dollar suit with cheap coffeehouse napkins and calling him “well-pressed.”
She really needed to get out more.
Natalie was beginning to think Kristy’s assertions that hanging with “the old guys” did not, in fact, constitute a social life might be right. Still, Incredibly Attractive Suit was smiling at her, so that was something. He hadn’t run screaming from Marty and Howard, either. And he was gorgeous. Black, black hair and brown eyes you could fall into and never find your way out. You wouldn’t want to. He was taller than her, but not by much. She’d put him at five ten or eleven, maybe. And his body… Well, if the suit made the man, then this suit—nice as it was—didn’t have much work to do, in her opinion. The man was all there.
He said, “I’d love to.”
“Love to what?” She blinked, coming out of a daze. Was her hand still on the front of his chest? Yes. Yes, it was. She pulled back and mentally cursed when she realized her hand had been resting on his muscles like she was grabbing a new toy. She could already feel the blush staining her cheeks. Damn her pale skin. Now Attractive Suit was looking at her like she was crazy.
“You asked me to join you for a drink.”
“Yes.” She shook her head a little and smiled, motioning to an empty stool at the bar. “I did. What were you drinking?”
“A vodka tonic.”
She held a hand up to grab Connie’s attention. “So, I make it a point to know the names of everyone I drink with. What’s yours?”
Natalie noticed the slight hesitation before he said, “George.”
Liar.
“George, huh?” She only smiled and sat down next to him. “I totally pegged you for a ‘George.’ Come on, is that really your name?”
He shrugged and leaned an arm on the bar, angling his body toward hers. “My given name is Chinese and really hard to pronounce. So I go by George.”
“Chinese, huh? Are you from China originally? What part?” She finally caught Connie’s attention. “Hey, can I get a Grey Goose and tonic?”
“Sure thing, honey.” The middle-aged woman turned to mix the drink. Connie didn’t put up with crap, and she treated her regulars right. George-who-wasn’t-George would get a good drink.
She turned to see him giving her a look. Natalie shrugged. “Was that right? You look like you have premium tastes. I guessed.”
“You guessed correctly.”
“I’m smart like that.” She sipped the beer Marty handed down to her. Luckily, the guys were keeping their opinions to themselves, for once. Their attention had turned to the game. She glanced over her shoulder. “Sorry. You were watching the game. You don’t actually have to talk to me.”
“I thought you were smart,” he said. She narrowed her eyes, but he looked like he was about to laugh. “You seem far more interesting than a baseball game.”
Smooth. That was almost too smooth. Almost.
“Thanks, George. Same to you.” She took another sip of beer.
“And what is your name?”
“Natalie.”
“Natalie, it’s nice to meet you. Do you come here much?”
She couldn’t stop the snort. Okay, maybe not so smooth. “Um… yeah.”
“Sorry.” He had the grace to look embarrassed and shook his head. “That sounded like a bad line, didn’t it? I’m genuinely curious, though. It’s my first time here. Is it always so…” He looked around. “Diverse?”
She nodded. “Mostly. More younger kids on the weekends, but during the week, it’s a pretty regular crowd. Connie and her sister have owned this place forever. They’ve pretty much kept it the same. I know the decor’s a little dated, but the glasses are clean and the company’s good.”
“Something tells me you don’t much care about the decor.”
“No.” Then she tried her best for a flirtatious look. “Not that you don’t class up the place in that suit, George.”
It must have worked, because he leaned a little closer. “Class can be overrated. And I don’t have any complaints about the decor, not with you sitting there.”
“Is that so?” She couldn’t think of anything else to say. He was actually flirting back. Maybe her luck with guys was changing.
Connie brought his drink and he took a sip, raising his eyebrows a little when he tasted it. “She certainly doesn’t pour light. Are you trying to get me drunk?”
Natalie laughed. “Maybe? I haven’t decided yet.”
“I’m on to you now, Natalie.”
“Damn. There goes my dastardly plan to take advantage of you.” She wanted to bite her lip as soon as she said it. Too soon!
George’s smile dropped and a distinct, hungry look came to his eyes. “Where would be the fun in that?”
She blinked in surprise.
His smile returned, but this time, it had a slightly wicked edge. “I’d much prefer to be sober when you take advantage of me.”
Okay, maybe not too soon.
Natalie could feel herself blushing again, but she ignored it. “Well, you’re certainly not shy.”