Firefox

“She’s had too much finally?” The man on the other side of the bar wiped the wood in front of them with a rag.

“Yes, I believe so,” Sparrow said. “I’ll take care of her.”

The bartender pointed at him. “Okay, but I’m gonna remember your face, so you’d better be on the up and up.”

Sparrow didn’t like his implication, or so he thought. He decided the easiest option was to let that go, even though he wasn’t sure what the man meant. “Very well,” he said, which probably wasn’t the right response judging from the confused look on the man’s face. He went to help another patron, so Sparrow patted Chloe’s back.

“Let’s leave here and get you plenty of water to drink. Perhaps it will dilute the—”

“I told you,” she said, sniffing loudly and straightening. “I’m not going to leave with you. I’m not that kind of girl.”

He cupped her cheek, gasping softly when she flinched at the touch. He hesitated, then pressed his hand against her cheek again. This time, she let him.

“I merely want to see to your needs, Chloe. You shouldn’t fear me—I’m at your service, Goddess.”

She scoffed and turned her head. “Cut it out. Your pick-up line’s lame.”

“Pick-up line? I do not—”

Her phone began playing music, a woman’s voice singing about taking back her life. Sparrow picked up the phone from the floor, but Chloe grabbed it from him and stood. She threw it down and stomped it with shouts of no, no, no, the heel of her shoe cracking the screen and bits of broken and crushed glass flying from it. It stopped making noise.

She put her hand on her forehead and swayed, so Sparrow put an arm around her to steady her.

“I’m fine. It’s just…too warm in here.”

“It is,” he agreed. “Let’s step outside and let the cooler air refresh you.”

She nodded, but her eyes were closed as he led her to the door and out. They stopped a few feet away from the door, where Chloe leaned against the brick and put both palms over her eyes. Sparrow stood in front of her, ready to reach out should she list to the side or fall forward.

“Please tell me what troubles you.” She did tilt a little forward then, so he put his hands on her shoulders. “I cannot bear to see you so distressed. Are you in physical pain? Because I can end that with a touch.”

She snorted, shaking her head. “Is that so? Well, I wish it were that simple, but physically, I’m fine.” Her words were harder to understand, one slurring into the next a bit more than before.

She dropped her hands and regarded him with the pale blue eyes Sparrow knew instinctively belonged to his living goddess. “You’re really good at this, though, y’know? It’s really easy to believe you actually care.”

“Oh, Gaia, I do care. Of course, I do. My whole purpose now is to care for you.” He touched her face again, but this time she didn’t flinch. Her lower lip trembled, and a fresh tear tracked its way down her cheek as she leaned forward. Not falling because of what she’d been drinking, but a slow tilt away from the wall and into his arms as her mouth pressed against his.

Sparrow’s heart soared, and he felt like he’d come home.

Chapter 3

Chloe managed to crack her eyes open just enough to let a little light in.

Who in the hell kept bringing a sledgehammer down on the back of her skull? Must have been the same bastard who filled her mouth with sour sand. Ugh.

She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths through her nose, waiting for a momentary bout of nausea to pass. Then she opened her mouth and moved her tongue around, grimacing at the taste in her mouth. Stale bourbon after a drunken sleep. Sadly, she was all too familiar with waking up after too much alcohol, but this was probably the worst hangover she’d ever had.

Even visualizing herself sitting up gave her enough vertigo to set her stomach bubbling.

She opened her eyes fully this time and stared at the ceiling, willing her insides to stop trembling. Maybe she’d force herself to get up and hurry to the bathroom, and that fast movement would bring on the nausea hard enough that she could throw up and get it over with. Chloe had no doubt she’d feel better if she did, once the brain-pounding subsided.

And then she realized how warm her right side was. And how someone lay next to her, breathing softly and steadily.

Oh, God, Chloe! You didn’t.

She carefully turned her head to see the tousled blond hair, straight nose, and full, moist lips. It was the man from the night before who said he’d take care of her. The naked man from the night before, judging from the bare shoulder. At that moment, Chloe realized the sheet was cool against her breasts, her stomach, and thighs. She was naked, too.

Oh God, Chloe. You did.