Ask Me (Mess with Me 2)

Who is this girl flirting with the sexiest guy in the bar?

Who is this siren confidently touching the back of his hand and flipping her hair as if she knows how to seduce someone?

I’m putting on a show but inside my inner dork is slowly melting down. What the hell am I doing? After dating one guy all through high school and then my fiasco with Thad the cheater in college, I don’t exactly have a lot of experience. But isn’t that the point of moving to the city and starting a whole new life? To do all the things I never got to do before, experience life and break out of my shell?

“So, I suppose it’s a little late to be asking, but what are we celebrating?” He winks as he takes another sip of his beer.

His throat works as he swallows and I have to turn away, startled at my intense visceral reaction to watching the muscles in his throat work. Heat creeps up my face and I have to work not to gawk at him like a teen girl with a crush.

“Actually the day I met you, I was on my way to a job interview. That’s why I said you were a good luck charm. I got the job! Now, I’m here to check out whether I want to apply for a second job here. So seeing you is probably a good thing. Maybe it means I’ll get hired here, too.”

He raises his glas

s. “Well, let’s toast to your new job. Congratulations. I hope it’s the start of something great.”

“I hope it’s the start of something great, too. I could use some good news for a change.” Not wanting to dwell on the crapstorm the last year has been, I smile and shake off all thoughts of the past. “Tell me more about you. What do you do?”

For the first time all night he looks wary. “I work in… retail. Selling men’s clothes.”

That explains a lot actually, namely how he makes a simple T-shirt and jeans look so damn good. Although I suspect the phenomenal genetics play a part in that, also.

“That must be fun.”

“It can be,” he says. “It can also be really demoralizing. Not that I’m complaining. I have a great life.”

“You’re not complaining just being honest. Nobody has a perfect life. We all have good things and bad things we’d love to change.”

“Yes, that’s it exactly. I’m so grateful for the good things. And I love… clothes. So I’m truly happy with where I am.”

“That’s exactly what I want. In my career, I mean. Clearly I’m not talking about clothes. I’m not so good with clothes.” I wave my hand over the worn jeans and halter I’m wearing. Ariana had warned me in advance that the bar was extremely casual, something I was grateful for. I don’t have that many dressy clothes.

“You look great,” he shouts over the music. “Very comfortable.”

That makes me chuckle. “Just what every girl wants to hear. Although you can get away with saying that in your accent. You could probably say ‘hey you look like shit’ and it would sound elegant.”

He laughs. “My family roots are French, Italian and some English that my mother refuses to admit to. But I’ve traveled so much in recent years that my accent has become a bit muddled.”

“What was that again?” I lean over to hear what he just said. This bar is so loud but half of our communication has been flirty glances, anyway. Plus, it gives me an excuse to lean closer to him.

His lids lower as I lean into his arm. My nipples tighten beneath the thin material of my halter top and I know he can tell. His sharp intake of breath proves it when I deliberately rub closer. Heat spreads from where his arm presses up against my breast.

For the next few years, I’m going to be focused on nothing but work. Climbing the corporate ladder and proving everybody back in Gracewell wrong. This is my last chance to let loose and actually have some fun before I’m committed to the life of a corporate drone. Shouldn’t I enjoy it while I have the chance?

I bite my lip, mulling it over. Part of me feels I should be ashamed considering going home with a guy when I don’t even know his last name.

I’m lucky I caught his first name, considering how loud it is in here.

But when I look at him, I don’t feel like he’s a stranger. Something about him puts me at ease and no man has ever made me feel so sexy.

Maybe I won’t be having much fun over the next few years but at least I’ll have one really great memory to carry me through all those long, lonely nights. Time stops when our eyes meet.

And I make a decision.

“The music has gotten really loud,” I yell over the music. “Do you want to get out of here?”

His eyes hold mine, almost like he’s trying to read between the lines. Taking a chance, I lean forward and brush my lips against his slightly. Before I can even pull back, he’s got his finger up signaling for the bartender.

I open my small bag. After I bought him a drink we had another round, okay two more rounds, so I’m sure our bill is really high by now. But before I can count out any money, he hands some bills to the bartender and holds out a hand to me.