She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’ll get you another glass.”
Ouch. There weren’t many women who didn’t respond at all to some of my not-so-subtle flirting.
Skylar came back from the bar with another glass.
“I’m Landon,” I said as she handed me a full glass, alcohol slipping over the sides.
“Skylar,” she replied and threw back her shot. She meant business.
Hopefully there wouldn’t be too many shots done tonight. I didn’t want her to get too drunk—I needed her sober for what I had planned.
“Skylar’s single,” August announced.
That was good to know.
“Single implies I’m available. Which isn’t true,” Skylar said.
“You’re available to the right guy, though. Right?” August asked.
“Yes, but it’s a high bar,” she said.
August groaned. “What else is on your list?”
“No liars. No married men. No gay men—no matter how rich. No priests. No—”
“What’s going on here?” I asked Harvey.
Harvey rolled his eyes. “Some shopping list that Skylar has for a boyfriend.”
“There’s nothing
wrong with having high standards,” Skylar interrupted. “Most people settle way too easily.”
I laughed. “Interesting. So you get guys to fill out a pre-qualifying questionnaire?”
“If that’s how you see it, you don’t have to apply,” she said.
I wasn’t in the market for a wife. I was an all-or-nothing kind of guy—be it work or relationships. Work I was all in, and it didn’t leave time for anything else. But I wouldn’t say no to a night with Skylar.
“Someone so beautiful can have all the criteria they like, I guess,” I said. I wasn’t sure if Skylar was incredibly wise, totally jaded, or a little bit wounded, but I knew I wanted to find out a little more. “So, where can I get my hands on your questionnaire? I might want to fill it in,” I asked, leaning forward to make sure she heard me over the music. And to get a little closer. I caught a strain of honeysuckle—such a pure and innocent scent for someone so . . . cynical? Or was she just focused on her end goal?
She shrugged. “Applications are closed. I’m sorry.”
“I know this season you’re going to find your perfect guy,” August said. “I can just feel it.”
“You’re more concerned about it than me,” Skylar said. “I’d rather be alone than miserable.”
Did she just assume she’d be miserable if she wasn’t alone? I wanted to be the man who changed her mind. Just for the night. “Maybe you’ve just not met the right guy yet,” I suggested, genuinely curious about her reaction.
“Yeah, that must be it,” she replied.
I couldn’t help but grin at her sarcasm, and she smiled in return and tilted up her chin, allowing me to imagine biting the underside of her neck.
Maybe she caught the dirty thoughts running through my head, imagining what her skin tasted of, because her smile faded and her chin dropped. “It’s not like I need a man,” she said. “I’m perfectly able to look after myself.”
“I’m sure,” I replied. I couldn’t help but cast my gaze down her phenomenal body.
I caught August nudging Harvey.