Liv looked in the direction of the bar, and saw one of the guys she’d met at dinner. She thought it might be Jimmy, but she wasn’t sure. He waved and motioned for her to co
me to the bar.
“I’ll be right back.”
As she walked up, she saw Ben standing at the bar, with his back to her. He turned as she drew closer, and smiled, that devastatingly perfect smile that made her want to slide into his arms and never leave.
His worn jeans, with holes and tears in all the right places, sat low on his hips. His Henley crept up as he reached his hand out in invitation, revealing a peek at his rock-hard abs. The True Grit plaid shirt he wore, open in the front, stretched across his broad shoulders, and his cowboy hat sat down low on his head, almost covering his eyes.
“Wow, look at you all sexy and hanging out at the bar. Aren’t you afraid your fans will mob you?” She stepped closer and breathed in the scent of him.
“Nah, I’ve been out here forty-five minutes waiting for you. Nobody recognizes me.”
“If I knew you were waiting for me, as hot as you are, I would’ve gotten here much sooner.”
“Me? Look at you. You’re fire and ice, baby.” Liv’s sleeveless red dress clung to every curve of her body. She wore a single, solitaire diamond on a long chain that hung low, resting in the hollow between her breasts. Her four-inch nude heels made her legs look impossibly long, and her wavy hair framed her face with perfectly placed blonde highlights.
Ben sat on a bar stool, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. “I want to kiss you so bad, right here in the bar. Would that embarrass you?”
Liv rubbed her lips across his before pulling away.
“That isn’t a real kiss. Come here. Give me more of that.”
Before he could pull her closer, she stiffened her arm, keeping him at a distance. “Careful, your adoring fans may not like seeing you with me.”
“What’s goin’ on with you?” Jimmy asked after Liv walked away.
“I wish to hell I knew. God, look at her.” Ben breathed in deep. “I could eat her up. Have you ever seen a more beautiful woman?”
“I’m confused. Didn’t you just meet her? You seem kinda’ over the top.”
“Yeah, I did. I mean, I met her last summer, after the show we played at Red Rocks.”
“Oh, yeah. Now I remember. So you met her then, for five minutes, now she’s coming to our shows? Hmm.”
“Nah, it’s not like that. I ran into her another time in January, and then at the pool yesterday. ”
“She didn’t mean to run into you? Come on.”
No, she was different. She hadn’t meant to run into him, fate kept putting her in his path. Liv had been fighting the attraction between them. She didn’t recognize it for what it was. Something special, something unique.
“I’m tellin’ you, it’s not that way. I like her, so back the hell off.”
Jimmy held up his hands. “Just sayin’.”
Liv could not wait to see Ben on stage again. She loved watching him play at Red Rocks, and now, being so close, she’d be able to see those big, powerful hands on the guitar, and watch his eyes as he sang.
She fanned her face. Maybe she should go get fresh air before they started. Wait, this was Las Vegas, there wasn’t much fresh air, and what there was of it wouldn’t cool her off.
One by one the band members took the stage, everyone but Ben, and the emcee came out. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome…C…B…R-i-i-i-c-e!” The place was packed, and the crowd roared. The band started to play and seconds later, Ben came on stage, guitar in hand, already playing.
They were so close to the stage Liv could see the sweat on his brow. His eyes closed as he stepped forward singing, “Twisted.”
Can’t blame it on the whiskey
Can’t blame it on the smoke
Half of me’s in heaven,