Sidelined

Flustered she looked at him. Where did this guy come from? “Uh—yep. He’s here.”

The waiter, looking annoyed, moved on to the next table.

“Thanks.” She looked across the table puzzled. “He’s been on me about that empty seat since I got here, but you didn’t have to do that.”

“Sure I did. Can’t let a beautiful woman sit alone in a bar and get harassed by a waiter.” He smiled again, and she stopped herself from licking her lips.

“Well, thanks again. You don’t have to stay. I appreciate it.” She sipped the wine, glad that she had ordered it.

“Since I’m here, why don’t we share a round?” He raised his eyebrows. “Unless you really do have a date and I’ve crashed your evening.”

There was something undeniably sexy about his confidence. It wasn’t just his face or his body. Today had been the worst, most horrible, shitty day in the history of her days in San Diego. So if suddenly a hot guy with blue eyes wanted to have a drink with her, she was going to do it. She needed some way to forget the hell she had been through. Skye threw out all of her rules.

“Ok. What can I order for you?” She turned to look for the surly waiter.

“Oh no, sweetheart I’ll get it. I can get this round.”

“What? You have a problem with a woman buying you a drink?” She challenged.

He raised his hands. “No. Buy away. I like it.” He cracked a smile.

The waiter returned. “He’ll have a…” Skye offered, wondering what his drink of choice would be.

“Bourbon and coke,” the fake date answered.

“Alright.” The waiter disappeared.

“You start with the hard stuff.” Skye studied him. He was wearing charcoal pants and a light blue shirt rolled up to his elbows. He was fit and tan, but the close haircut was throwing her off. She skimmed through a list of possible scenarios: attorney—no, real estate—no, probably in pharmaceutical sales—yes, that seemed likely.

“Well, I just got back from a trip. And it is Friday night.” He winked at her and she felt the color rise in her cheeks.

The realization hit her that she didn’t know when the last time she had been on a date was. Of course, this didn’t count as a date. This was some random guy who sat down with her at a bar—not a date. It probably wouldn’t last longer than it would take for her to finish this glass of wine.

“So you travel for work?” The moscato tasted sweet.

He laughed and leaned back in his chair. “You could say that.”

She set a heated gaze on him. “Are you playing the mysterious card?” With her new embrace of reckless Skye, she liked not knowing much about him. It was thrilling just sitting and sharing a drink with a hot stranger.

“Depends on how much you want to know.” He eyed the waiter as he dropped the bourbon and coke on the table. “Thanks, man.” He kicked the glass back. Maybe he was being reckless tonight too.

“Why don’t you make up something?” she suggested.

He tilted his head. “Ahh, ok.” He paused. “How about this? I’m a doctor in town to work on a groundbreaking case. I’m about to save hundreds of lives, maybe thousands. But I’m only in town for the weekend.”

“So, the health of the world rests in your hands?”

“Uh-huh.” He finished the drink and rested it on the table.

“I have to say I’ve never had drinks with a famous, important doctor.” She grinned over her glass.

“What about you? What’s with the suit?” He nodded toward the lapel on her jacket.

Skye pursed her lips. This was her chance. She could be anyone she wanted to be. She didn’t have to be an ad executive, working tireless days to compete for accounts. She could be someone hot and sexy, someone that could make any man putty in her hands just for the night.

The idea popped in her head. “I’m a librarian in town for a literacy conference.”

He coughed. “A librarian who wears a sexy black suit to the bar?”