“It’s nice to meet you, Garrick.”
He leaned forward on his elbows, and I noticed his broad shoulders, and the way his muscles moved beneath the fabric of his shirt. Then our eyes connected, and the bar around us went from dim to dark, while I was ensnared by those baby blues.
“I’m going to buy you a drink.” It wasn’t meant to be a question. In fact, when he looked at me, there was nothing questioning in him at all, only confidence. “Then we can chat some more about reason and… passion.”
Chapter Two
I couldn’t tell whether the burning sensation in my chest had to do with the hooded look Garrick was giving me or the remainder of my first Jack and Coke that I just downed like it was water.
A waiter arrived at Garrick’s beckoning, and I took a moment to give myself a silent pep talk while he ordered himself a drink.
“Bliss?” Garrick prompted.
His voice sent shivers through me.
I looked up at him, then at the waiter, who happened to be Bartender Boy from earlier. I opened my mouth to ask for another Jack and Coke, but Bartender Boy stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “I remember—Jack and Coke, right?”
I nodded, and he threw me a wink and a smile. I paused wondering for a second how he knew my order. I was pretty sure the girl bartender had served me last. He was still smiling at me, so I forced myself to speak. “Thanks, um…”
“Brandon,” he supplied.
“Thanks Brandon.”
He glanced at Garrick, and then focused back on me.
“Should I tell your friend up front that you’ll be right back?”
“Oh, um, sure, I guess.”
He smiled in response, and stayed there staring at me for a few seconds before he turned to head back to the bar. I knew I had to look at Garrick again, but I was terrified I’d melt into a puddle of arousal and awkwardness if I met his gorgeous eyes again.
He said, “You know, sometimes I wonder if Desdemona was as innocent as she let on. Maybe she knew the effect she had on guys, and enjoyed making them jealous.”
I met his eyes then, and they were narrowed, studying me.
I swallowed my nerves and studied him back.
“Or maybe she was just intimidated by Othello’s intensity and didn’t know how to talk to him. Communication is key after all.”
“Communication, eh?”
“It could have solved a lot of their problems.”
“In that case, I’ll endeavor to be as clear as possible.” He picked up his chair and placed it mere inches from mine. He slinked down beside me and said, “I’d rather you didn’t go back to your friend. Stay here with me.”
Swallow, Bliss. I told myself, you have to swallow or you might start drooling.
“Well, my friend is waiting. What will we do if I stay?”
He reached out a hand and pushed my hair over my shoulder. His hand skimmed across my neck, pausing at my pulse point, which must have been going crazy.
“We can talk Shakespeare. We can talk about anything you want. Though I can’t promise not to get distracted by your lovely neck.” His fingers traveled across my jaw, until they reached my chin, which he pulled forward slightly with the pressure of his index finger. “Or your lips. Or those eyes. I could woo you with stories about my life, like Othello does Desdemona.”
I was already sufficiently wooed. My reply was embarrassingly breathy, “I’d rather not parallel our evening with a couple who ended with a murder/suicide.”
He grinned, and his finger dropped from my chin. My skin burned where he had touched me, and I had to stop myself from leaning forward to follow his touch.
“Touché. I don’t care what we do as long as you stay.”
“Okay.” I was immensely proud that I managed a calm reply instead of the Dear God, yes, I’ll do whatever you ask that was currently running through my mind.
“Maybe I should lock myself out my apartment more often.”
I’d prefer we locked ourselves in, actually.
My pocket started vibrating, and I rushed to answer my phone before my embarrassing boy band ringtone came on.
“Yes?”
“Did you fall in or what?”
It was Kelsey.
“No, Kelsey, I didn’t. Listen, why don’t you just head home without me.”
Garrick’s eyes darkened, and my breath hitched as his gaze dropped to my lips.
“You are not getting out of this, Bliss. You are getting laid tonight if I have to do it myself. “
God, could she be any louder? I thought that Garrick had to have heard, but his eyes never left my lips.
“That won’t be necessary, Kels.”
I tried to think of a cryptic way to tell her that I’d already found my guy, when I heard an intake of breath followed by “OH. MY. GOD.”
I glanced over Garrick’s shoulder in time to see Kelsey’s grin widen, and the crude hand gesture that followed.
“Yeah, okay, so I’ll talk to you later, Kels?”
“You most certainly will. You’ll call and tell me every drop dead gorgeous detail.”
“We’ll see.”