Chapter 2
NATHAN
“I can buy my own drink, thank you though.” The feisty woman who gave Chase “Jerkoff” Torres the virtual middle finger rejects my offer to pay for her drink with a dismissive wave of her hand. Her fiery glare pierces through me, as if daring me to challenge her.
But instead of being annoyed, a grin tugs at the corner of my lips. There’s something intriguing about her. She’s refreshing, and oozes confidence that most people spend a lifetime trying to master.
“Well,” I say, resting my elbows casually on the bar, “it seems like you’ve got everything handled. For the record, I wasn’t trying to get you to come home with me. I just thought you might enjoy a drink with some company that doesn’t fall into the douchebag category.”
Her lips twitch, almost betraying a smile, but she quickly masks it. “Nice try, but I don’t need company.”
“Noted,” I reply, raising my hands in mock surrender, then I reach to unbutton my navy suit jacket.
“However, I would like to buy you a drink to congratulate you on sending Chase back to his wife. I like a woman with strong morals.” It’s a lie by omission; I spotted her as soon as I entered the bar.
All legs, dark hair, curves for days, and snarky as hell.
She’s a fucking smoke show and I immediately wanted to know everything about her.
“You know him?” She points her thumb in the direction Chase left in.
“And his wife,” I confirm. “You were right. Suzanne deserves better.”
Her voice sounds hopeful about her suspicion when she asks, “So I was right about the three kids?”
“Right on the money.”
“Knew it,” she says triumphantly with a smug grin before she draws her lips into a thin line again.
Something about her tells me she doesn’t let her guard down very often, if at all, and doesn’t trust me, or anyone. Not easily anyway.
The only reason I know this is because I recognize a lot of myself in her.
Guarded. Takes no bullshit and can smell a rat a mile off.
I guess that’s what makes me the top personal injury lawyer in the city.
I’m a skilled listener and can read between the lines, hearing what’s not being said, and I have an innate ability to analyze client nuances.
It’s what sets me apart. My success isn’t just built on knowing the law, it’s also knowing people and how to read them. Which I’m an expert at.
For instance, right now, I know the woman with the tempting mouth who was quick to reject my offer to buy her a drink is now reconsidering. The slight tilt of her head, the irritated way she’s tapping her fingers on the bar, and the subtle softening of her posture give her away.
She’s unaware of her body leaning closer to me. It shifted by only a couple of inches, but I notice. And the way she’s licking her lips while staring at mine as if she’s imagining what it would be like to kiss me is a sure sign that she’s attracted to me, and I bet she hates herself for it.
As she continues to assess me, I can sense a question lingering on the tip of her tongue, but she’s holding back.
So I say what I know she’s eager to hear, because she’s trying to figure out if I’m a gentleman or a sleaze ball.
“I know Chase because he’s a lawyer, like me, but please don’t mistake us for being friends.
My friends are faithful, and loyal to a fault.
” Unlike Chase. He’s a shitty lawyer with a shitty reputation.
“I wasn’t asking,” she bites back.
“You didn’t need to.”
The bartender puts our drinks down on the bar, and I slide the one-hundred-dollar bill his way, instructing him to take it. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you, sir.” The bartender tips an invisible hat and smiles appreciatively before he walks away.
“You are not buying me a drink.” The stunning woman whose name I’ve yet to find out scrambles through her purse, pulls out a fifty-dollar bill, then attempts to hand it to me, but I refuse it.
“Keep the money. Your company is priceless.” I shoot her a grin while lightly pushing the bill back toward her. “If you insist, you can get the next one, but I’d rather you tell me your name as payment for the drink.”
“Who said I’m accepting this one?” She points at her glass, and I almost believe her poker face.
“Because I told you that you are.” And she’ll have another drink with me, trust me. The curiosity flickering in her emerald eyes makes it obvious. She wouldn’t still be sitting here if she wasn’t drawn to me.
Letting out a defeated sigh, she tucks the fifty back into her purse. “I’ll get the next one.”
I swivel around on my barstool to face her, grab her seat and pull her closer to me, making the wooden legs screech against the floor, my legs now on either side of hers. “Good girl.”
My words make her pupils dilate as she sucks in a breath.
It’s the confirmation I needed; I do affect her.
“Now will you relax? You’re so uptight.” I place my foot on the footrest of her seat.
“What are you doing?” The confidence in her voice slips away.
“You were too far away.” I hold her gaze. “Is that okay?”
“Eh, yes, I guess so, and if you’re this close no one will try to hit on me again.
” She surveys the bar, biting her bottom lip between her teeth, looking less self-assured than a few minutes ago, and I bask in the effect I am having on her because I’m a sick bastard and know I’ll have her coming all over my dick before the night is through.
I pick up my drink and swirl the amber liquid around the bottom of the glass, making the ice chime against the tumbler before taking a sip of the spicy whiskey.
I’m incapable of taking my eyes off her. She must sense me watching her because when her eyes hit mine, she gulps hard and stares back, completely motionless. And fuck me if she isn’t the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Where the hell has she been hiding?
“I’m not sleeping with you,” she blurts out.
She’s lying to both of us, because her right eye twitched, giving herself away, but I let it slide, for now.
“How about a name, then? Or is that off the table too?”
She clears her throat, shifts in her seat, then formally holds her hand out and introduces herself. “Ari.”
I slip my hand into hers, noticing how soft her skin is. “Nice to meet you, Ari. I’m Nathan.”
Batting her doe eyes, she snaps, “Just because I gave you my name doesn’t mean I’ll be going home with you tonight, Nathan.”
There’s not an inch of believability in her snarky comment. “Are you sure about that?” I continue to hold on to her hand and give it a squeeze.
“I can assure you that’s never going to happen.”