Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
MARIAM
“ W hy are so many people staring at us?” I whispered to Gemma as we walked into the little bar. “Has my head turned into a giant lettuce or something?”
She took a step back, surveying me with a serious expression before she finally cracked a smile. “Nope. You’re all good. I thought I saw a hint of celery growing out of your ears, but it was just the light.”
“Gee, thanks.” I laughed. “Now I’m going to feel compelled to keep touching my ears all night.”
“No part of you is a vegetable.” She took my arm and steered me toward the bar. “They’re looking at us because we’re young, hot, and new around here. I think the term is fresh meat .”
I took another quick look around the place, feeling all eyes on us while she marched me to the alcohol. Everyone I made eye contact with seemed kind and warm, though. At least they weren’t looking at us as if we were invaders.
Drawing in a steadying breath, I tried to ignore the pinpricks dragging across my skin, telling me that they hadn’t stopped staring yet. It’s okay. They’re just curious. Gemma’s right. We’re new here. That’s all it is.
“Let’s sit here,” she said cheerfully, motioning at two vacant barstools. “Do you mind ordering our drinks? I just need to run to the ladies’ real quick.”
“Sure. What do you want?”
“Surprise me,” she said with a devilish smile. “Something strong and pretty, though.”
I nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”
She winked at me before she spun and took off toward a pair of doors at the back. Sighing I sat down and picked up one of the menus lying abandoned on the bar. Laminated plastic, it wasn’t the fanciest menu I’d ever seen, but the pub fare they had on offer looked like hearty, familiar favorites, burgers, chicken wings, and loaded fries. Similarly, the cocktail menu was basic but offered all the usual fan favorites.
Deciding to order us each a margarita, I looked for the bartender, but he was busy pouring four shots at the far end of the counter. When I caught his eye, I lifted a finger to let him know I was ready, and he gave me a curt nod and a tight smile in response.
“Can I buy you a drink?” a deep voice asked at my side.
I blinked hard, looking up to find myself looking at the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. He was definitely older, but that didn’t bother me one bit. In fact, I’d always found guys our age a little… tedious.
They were all about pissing contests and their egos, swinging their dicks around like making it six or seven years as an adult meant the sun shone brightly out of their butts. Ick . Not for me .
This man, however, didn’t give off any of that overeager, try-hard energy. He stood about a foot away from me at the bar, a respectful distance that suggested he didn’t feel entitled to be right in my space.
Stunning green eyes looked into mine, turned up a bit at the corners even if there was no smile on his face. Instead, the man’s full lips were set in a neutral press, not angry, annoyed, or cocky, but rather just neutral.
He was waiting for an answer, and it didn’t seem like he was going to push the issue. It made me feel instantly at ease with him, which was odd for me, but I appreciated the way he was approaching me.
It was a much smoother way of offering a person a drink than some of the methods often employed by men my age. This guy wasn’t pushy or aggressive about it at all, but with looks like his, I was sure he was used to getting what he wanted without having to resort to high pressure tactics.
Salt and pepper hair framed a handsome face with striking features, his eyebrows dark slashes above those gorgeous eyes. A classic nose with a flat, straight bridge, high cheekbones, and a sharp, clean-shaven jawline completed the picture.
Unable to help myself, my gaze dropped away from his face to drink in his tall frame. With broad shoulders and narrower hips, he clearly worked out, his body muscular under his black Henley shirt.
As soon as I started wondering what he might look like without that shirt, I snapped back to reality and jerked my eyes up to his. “Thank you, but I’m here with a friend.”
Absolutely no surprise registered on his features, as if he’d already known I wasn’t here alone. He also didn’t seem offended by my turning him down. Rather, he simply appeared to be curious. It was apparent in the way he was looking at me like he was trying to figure out if he’d seen me someplace before.
“I know almost everyone from this town and yet, somehow, I don’t know you.”
The words were delivered easily, but not as a cheesy line. It was more like a statement of fact.
Yet another thing that makes me feel weirdly comfortable with him.
I even found my lips inching into a tiny, shy smile as I held his intent gaze. “You wouldn’t know me. I just moved here for a few weeks. We only got in this afternoon.”
“Ah.” A friendly, easygoing grin appeared on his lips. “I’m Arland. Maybe I’ll see you around, if I’m lucky.”
After giving me one last, lingering look that made me tingle in the panty region, he spun on his heels and walked away, sliding back into a seat at a table in the corner. Is it just me, or was he flirting?
I sure felt like he had been, but the fact that he hadn’t come on strong or tried to convince me to change my mind about the drink made me uncertain. Was it just small town friendliness or genuine attraction?
Gemma suddenly reappeared at my side, making a wide-eyed face as she gaped in his direction. “Was that super-hot silver fox just talking to you? What did he say?”
I laughed, my cheeks heating even as I shrugged and tried to play it off. “I think he’s just a local who wanted to introduce himself because he didn’t recognize us. It was no biggie.”
“No biggie?” She scoffed, shaking her head at me as she took her seat.
The bartender finally came over. I placed our order, hoping Gemma would forget about the interaction, but I should’ve known better. When the bartender left to make our drinks, she sent another pointed look in Arland’s direction. “Men like that don’t just go around randomly introducing themselves to women in bars, Mims.”
“Men like what?” I countered. “Older guys who are local and friendly?”
“Distinguished-looking older gentlemen who make a point of coming over to introduce themselves to just one hot newcomer to town. You don’t see him going around talking to everyone, do you?”
As I stared at the back of his silvery head, I realized she was right. I hadn’t noticed him approaching me, but he sure hadn’t stopped at any other tables on his way back to his own. The muscles in my lower belly tightened, but then I forced my gaze back to Gemma’s.
“I’m sure it was nothing. He seemed curious, is all. I assume he already knows everyone else in here, which is why he only spoke to me.”
One of her manicured eyebrows arched. “That’s bulldust and I think you know it. That man came over here to talk to you , Mimi. Own it. You’re hot, and young, and new in town. Plus, you have a Bucket List item to tick off. He seems like as good a candidate as any to me.”
“Please.” I rolled my eyes at her. “I hardly think he wants to jump into bed with me. Older people don’t do that, do they?”
Her lips pursed as she thought it over before she shrugged. “I think they do. Someone has to have invented the one-night stand. Much as I love and loathe our generation, we didn’t come up with that ourselves.”
“Fair enough.”
“Exactly.” She grinned. “Besides, most people around here are older. You’re going to have to get used to it.”
“I happen to like older people,” I said emphatically. “I just don’t believe that guy wants to screw me simply because he introduced himself.”
Although I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to it if he does want to. I’m just not getting my hopes up, is all.
Gemma gave me another annoyingly knowing look, her lips pursing as she tried to hold back a smile. “You get to be an entirely new person here, Mims. Don’t get me wrong. I love you just the way you are and I always will, but no one here knows you. I think you could really enjoy your time in Sun Valley if you just unclench a little.”
I laughed. “ Un clench? I’m not clenched, am I? God, I don’t want to be clenched.”
She tilted her head, amusement twinkling in her eyes as she shrugged. “Then take my advice and unclench . The list was all about challenging ourselves, right? You’re already here. You’ve already taken the biggest, boldest, bravest step ever. Now all you need to do is relax enough to enjoy it.”
I exhaled, taking a moment to consider what she’d said. The bartender brought over our drinks and I lifted mine to hers. “Here’s to unclenching and enjoying every minute of this new adventure, but I still don’t think he wanted to sleep with me.”
Gemma picked up her glass and clinked it against mine. “Oh, he definitely wanted to sleep with you. I guess the only question here is whether you’re going to let him.”