leading toward the restrooms, and still another sitting directly across from her, giving her sultry dark eyes that did absolutely nothing but make her think of a self-absorbed actor she’d dated once in college.
“Whatever,” she muttered and refilled her glass. She was starting to get a perfectly nice buzz that was helping to drown out the voices. The last thing she needed was bossy men ordering her around or coming on to her. She was tempted to leave the place, just for spite. But… She wasn’t going to waste a perfectly good—well, adequate—bottle of wine.
One of the men across from the bar winked at her, then the one who’d been standing by the hallway came up and sat in the chair Leo had occupied.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“None of your business.” He looked shocked, but the whole situation was giving Ava goose bumps. What was the game here? She didn’t get it. There was something going on, but the wine had muffled the voices, making it harder for her to read the intentions of the man sitting next to her. She looked around the place. She was in a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt, hadn’t even attempted to dress up. Why was this guy talking to her? She had no illusions about her own beauty. Ava knew she was moderately attractive, but she wasn’t the kind of woman who turned heads. Certainly not heads that looked like they belonged in fashion magazines.
“I’m just curious. You’re a beautiful woman, and you’re all alone.”
“Yes. Happily alone.”
Keep telling yourself that, Ava .
Stupid wine.
“But you weren’t alone earlier.”
“Your point, Einstein?”
“Did your boyfriend leave you here?”
“None of your business.”
“So he is your boyfriend? Do you know what he is?”
What? Ava took another drink. This guy wasn’t making any sense. Maybe it was a language thing.
“You know,” she said in a low voice, sliding closer. “I’d really like you to…”
He leaned in. “What?”
“Leave.”
Hottie’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you know just who your boyfriend is, do you?”
Irritated, Ava blurted out, “He’s not my boyfriend! But he will take care of you if you don’t leave me alone. Now.”
Well, that made him happy.
“So he’s not your boyfriend! May I join you?”
She squinted. Yep, buzz definitely getting spoiled. “Are you deaf? No! Are all Turkish men this forward? Do I look like I want company?”
He said something she really didn’t listen to. The noise from the television seemed louder. Had the bartender turned it up? Hot Guy was still talking.
Was it some kind of game? A bet? She looked around, but none of the other men were looking at them. In fact, even Mister Wink Wink across the bar was looking away. Ava was starting to get nervous, and she really wished Leo would come back. She pulled out her phone and saw that he had just texted her.
Meet me by the door I left through.
Normally, she’d ignore him. After all, he worked for her—or her stepfather. Whatever. She didn’t have to do what he said. She finished the glass of wine and narrowed her eyes at the handsome man who still looked like he expected Ava to fall into his bed. He was watching her like she was the most fascinating thing in the world.
“What are you?” he whispered with barely contained excitement.
“I’m an American photographer. It’s really not all that exciting.”
“I don’t think that’s what you really are.”
Weirdo . He might have been handsome, but the guy did nothing for her. She was about to pour another glass of wine when she heard her phone buzz again. She looked down. It was Malachi’s number.
Ava, go to Leo. Now.
“Ugh.” Her head fell back and she groaned. “Bossy men. Damn bossy men. Who the hell do they think they are?” She’d tell them off in person.
Ava stood and picked up her purse. As soon as she did, she felt a hand on her arm. It was Hot Guy, who had morphed into Mr. Intrusive.
Okay, not cool.
“Hey!”
“Whatever,” she muttered and refilled her glass. She was starting to get a perfectly nice buzz that was helping to drown out the voices. The last thing she needed was bossy men ordering her around or coming on to her. She was tempted to leave the place, just for spite. But… She wasn’t going to waste a perfectly good—well, adequate—bottle of wine.
One of the men across from the bar winked at her, then the one who’d been standing by the hallway came up and sat in the chair Leo had occupied.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“None of your business.” He looked shocked, but the whole situation was giving Ava goose bumps. What was the game here? She didn’t get it. There was something going on, but the wine had muffled the voices, making it harder for her to read the intentions of the man sitting next to her. She looked around the place. She was in a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt, hadn’t even attempted to dress up. Why was this guy talking to her? She had no illusions about her own beauty. Ava knew she was moderately attractive, but she wasn’t the kind of woman who turned heads. Certainly not heads that looked like they belonged in fashion magazines.
“I’m just curious. You’re a beautiful woman, and you’re all alone.”
“Yes. Happily alone.”
Keep telling yourself that, Ava .
Stupid wine.
“But you weren’t alone earlier.”
“Your point, Einstein?”
“Did your boyfriend leave you here?”
“None of your business.”
“So he is your boyfriend? Do you know what he is?”
What? Ava took another drink. This guy wasn’t making any sense. Maybe it was a language thing.
“You know,” she said in a low voice, sliding closer. “I’d really like you to…”
He leaned in. “What?”
“Leave.”
Hottie’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you know just who your boyfriend is, do you?”
Irritated, Ava blurted out, “He’s not my boyfriend! But he will take care of you if you don’t leave me alone. Now.”
Well, that made him happy.
“So he’s not your boyfriend! May I join you?”
She squinted. Yep, buzz definitely getting spoiled. “Are you deaf? No! Are all Turkish men this forward? Do I look like I want company?”
He said something she really didn’t listen to. The noise from the television seemed louder. Had the bartender turned it up? Hot Guy was still talking.
Was it some kind of game? A bet? She looked around, but none of the other men were looking at them. In fact, even Mister Wink Wink across the bar was looking away. Ava was starting to get nervous, and she really wished Leo would come back. She pulled out her phone and saw that he had just texted her.
Meet me by the door I left through.
Normally, she’d ignore him. After all, he worked for her—or her stepfather. Whatever. She didn’t have to do what he said. She finished the glass of wine and narrowed her eyes at the handsome man who still looked like he expected Ava to fall into his bed. He was watching her like she was the most fascinating thing in the world.
“What are you?” he whispered with barely contained excitement.
“I’m an American photographer. It’s really not all that exciting.”
“I don’t think that’s what you really are.”
Weirdo . He might have been handsome, but the guy did nothing for her. She was about to pour another glass of wine when she heard her phone buzz again. She looked down. It was Malachi’s number.
Ava, go to Leo. Now.
“Ugh.” Her head fell back and she groaned. “Bossy men. Damn bossy men. Who the hell do they think they are?” She’d tell them off in person.
Ava stood and picked up her purse. As soon as she did, she felt a hand on her arm. It was Hot Guy, who had morphed into Mr. Intrusive.
Okay, not cool.
“Hey!”
Similar Books
