Through spending enough time with Faith, I knew, somehow in this world, there was power in a name even if it was one that your mother had picked and you never thought quite suited you. Either way, for him, I was interested enough to give it. “Ana.”
The corner of his mouth quirked, as if he was considering it. “Nice to meet you, Ana.”
“Maybe.”
He chuckled, reaching out his hand toward me. “I’m Dominic. My friends call me Dom.”
I wasn’t sure when I’d last ever had a hand thrust out in front of me that wasn’t at a party. It was sort of my trick, reading people. Palm, tarot. During my time at Gertie’s, I thought it was my only talent.
I stared at Dominic—Dom’s hand for a second before I took it, not able to see his palm in the dim light.
“I didn’t know we were friends.”
“I didn’t plan on making any either today, if it makes you feel better.” He shrugged, tapping his empty bottle on the bar again, like a nervous tic.
It did make me feel better. Oddly. “You still didn’t tell me why you are here.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“All right then.” I narrowed my eyes.
“I’m trying to figure you out.”
I gave him a smile but looked back toward Brenson. He quickly slid my fresh drink towards me before moving toward the microphone to start trivia. I picked up my pen and prepared. I was not going to lose to the baby-bump moms group or whatever they called themselves again.
“Not much to figure out.”
“Why do I think that’s not true?” Dom mused. “You’re sitting alone at a bar.”
“The only bar in this entire town really.”
“Drinking—what is that?”
“A margarita.”
“Are you sure?”
Unfortunately. I pressed my lips together so I didn’t smile.
“And waiting very patiently for something,” he deducted.
“I’m waiting for trivia. And so you don’t rupture something from thinking too hard,” I warned him, “I’m not dating or seeing or wanting to see any more of you tonight or anytime in the near future right now, so I have to tell you that I’m not currently interested.”
“Who said anything about that?”
I forced myself not to roll my eyes.
“And only currently?”
Any other time, I’d probably jump at him, even for the night. Because he was handsome and not just in the pretty boy-next-door way that most of the men seemed to possess around Barnett from all their time being raised up right and understanding hard labor young. Dominic—Dom had a hardness around the edges that they talked about in steamy romance novels. Dark hair was swept back in loose strands that flopped over his ears. Tattoos were splashed across his chest and all the way down one arm, even if I couldn’t tell what they were at a single glance.
Dominic Rovnik was an easy wet dream.
But not for me. He couldn’t be.
I turned away from him and took a deep breath. I needed to stop playing with him. For one reason, I had trivia to focus on. Also, I’d promised myself that I was going to stop dating or flinging myself at any somewhat-sweet-seeming man who came my way.
“I’m not looking for romance anymore in my life.”
