WOMEN LOVE MENthat can sing.
History has shown that girls of all ages lose their minds over a guy who can carry a note and I’m not ashamed to admit that I am no better than the women who have come before me.
While my date with Daniel went well, there weren’t any sparks. The kind that sent my whole body ablaze from the inside out. The type to make me lose all cognitive ability and forget the simplest of things like my own name.
Like Nathan does.The little voice in my head said, making me physically scowl at the strawberry margarita that I was currently nursing. The voice was there on my date with Daniel and again on my date with Rhett Finley, a mutual friend of Kelsey’s and the lead singer of Panic at Sunrise.
Rhett was exactly the kind of guy women lost their mind over. Golden-blond hair that curled just right at the ends, tattoos that told stories he probably didn’t remember with a voice smooth enough to melt panties in every state, and that reckless rockstar charm that saidI’ve lived and I know it.
It was all being wasted on me tonight.
“Tell me the truth,” Rhett said, smirking as he traced the rim of his whiskey glass with his index finger. “You’ve seen my Tiny Desk, haven’t you?”
I smiled politely. “I have.”
He leaned forward like he’d just won something. “And?”
“You’ve got talent,” I said honestly. “The live version ofShadow Kissis actually better than the studio one.”
Rhett’s brows lifted, impressed. “Didn’t think you’d know that track. Most people skip it.”
“I don’t skip music. I choreograph to it.”
He nodded like he approved, then reached out and brushed his hand over my wrist. “That explains the dancer's body.”
I stiffened.
It wasn’texplicit, but the way his fingers lingered was far too familiar for a first date. Especially one that had been going south since minute ten.
I shifted in my seat, pulling my arm back gently under the pretense of wanting a sip of my margarita. “Thanks,” I said with a tight smile. There was nothing wrong with Rhett. He was charismatic, confident, and by every female fantasy metric, a great catch. But it felt like we were sitting at entirely different tables. He was vibing for chemistry. I was trying not to count how many exits there were in case I had to fake an emergency.
Still, I kept it polite. He was friends with Kelsey, after all. And I didn’t want to be rude.
“So, what kind of music do you choreograph to?” he asked, leaning back lazily in his seat. “Are you more of a beat drop girl or a slow grind type?”
I opened my mouth to answer but mercifully, his phone rang.
Rhett glanced at the screen then at me. “Sorry, gotta take this. It’s my drummer. He wouldn’t call unless it was important.”
“Take your time.” I smiled, grateful for the break. Rhett stood and paced a few feet away. I took the opportunity to sink back into my seat and exhale.
When he came back a moment later, he was rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey, so my drummer’s car broke down, and he’s stranded with all our gear.”
“Oh no,” I said, trying to sound appropriately concerned but feeling relieved.
“Yeah, I’ve gotta go help him out. Do you mind if we cut this short?”
“Not at all.”
“You’re fun, Elise. Real fun.” His eyes dropped to my mouth for half a second longer than necessary. “I’d like to see you again. Maybe do something just you and me? No distractions.”
“Maybe,” I said.
Inside my head:Hard pass.
He paid the bill like a gentleman, leaned in obviously for a kiss but I turned my head, so he kissed my cheek instead and gave me a wink that probably worked better on groupies, then left, leaving me to nurse my fruity drink alone at one of the hottest bars in West Hollywood on a Saturday night.
I was gathering my things to leave when I bumped into someone. The delicious scent of sandalwood and fresh linen hit me, and my heart skipped a beat.
