Page 68
I froze, staring up at var Rorik, because of course it was var Rorik.
His throat bobbed as he quickly stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Hi, Anita.”
“I—Hello.” Flustered, I lifted my glass and gulped down some water.
His yellow eyes tracked my movements before he averted his gaze and nodded at the bar. “Going that way?”
“Yes. Yep.”
He started to tug his right hand out of his pocket, then seemed to change his mind and instead gestured at the bar with his left. “After you.”
I went to take a step forward, but a sudden hand on my shoulder stopped me dead.
“Anita, get more shots! More shots, more shots!” Tamyn yelled in my ear, slightly unsteady on her feet. “Hi!” she added to var Rorik, before turning back to the group.
His mouth twitched, so I marched toward the bar as quickly as possible and set the empty glasses down with a touch more force than necessary. A second later, the mouthwatering scent of var Rorik’s cologne filled my nose.
“Been partaking in some shots?” he asked lightly as he stopped at the bar beside me. “Do they do flaming shots here?”
I set my jaw, keeping my eyes forward. Now I was remembering how much he rankled me—that smug tone, the cocky grin— but for some infuriating reason, it was doing nothing to lessen the desire swimming in my veins. He was just so… so…
“I’m sure you’d already know if they did,” I answered breezily. “Is that why you’re here? I didn’t realise you had to travel so far across town just to partake in your favourite beverage.”
I heard him huff in amusement. “Should I be worried that you seem to know I don’t live in the area, Anita?”
I gritted my teeth, but managed to keep my voice calm as I answered, “I just assumed you don’t travel all the way across town to go to the gym every morning.”
That seemed to take the wind out of his sails a bit. I risked a glance to see him scowling.
“Yeah, well.” He shifted with a slight shrug. “My brother was in the area visiting one of our other brothers, so I came to meet him for a drink when he was done.”
I nodded, my gaze drifting over to his companion still sitting in their booth. He was on his phone, an empty wine glass on the table in front of him. “How nice.”
“What about you?” he asked, gaze curious as he glanced back at my sister and her friends.
“It’s my sister’s birthday. Her best friend lives around here, so they know the area well.”
“Oh. Well, happy birthday to your sister,” he said politely.
“Thanks.”
He cleared his throat and nodded at the empty glasses in front of me. “Let me.”
“Oh, no, it’s okay. Thank you,” I said immediately. “I’m getting a round, so…”
“It’d be my pleasure.” He shrugged, pulling out his wallet and transferring it quickly to his left hand before stuffing his right back into his pocket. “Birthday present for your sister.”
“You really don’t have to—”
“What’re you drinking?” he asked over me, flagging down the bartender with an imperious chin jerk.
“Me? Just water.”
“Not a big drinker?”
“No, not really.” Alcohol tended to trigger flare-ups for me.
He nodded. “Me neither, except on special occasions. Plus I’m driving. But Sorin wants another before we leave.”
