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I laughed again, annoyed at myself for giving in, even the slightest bit. “I forgot about that.”
“It’s okay. I’ve given you a nickname until you tell me.” He folded his arms across his chest as if he was the cleverest man on the planet.
“You’ve given me a nickname?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. Some guys were immature and crude, so the last thing I needed was to hear Ryan call me something degrading or idiotic.
“Yeah. I had to call you something,” he said, his tone still flirty.
“Let me guess.” I paused before looking around at the hospital walls. “Peaches?”
He bent over, laughing. “Peaches? No. But I love it. Please tell me I can call you that.”
“Not if you expect to live,” I all but growled.
Ryan stood back up, his tall frame towering over mine as his expression turned serious. “Angel. I call you my angel.”
My jaw dropped before I sucked in a shaky breath, pissed that his nickname for me had drawn out such a noticeable reaction. I knew I wasn’t hiding it well. Hell, I couldn’t hide it at all.
Angel? And not only angel, but his angel. No wonder half the bar patrons were in love with this man.
“I should probably hurry. You know, before visiting hours are over.” I focused on the stark white hallway and the black room numbers on the wall.
Anything to avoid those eyes.
“I thought we were getting coffee?” Ryan sounded almost pleading now, no longer the confident man from a moment ago.
“I never said that.”
“Please?”
Stop begging me, Ryan, because I’m about two seconds from giving in. “I don’t think so.”
He swallowed hard, his throat moving as his jaw clenched. “Give me one reason why you won’t.”
A multitude of valid reasons flashed through my mind.
Because I’m a single mom.
Because you work at a bar.
Because you’ve dated half the women in town.
Because you probably drink more than most people.
Because your livelihood is based around alcohol, late nights, and loose women.
There were a million reasons, and those were just a few.
“You’re just not the kind of guy I’m looking for, Ryan.”
When the words left my mouth, his entire body tensed as though I’d just punched him in the gut.
“Look, I’m not trying to offend you, you’re just not my type.” I added the last part to lessen the blow, but it only seemed to make things worse.
His eyes narrowed. “How would you even know that?”
Unable to look at him, I dropped my gaze, and couldn’t help but notice how his hands clenched by his sides. Apparently, I’d struck a nerve.
“Trust me, your reputation precedes you.”
