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trained on him, drank. And he mirrored her, barely half a beat behind.
It was a long, deep breath she drew that time. And her recovery was much slower. She stared for a while at the five empty glasses in front of them. And then she looked back at him.
He wasn’t smiling any more. At least, his mouth wasn’t turned up. But his eyes searched hers while sending a message at the same time. And the warmth was all pervasive. The burning sensation rippled through her body, showing no sign of cooling. Instead her temperature was still rising. And she wasn’t at all sure if it was from the alcohol or the fire in his gaze.
Wow. She tried to take another deep breath. But the cool of the air made her tingling lips sizzle more. His gaze dropped to her mouth as if he knew of her sensitivity. The sizzle didn’t cease.
She blinked, pressed her lips together to try to stop the whisper of temptation they were screaming to her, resumed visual contemplation of the empty shot glasses. She should never have looked at him.
‘Thank you,’ she managed, studying him peripherally again.
He shrugged, mouth twitching, lightening the atmosphere and making her wonder if she’d overemphasised that supercharged moment. Of course there was no way he would be hitting on her. Now his eyes said it was all just a joke. As if he knew that if she thought he was really after her, she’d be running a mile. City slicker vixen-in-a-bar was so not her style. But she’d decided anything could be possible tonight. Anything she wanted could be hers. She was pretending, remember?
‘So are we celebrating, or drowning sorrows?’ He flashed that easy smile again. And it gave her the confidence that up until now she’d been faking.
‘Celebrating.’ She turned to face him.
His brows raised. She could understand his surprise. People didn’t usually celebrate in a bar drinking all by themselves. So she elaborated.
‘It’s my birthday.’
‘Oh? Which one?’
Did the man not know it was rude to ask? She nearly giggled. But he was so gorgeous she decided to forgive him immediately. Besides, she had the feeling his boldness was innate. It was simply him. It gave her another charge. ‘My flirtieth.’
‘I’m sorry?’ She could see the corners of his mouth twitching again.
‘My flirtieth.’ So she was making an idiot of herself. What did she care? This night was hers and she could do as she wanted with it—and that might just include flirting with strangers.
‘You’re either lying or lisping. I think maybe both.’ His lips quirked again. And the thing was, she didn’t find it offensive. So he was laughing at her. It was worth it just to see the way that smile reached right into his eyes.
‘How many have you had?’ he asked. ‘You seem to be slurring.’
Not only that, she was still staring fixedly at him. She forced herself to blink again. It was so hard not to look at him. His was a face that captured attention and held it for ever. ‘These were my first.’
‘And last.’ He called the bartender over and ordered. ‘Sedate white wine spritzer, please.’
‘Who wants sedate?’ she argued, ignoring his further instructions to the waiter. ‘The last thing I want is wine.’ The urge for something stronger gripped her—something even more powerful, something to really take her breath away. She wanted the taste of fire to take away the lonely bitterness of disappointment.
‘Not true. Come on, whine away. Why are you here, celebrating alone?’
He’d do. The blue in his eyes was all fire.
‘I’m not alone. My family is here too—my sister is getting married tomorrow in the resort.’
His brows flashed upwards again. ‘So why aren’t they here now celebrating your birthday with you?’
She paused. A chink in her act was about to be revealed, but she answered honestly. ‘They’ve forgotten.’
‘Ah.’ He looked at her, only a half-smile now. ‘So the birthday girl has missed out on her party.’
She shrugged. ‘Everyone’s been busy with the wedding.’
The spritzer arrived, together with a bottle of wine for him and two tall glasses of water.
‘Tell me about this wedding.’ He said wedding as if it were a bad word.
‘What’s to tell? She’s gorgeous. He’s gorgeous. A successful, wealthy, nice guy.’
