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“Having a good night?”
She squinted at the man, to ascertain that he was, in fact, speaking to her. He was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place why.
“I’m the barman,” he smiled, his face pleasing, his manner acceptable.
“Yes, of course,” she nodded.
“You look like you’re celebrating.”
“My best friend just got engaged,” she said with a frown.
“You don’t like the guy?”
“What?” She blinked, her eyes blurred.
“You frowned just now.”
“Oh, right.” She shook her head. “No. I just didn’t expect her to sign her life away on the dotted line.”
“Not a fan of marriage?”
She had been, at one time. Aurora frowned. “I’m not making sense. I’m really… tired.” Drunk, more like.
She blinked again. “Excuse me.” She looked around the bar, a sea of people, and only one that drew her eye.
He was looking at her. Angrily. No. Furiously. Good. “On second thoughts,” she said to the barman, “I might have another drink. For the road.”
“I’m glad.” His smile now was unmistakably touched with seductive purpose. He poured a glass of Billecart-Salmon and handed it to her. “On the house.”
“Oh, nonsense,” she demurred, reaching into her purse and pulling out a bank note. “Here.”
He waved her money away. “It’s just a glass of champagne.”
“Is it?” She smiled dubiously. There had been a time, after leaving Leonardo, when she’d excelled at the party scene. Meeting men had been a nightly affair. If that brief stint had taught her anything, it was that a glass of champagne was rarely just a drink.
“For now.” He responded quietly, answering her silent question.
She sipped the champagne, aware that Leonardo’s dark eyes still clung to her. “Have you worked here long?”
She felt nauseous and dizzy.
“A year, give or take.”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s a job,” he shrugged.
“You’re Irish?”
“Very good.” He leaned closer to her, so that she could smell the faint tang of his aftershave. “Why did you give up modelling?”
She looked down at the bubbles in her glass, watching as they fizzed and burst against the edges. “I grew out of it.”
His laugh was coarse. “You’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She swallowed. Even in her state of inebriation, she could tell the situation was getting out of hand. “Thank you.”
“Do you miss it?”
