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On the other end, Samantha laughed. “You know it Hun. Damn I could use a stiff one too. This morning sickness shit sucks.”
Less than an hour later, I was seated at the tall bar in Sly’s, the country bar on the outskirts of Durango, the first place I’d ever tasted alcohol. Tossing back my second shot of whisky, I sighed as the liquid burned a path down my throat. Beside me, Samantha eyed me questioningly as she sipped her sprite.
“Geez, CJ, I haven’t seen you shoot whisky like that since you caught Jake Miller with another chick. You want to tell me what’s going on?”
I shook my head. “If I do that I’m probably going to start bawling again, and I don’t feel like making a scene.” Already, I noticed other patrons of the bar eyeing me speculatively, trying to figure out if I really was who they thought I was. Growing up in the same place your whole life had its disadvantages.
“Is it that guy, the one you hooked up with back in NYC? I know you had a hard time letting go of that blow your mind sex. That kinda thing is hard to live down.”
I rolled my eyes. “No. Yes. I don’t know. Its…everything. My mama’s got cancer, my stupid curse never went away, my sisters married to a dickhead who treats her like shit and sleeps around, and, yeah, I can’t fucking stop thinking about that damn guy and the way I feel about him.”
Samantha began to chuckle, but then she stopped immediately, all I’d said sinking in. “Oh my god, your mama’s got cancer? Oh, CJ I’m so sorry babe.” She pulled me into a harsh hug, and I sighed. Even just hearing her call me by my old nickname made me feel somehow better. That and the whiskey.
Leaning back in her chair, she took a deep chug of her sprite, grimaced, and then shook her head. “So, what’re you going to do about it all?”
I laughed. “What can I do? I’m gonna stay here, help my mama however I can, pray for Elaine, and erase the cowboy from my mind.”
Samantha chuckled. Glancing about, she suddenly grinned mischievously. “You know, there’s one cure for the cowboy blues.”
I arched a brow. “Oh yeah, and what’s that?”
Her grin was wicked when she replied. “You hop on the next bull that walks into the corral.”
Frowning, I threw back another shot, and shook my head. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Samantha leaned close to me. “I’m talking about the absolutely fine piece of ass sitting in the corner over there all broody, the one who hasn’t taken his eyes off you since we walked in.”
I groaned. “Oh, a man. No thanks, Sammy. I have all the man troubles I need for the moment. Besides, no one’s going to live up to him, trust me.”
Samantha chuckled, her breath tickling my ear. “If he’s better than the stud in the corner, I’ll marry him. Doesn’t matter what you want, anyway, because he’s headed our way.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then it’s a good thing that they always go for you, isn’t it, babe. We’ve done this before. Every time you say they’re lookin at me, they come for you.”
Samantha didn’t reply, and I glanced up at her face to see a look of admiration plastered there. Then, I heard the deepest, sexiest voice ever. The voice which, every time I heard it, sent me into a frenzy of sexual need.
“Hey Callie, I really wish you would leave me your number next time you run off on me.”
I swallowed hard. Refusing to turn around, I signaled the bartender for another shot. Beside me, Samantha leaned over and whispered, not very quietly, “OH. MY. GOD. CALAMITY, if you tell me this is the guy from NYC, I’m going to die!”
Swallowing the fresh shot, I cleared my throat. “I’m not catching you if you do.” Turning in my chair, I prepared myself to face Mathis, but I would never be ready for the onslaught of desire that he emitted. His hair was messy, and his chin hosted a five-o-clock shadow that looked at least a few days old. His topaz eyes studied me, and I felt the heat of his gaze as though a fire blasted from them. Inside of me, my stomach flipped, and my lady parts sighed.
“Mathis, look, I’m sorry for the way I took off the other day, it’s just that, well, I’ve got a lot going on right now, and I think its best that we…” my words trailed off, and the longer he stared into my eyes, the more I wanted to fuck him right then and there. This was crazy. Even if I did want a relationship, it needed to be built on a whole lot more than sex!
My ribs were about to crack where Samantha was repeatedly jabbing me, so I turned to her. “This is my best friend, Samantha. Sam, this is Mathis.”
Samantha held out her hand, her most alluring smile plastered to her lips. “Hi, Mathis, nice to meet you. Do you have a brother? Preferably a twin?”
I watched Mathis’s lips twitch in amusement, but that was all I saw. I expected to see appreciation for my attractive friend like I usually did, but either he was good at concealing it, or it wasn’t there. His lips spread in a friendly smile, and he asked, “Her best friend, huh? Maybe you can tell me why she won’t even give me her number.”
Sam gawked at me, and Mathis’s attention shifted back to me as Sam replied, “Because she’s an idiot.”
Mathis laughed. “No, I don’t think she’s an idiot.” His eyes held mine, questions floating in his glittering gold gaze, and I sighed.
“I need another drink.” Turning back to the counter, I waved down the bartender, who eyed my cup like he was going to deny me, before eventually refilling my cup. Not surprisingly, Mathis pulled out the barstool on my opposite side, sat, and moved in close enough that his knee touched my thigh. My body trembled just from that tiny bit of physical touch, and I cursed silently.
“Look Mathis, Samantha and I, well, we were kind of having a talk, and I would feel better if you didn’t join us.”
On my other side, Sammy yelled out, “I wouldn’t!”
