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"No," I say and clear my throat. "I don't usually come here. We were looking for a new place to have our happy hour, and this was the place."
Hannah makes a face at me, her eyes wider than saucers. “Natalia, why don't you introduce us to your friend?"
Harrison reaches out and extends his hand to Hannah. “Harrison,” he says. "Nice to finally meet you, Hannah. Natalia told me so much about you."
"All of it good, no doubt," Hannah says and blushes. Harrison actually kisses her knuckles gallantly. Then he turns to Pete.
"Hey, Pete, nice to meet you. She told me aboutyouas well."
Pete extends his hand, and the two men shake. It’s when Harrison reaches to Pete that I see it – a tattoo extending down his forearm to his wrist. Like the tail of a dragon.
He’s a hunk of man like I haven’t seen in a long time. Tall, built, handsome… Tats.
I'll thank him for rescuing me, and maybe flirt a little bit, smile, try to show I’m interested and appreciative of his being my knight in shining black armor.
Then, I can make the moves on him, slowly but surely get into his life so I can bring him down.
I paste the most alluring smile on my face and play along. I feel bad pretending I know who he is, but only for a moment.
Idoknow who he is.
For real…
"Are you going to join us?" Hannah asks, smiling up at him. “Natalia hasn't told us about you yet. I'm completely curious who you are and how you two met."
"Well, we ran into each other in college." He smiles at them. "As to who I am," he says, all mysterious. "Let's just say I'm in the financial services business. I’m former Army, spent several years in Afghanistan and Iraq and am now I’m working as a financial advisor.”
"Are you one of those Army Rangers?" Hannah asks, her eyes wide.
"Not anymore."
Just then, I get a text, my cell dinging. I pick it up and check my messages, feeling guilty that I’m pretending to be surprised.
"Oh, hey, guys," I say and glance around at my co-workers. "I just got a text from my aunt. She needs me to sit for her while she goes out. I have to go." I shrug, like I’m helpless to refuse.
"That's too bad." Harrison shakes his head. "I was hoping we could spend some time together."
"Rain check?" I force a nervous smile.
"Sure." He grabs my cell. He catches it in time before he has to enter a passcode, so he types a phone number in my contacts and returns my cell. "Call me when you have a free night. I'd love to get together and talk."
"Sounds good." I take back my cell, glancing at the name and contact info he added.
Harrison O’Connor.
Then, he leaves the table, and I watch him walk away. I wonder if this is how he always seduces women.
“Well, guys. It’s been a slice, but I have to go.” I excuse myself and say goodbye to my fellow interns, then I walk out of the bar, glancing back once at Harrison, curious about what if anything, will happen next.
As I reach the steps to the subway entrance, I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see Harrison running to catch up with me.
Part of me screams ‘YES!’, but another part of me is cautious. He’s a former Army Ranger and comes from a mobbed-up family.
He’s dangerous.
I smile as he approaches me, wondering what I’d gotten myself into…
CHAPTER 11
