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She was trying to make the best of a shitty situation. Being stood up by a boy she liked, and being shamed into buying something from the bartender, she was putting on a brave face. She’d probably finish her fries and drink and escape as soon as she was done.
I downed the rest of my beer and decided to bail on my own shitty situation. I’d probably have better luck relaxing in my hotel room and paying for the match on pay-per-view than if I continued to sit here, stressed and pissed off by kids who were clearly still too young to be out on their own.
“Look, she’s checking out that hot guy at the end of the bar.”
“Which one, there’s like, six.”
“The one in front of us with the ball cap.”
“Shut up, Angie, he’ll hear you. He’sright there.”
Oh great. Now they’re talking about me.I raised my hand for my check.
“He is pretty hot though.”
“Eh… I guess… he looks pretty built. Maybe he’s an athlete.”
“Is he a Mexican?”
“I think so.”
“I don’t do Mexicans.”
It took a tremendous amount of self-control not to turn around and give them a piece of my mind about proper etiquette in a restaurant, and a history lesson on Native American tribes, but I kept my mouth shut. It wasn’t their fault anyway. All they could see was my back.
“Well, Maria does, apparently. She keeps checking him out.” Another obnoxious giggle, and I gave up with the bartender. I tucked a bill under my empty glass and headed for the exit.
I had to walk past the girl, Maria, in order to get to the door, and I couldn’t help but look at her. As I neared, I slowed, taking her in fully.
She was tall, athletically built, with long wavy brunette hair. Her skin was tanned, and freckles scattered across her cheeks. Cute, but no prettier than the average brunette. But there was something about the curve of her jaw, the flush of her cheeks, and the fire in her warm brown eyes that made me slow, then stop, and then lean against the bar.
I studied her shamelessly. When had she looked up at me? She blinked twice, and a tentative smile pulled at her lips as she met my gaze.I listened for the obnoxious squabbling behind me, but they were silent.Well, maybe I could redeem a little bit of Maria’s dignity for her tonight.
“You need better friends, Sugar.”
Her eyes widened and darted over my shoulder.
“No, don’t look at them… they’re not worth your time.”
She kept my gaze, but rolled her lips into her mouth like she was holding back a snarky response.
“Go ahead. Say it.”
When she spoke, I couldn’t help but notice her soft, pink, plump lips.“He seemed nice.”
“Well,” I said, letting my eyes roam her figure. “His loss.” Her jeans showed off firm but curvy legs, and she wore a cute blouse that was just short enough to reach the waistband, and showed the smallest hint of cleavage. My eyes got stuck there a moment too long.
She blushed and her eyes darted awkwardly to the side, and then back at me again. There was something intense in her eyes that told me this girl was not easily put down.
“I’m Maria,” she said, and offered a hand.
I took her hand to shake it, and I was impressed with the strength of her grip and the confidence of her stance. This was not a little girl. Sure, she looked young as hell and just out of high school… but the expression and the confidence in her body, and the strength of her hand told me she did not like to be fucked with.
And that was… kind of sexy.
She raised an eyebrow at my silence.
“Andrew,” I said. “My friends call me… Drew.” That was a lie. Nobody called me Drew. But she didn’t need to know that.
