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“I thought you would be here.”
The frankness wasn’t what she expected, but then again, this was Henry. She watched him take his first sip and roll his shoulders back. He was still tense, but he was working on that.
“Long day?”
“You could say that.”
“So, you came to a place you normally avoid just so you could see me when you could have just called me? Did you miss me that much?”
She matched a playful tone with her playful smile, but no flush appeared on his cheeks. Instead, dark brown eyes took her in candidly, seeming to look into her soul and melt her panties at the same time.
“Yes, I wanted to see you. It’s been a long day, and I thought seeing your face would have eased that long day. I was right. Calling you wouldn’t have been enough. And yes, I missed you.”
Oh, this man. Carefully, Pearl tried to gather her senses before it wasn’t just her panties melting to the floor. The bar became too hot, so she finished her drink. On cue, Henry hailed for another round.
“Henry, one suggestion.”
“What?”
“Flirting shouldn’t be this straightforward. You’re going to kill the receiving party.”
“Was I flirting?”
The man tilted his head, gaze curious. Her eyes narrowed until she realized he wasn’t being sly.
“Maybe not.”
“Well, then.” There was a shift, then his stool was very close to hers—close enough for their elbows to brush. “Maybe I could flirt.”
“Have you tried it?”
“Hmm. The Henry kind of flirting, since I have no idea what kind you’re used to.”
“Okay, then.” She indulged him with a smirk. “Go ahead.”
“What’s that on your hair?”
I’m onto you, buddy.“Color? Strands? A halo? I don’t know. You tell me.”
“May I?”
“Hmm.”
He reached out, thumb and forefinger taking some strands and rolling them in between. His knuckles briefly brushed her cheek before he let go, but the touch was enough to send her yearning roiling. When he placed his hand in front of her, there was a piece of plucked white flower.
“I meant this,” he said.
“White?” she mused, humor filling her tone. “I’m not pure.”
He touched the flower until the petal edges swirled with gray. Then the two colors combined to form a blur that was exactly the shade of her eyes.
“Black was my favorite color. It’s no-nonsense and simple. But lately, smoke is what I want to look at the most. It’s in your eyes and your voice. It feels like hovering storm clouds ready to wreak havoc, a hauntingly beautiful force of nature.” At her silence, he tilted his head again. “What do you think?”
She thought she was immune to flirting already, but Henry’s was on a level that felt personal and sensual at the same time. She hailed Rex aggressively, promptly needing yet another drink.
“I think it’s nice.”
“I meant about the flower color.”
