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“I thought you could use a stiffer drink.”
“Thanks.” She took the flask, and he sank down next to her.
After she smoothed her dress over her knees, she brought the flask to her lips. One sip had her instantly warm from the inside out.
“Ohh, that’s better.”
He eyed her. “So what’s the story? I don’t even know your name.”
She blinked in surprise. How did they reach this point without exchanging that bit of information? Sharing a flask of whiskey in a secret garden was definitely one of the more intimate—and strange—moments she’d ever experienced.
“My name is Belle. And you’re Declan.”
He nodded.
Her shoulders slumped. “Thank you for coming to my rescue back there. It was great of you to step in like that.”
“You were looking agitated. I thought I could help.”
She held out the flask to him, but he shook his head. She took another sip. The alcohol zigzagged low into her belly.
“Those people I needed rescued from were my ex-boyfriend and his new fiancée.”
“Ah.” A bracket appeared around the corner of his mouth. One that didn’t look amused in the least. “I gathered it was something of that nature.”
“So what’syourstory?” she asked.
He relaxed against the back of the bench. “Just a guy at a party that he doesn’t want to be at. How’d you pick me out of the crowd? It was my big head, wasn’t it?”
Her brows shot up, and she stared at him. “What? Your head? No. It’s because you looked as uncomfy as I feel being here alone.”
A whisper of a smile lingered around his hard lips, softening the crease and giving her the urge to trace it with her fingertip.
“What do you do?” she asked.
His muscled shoulders stiffened a bit. “Let’s not do that whole ‘what do you do’ thing. Let’s just…”
“Let’s just keep drinking so I don’t overshare and look like a bitter hag.” She swigged the whiskey.
“All right.”
In contradiction to her statement, she went on, “You know, it irks meso muchthat those two are at the ranch pretending that they care about the charity part of the weekend. Ethan never gave a damn about anything but lining his own pockets. And Haileigh! She just likes spending it.” She gave an exaggerated noise of dismay.
“How long since you were with him?” Declan asked.
She took another large sip, but this time it struck her hard enough to make her head whirl. Oh no. She’d forgotten about the glass of champagne she’d tossed down her throat. She knew better than to drink so much so fast—or to mix her poisons. But tonight she was a little off her game, to say the least.
She pushed the flask into his hand. He placed the cap back on and stowed it in his jacket pocket.
“It’s been almost a year since I was with Ethan. Actually, I walked away from him after we returned from spending the holidays with his family.”
Declan’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “In Aspen?”
“Uh-huh.” She got caught up in his rugged good looks for a heartbeat before dropping her face in her hands. “I’mreallypissed that he was the last guy I slept with! And he wasterriblein bed. Ha! Let Haileigh have him! Pass the flask again, would you?”
His eyes crinkled at each corner as he produced the flask. But when she reached for it, he lightly closed his thumb and forefinger around the point of her chin.
Eyes that were more gold than brown met hers.
