nothing’s wrong. Gran is safely in the car. I told her I needed to run back in and ask you something.” He looked at me again quizzically as I tried to swallow the gob of candy swirling in my mouth. “Are you sure you’re ok?” he asked.
I nodded.
“I would love to learn more about you and the city. Would you like to get a drink with me tonight?”
Would I ever! But before I said the words, I stopped myself. Getting used by Steve had left more than a nasty taste in my mouth. Franco might be a nice guy, but odds were good he was just looking to get laid. He was from out of town. He wasn’t looking for anything long term—just a quick hook up.
I put my finger up for him to wait a second so I could finish chewing. God, this was embarrassing.
“I… I can’t,” I stuttered, feeling my heart pound. It was so tempting to say yes, but what was the point. It wouldn’t lead to anything. “I have some auction listings I have to work on.”
Franco nodded, disappointment etched in his face. “I see. Well, I’m staying with my cousin at Beelines Motel. It’s just a short drive from here.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I know where that is,” I muttered. Not that it made any difference.
“Can I give you my number?”
“Sure, but honestly I…”
Franco held his hand out. “Let me just put it in your phone. That way I know you have it—just in case.”
I picked my phone off the desk and handed it to him. “Alright, just in case.”
Franco keyed his number in my cell. “If you change your mind, give me a call and I’ll pick you up and take you wherever you’d like to go.”
“Thanks, I do have to work, but I appreciate it.” It was hard watching him walk out the door, but I just couldn’t stand the possibility of getting hurt again.
CHAPTER TWO
I worked for several more hours before I decided to call it a night. My assistant, Evie, would be in tomorrow and I would have her help me finish packing the merchandise that needed to go out and list the backlog of goods. Yawning, I decided to head to the Bite Me Bar for a drink and a quick dinner.
The Bite Me Bar was a popular shifter bar in Frederick, Maryland. Some of the other Frederick bars, like the Orange Tap, were not as friendly to shifters, but the Bite Me Bar welcomed the business with open arms. I had to admit, I enjoyed the atmosphere, food, drinks, and service even more than the regular bars I used to frequent that catered almost exclusively to non-shifters. Plus, I loved that it was in walking distance from my home business.
It was a pretty busy night at the Bite Me but I managed to find an open stool at the bar to slide into. Kyle and Chloe, the bartenders, were both working and Chloe was quick to come over to see if I wanted my usual Howling Martini. After ordering, I turned my head to the side to look around. It was pretty crowded, with a lot of shifters obviously on the prowl. Many of the werewomen were dressed to kill in stiletto heels and short skirts, while the men wore pec-revealing tees, butt hugging khakis, and denim. I knew I had to look pretty dowdy in my simple work clothes of pants and a shirt, especially with the extra pounds I’d gained recently. But it really didn’t matter. I wasn’t looking for love—not anymore.
I took a sip of my martini. From my perch on the bar stool, I could see a couple holding hands and kissing in a booth nearby. They looked so madly in love. The man was looking at the woman like she was the only one in the room. I turned my head away quickly.
I wished a man would look at me like that. Steve had done a number on me, physically and mentally. He had stripped away my pride and dumped me in the rudest way possible. I wasn’t sure I could ever trust a man again. I knew I was very bitter about it, but after what he had done, who could blame me? After all my failed relationships, it was obvious I couldn’t even trust myself to choose the right man.
Whoa. As I put down my drink, I was surprised to
I nodded.
“I would love to learn more about you and the city. Would you like to get a drink with me tonight?”
Would I ever! But before I said the words, I stopped myself. Getting used by Steve had left more than a nasty taste in my mouth. Franco might be a nice guy, but odds were good he was just looking to get laid. He was from out of town. He wasn’t looking for anything long term—just a quick hook up.
I put my finger up for him to wait a second so I could finish chewing. God, this was embarrassing.
“I… I can’t,” I stuttered, feeling my heart pound. It was so tempting to say yes, but what was the point. It wouldn’t lead to anything. “I have some auction listings I have to work on.”
Franco nodded, disappointment etched in his face. “I see. Well, I’m staying with my cousin at Beelines Motel. It’s just a short drive from here.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I know where that is,” I muttered. Not that it made any difference.
“Can I give you my number?”
“Sure, but honestly I…”
Franco held his hand out. “Let me just put it in your phone. That way I know you have it—just in case.”
I picked my phone off the desk and handed it to him. “Alright, just in case.”
Franco keyed his number in my cell. “If you change your mind, give me a call and I’ll pick you up and take you wherever you’d like to go.”
“Thanks, I do have to work, but I appreciate it.” It was hard watching him walk out the door, but I just couldn’t stand the possibility of getting hurt again.
CHAPTER TWO
I worked for several more hours before I decided to call it a night. My assistant, Evie, would be in tomorrow and I would have her help me finish packing the merchandise that needed to go out and list the backlog of goods. Yawning, I decided to head to the Bite Me Bar for a drink and a quick dinner.
The Bite Me Bar was a popular shifter bar in Frederick, Maryland. Some of the other Frederick bars, like the Orange Tap, were not as friendly to shifters, but the Bite Me Bar welcomed the business with open arms. I had to admit, I enjoyed the atmosphere, food, drinks, and service even more than the regular bars I used to frequent that catered almost exclusively to non-shifters. Plus, I loved that it was in walking distance from my home business.
It was a pretty busy night at the Bite Me but I managed to find an open stool at the bar to slide into. Kyle and Chloe, the bartenders, were both working and Chloe was quick to come over to see if I wanted my usual Howling Martini. After ordering, I turned my head to the side to look around. It was pretty crowded, with a lot of shifters obviously on the prowl. Many of the werewomen were dressed to kill in stiletto heels and short skirts, while the men wore pec-revealing tees, butt hugging khakis, and denim. I knew I had to look pretty dowdy in my simple work clothes of pants and a shirt, especially with the extra pounds I’d gained recently. But it really didn’t matter. I wasn’t looking for love—not anymore.
I took a sip of my martini. From my perch on the bar stool, I could see a couple holding hands and kissing in a booth nearby. They looked so madly in love. The man was looking at the woman like she was the only one in the room. I turned my head away quickly.
I wished a man would look at me like that. Steve had done a number on me, physically and mentally. He had stripped away my pride and dumped me in the rudest way possible. I wasn’t sure I could ever trust a man again. I knew I was very bitter about it, but after what he had done, who could blame me? After all my failed relationships, it was obvious I couldn’t even trust myself to choose the right man.
Whoa. As I put down my drink, I was surprised to
Similar Books
Crescent City
Belva Plain
A Christmas Knight
Kate Hardy
Crockett's Seduction
Tina Leonard
The Rules According to Gracie
Stefanie London
Love Has The Best Intentions
Christine Arness
After Math
Denise Grover Swank
Waterfront Weddings
Annalisa Daughety
Flight Patterns
Karen White