I want to giggle at the act, but I don’t for his sake.
“Phew. I can’t believe I got that out without you interrupting me. Now, babe, you gonna give me your name this time, or do I have to hassle it out of the bartender?”
Well, since he asked so nicely… And knowing that Sunny would spill before he got the whole question out, I relent. “As amusing as it is that you call me Sally, my real name is Amelia,” I tell him, holding my own hand out as some sort of truce.
“Amelia,” he drawls, trying it out for size. The sound of my name on his lips does things to my insides I’m not ready to explore. “Pretty name. And ‘ride, Amelia, ride’ still has a nice ring to it.”
As he says the words, he takes my offered hand. The warmth of his broad palm encasing my much smaller one sends contradictory goose bumps across my skin. I pray he doesn’t notice, and if he does, he doesn’t let on. Instead, his fingers linger briefly over mine; then he withdraws to take a drink. The contrast between his immense grasp and the small glass has me wondering impure thoughts about the size of the rest of him.
“So, Amelia, are you from around here or just visiting for the summer?”
Well, we’re getting right to it, I guess. It’s no matter, I decide. Considering our run-in earlier—or his intrusion—we’re not exactly strangers.
“I’m just visiting for the summer. You?”
“Same. Summer plans?” he asks.
I toy with my straw—with my fingers, not my mouth—then shrug. “What anyone does at the lake, I suppose. Sunbathe, swim, catch up on reading. Try to stay cool for however long this heat wave lasts.” My eyes drop to his lips to catch them curling up in a conspiratorial grin.
“Keeping cool, huh? Does that mean skinny-dipping is in your future? ’Cause it sure is in mine.”
Heat flushes my cheeks, and I can only imagine how pink they are. Sunny and I went skinny-dipping in high school, but never with boys. Not that Knox is a boy. No, he’s definitely all man.
“If the mood calls for it,” I respond, hoping I don’t sound as breathless as I feel.
I glance away just in time to see Sunny grinning at me at the opposite end of the bar, giving me a thumbs-up. I make a mental note to ask her later what she knows about this guy.
“Well, you’ll have to let me know if—or when—the mood strikes you, Amelia.”
The way my name rolls of his tongue reminds me of a rich, dark chocolate, so decadent that you want to moan when taking a taste, so exquisite that you want to savor every nibble. The thought has me fighting the urge to bite my lower lip.
I blink up at him, torn between wanting to fake innocence or bring out my saucy side. “Guess we’ll just have to wait and see how hot this summer gets.”
Knox’s hand forms a fist and he knocks twice on the bar. His drink isn’t empty, so I’m not quite sure the purpose of the move. When he takes another swig of his drink, soft eyes turn to face me.
“You seem like a cool chick.”
“Uh…you, too?” It’s more of a question; then I realize I just called him a chick. Nice going, Amelia.
Knox just shoots me a grin that strangely morphs into a grimace. Once again, not sure what that’s about. A sense of foreboding washes over me.
“I’ve gotta be honest with you,” he says. “Not that long ago, I got out of a…a long-term relationship and I’m here for the summer to get away from all the pitying eyes of my parents and friends.”
It’s not like my heart breaks over his honesty. But still, it kinda hits a girl in the feels when a guy flirts with her then does an about-face, letting her know that she’s interesting, just not that interesting. Can’t we get to second base before having the commitment conversation?
“As far as I recall, I was sitting here just fine. You’re the one who came over to me. You’re the one who hopped in my car uninvited, unwanted. There’s no need for a brush-off. You can just go rejoin your friends. My fragile little heart can take it.”
I gesture towards the booth he came from and start to turn my stool back towards the bar, but then firm fingertips suddenly grip my thigh. My breath catches when my eyes meet Knox’s.
“Wait a minute. That’s not what I meant. Or, well, it came out wrong. Truth is, I wouldn’t mind getting to know you a bit better. It’s just… I’ve literally dated the same girl my entire life, so I don’t really know how to do…this,” he explains, using two fingers to motion between us.
The contrast between his bad-boy good looks and the sheepish expression on his face has my insides twisting in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. His hand still rests on my knee, so I take the opportunity to cover it with my own. One quick glance down is all it takes for those butterflies to take flight in my belly. My hand looks to tiny compared to his, and I adore it.
Okay, maybe he was right to warn me from the get-go. Getting my head in the clouds for an unavailable man is not how I want to spend my summer.
Being a rebound? Now, that I can handle.
“I think you’re doing just fine, Knox. Consider me charmed already.”
Before he can answer, a guy who could practically be his twin walks up and orders a drink from Sunny. He turns to us, giving me a once-over before looking at Knox. “Damn, bro. Not only does it appear that you won, but you picked the prettiest girl in Crystal Cove.” Just as the words leave his lips, his beer shows up. He gestures towards Sunny. “Aside from you, of course.”
He tosses a couple of bills on the bar, raises his glass to us, then saunters off towards the pool table.
Knox rolls his eyes, but I’m interested in what the man said.
Toying with my straw, I study him. “What did he mean you won?”
Thick fingers run through his hair in an enticing way that makes me want to do the same. “Pardon my turkey of a brother. He also had no confidence in my approach to the ladies, so the idiot bet me I couldn’t get a girl’s number. Which, mind you, I haven’t asked for yet.”
I grab a cocktail napkin, dig a pen out my purse, and hurriedly jot down the number to the lake house. Then I fold it in half and push it across the bar to Knox, who looks confused. “There you go, Knox. You’ll win your bet. Now, just do me one favor: Don’t bother using it.”
It practically kills me to turn back to the bar, setting my shoulders. Just like I thought. Cocky. Arrogant. Too damn good to be true.
Sunny frowns in my direction and I just shake my head at her.
This time, his hand touches my wrist. I try my hardest to ignore the electric spark it elicits. It’s not him, I convince myself. Just that someone after so long is touching me.
I sigh. I’m not nearly as convincing as I’d hoped.
“Hey, don’t be so prickly, sweetheart. It was just something stupid between me and my brother. Bet or not, I’d still have come over here to meet the most beautiful girl in all of Tennessee. I told you earlier today I’d find you, and I’d come for you, so when I saw you, I knew it was a win. Hell, I didn’t even think of the bet until Clay just mentioned it. It was just you.” He scoots his barstool back. “But I’m also a man of my word. I told you if you didn’t want me coming around, I’d leave you be. It was good meeting you, Amelia. I’ll see you around.”