Nick

Something was different about this Friday night when I walked into Stumble In. I couldn’t put my finger on it, so I shrugged it off and went to join my friends who had snagged a table near the bar.

Jack and Liam were old friends from high school who’d returned home after college like I did. The three of us were an odd combination. I was the button up. Liam was an artist and, for lack of a better term, a hipster with long hair, small, red-framed glasses, and clothing often covered in paint. Jack was an accountant, but not like any typical numbers guy you’d ever meet. He did the books for an MC the next town over. His hair was buzzed close to his head, his arms both sported tattoo sleeves, and his typical outfit consisted of ripped jeans, a ratty t-shirt, and his leather MC vest.

Despite all that, we’d remained close friends, even if we did spend a lot of time giving each other shit.

I sat at the table and held up a hand when Jack opened his mouth to speak. “Let me at least get a drink before you start in on me.”

Jack grinned and shrugged. “I was only going to suggest that you might want to go to the other end of the bar for your order.” He jerked his head to the right. “The line at this one could take you all night.” His mouth twisted into a smirk as he leaned back to get a better look at whoever was serving. “Might actually be worth standing in a long fucking line to get a closer look at her.”

“Her?” I asked as I craned my head, trying to see through the crowd.

“New bartender,” Liam answered.

As though Moses had arrived, the crowd slightly parted and I almost laughed when I realized it was because November Mayson was walking over. Her husband, Asher, had long ago instilled the fear of God into any man who even looked at her.

When November reached the bar, I got a clear view of the woman my friends had been discussing. Everything inside me froze and lit on fire at the same time. When I could breathe again, I sucked in a lungful of air and winced as I realized I was rock hard.

She was fucking magnificent. High cheek bones, chocolate brown hair and matching eyes, almond shaped and rimmed with thick lashes. And her mouth… A film strip of all the dirty things she could do with that mouth played in front of my eyes. Her vest was tight and showed off just the right amount of cleavage for me to know that her breasts would spill out of my hands.

A rush of something dark ran through me like a freight train and almost knocked me on my ass. I’d never felt it before, but I instantly recognized it as possession. My hands balled into fists as I took in the lust-filled gazes from the crowd of men surrounding her. I wanted to shout that she was mine and use those fists to send every motherfucker there running in the opposite direction.

November eventually walked away and after a few minutes of helping other customers, her brown eyes swept around the room. They passed over me for a second, then slowly came back. She looked me up and down before her eyes locked on mine.

Her expression was daring, sizing me up and trying to intimidate me. It bounced off of me like I’d built armor out of the overwhelming need to have her. Her look faltered and I raised an eyebrow with a knowing smirk.

Keep trying, baby. You’re mine.

As the night went on, she was my only focus and I glared daggers at every man who approached her. My friends carried on a conversation as though I wasn’t completely distracted. Somehow, I even managed to answer them from time to time. But still, my eyes never left the woman I knew I’d instantly become obsessed with.

“Wow, Nick. This is a side of you I didn’t know existed.” A gruff voice filled with laughter had my head turning away from her for the first time since I’d spotted her.

Nico Mayson stood beside the table, his dark blue eyes dancing with mirth. He cocked his head to the side, studying me. “I’ve seen this look before.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, Nico?” I growled, frustrated that I was being distracted from watching over my woman. My woman?

Nico’s brows raised up to his hairline, probably shocked at the language coming out of my mouth. I didn’t often swear (out loud anyway) and when I did, it was usually directed at Jack or Liam. “I saw it on Asher when he first introduced us to November. And when Trevor met Liz.”

My brow furrowed, not grasping whatever it was he was hinting at. “Spit it out, Mayson.”

Nico grinned smugly. “Ever hear about the Mayson curse?” I shook my head and my eyes darted to the bar before returning to Nico. “When you meet the right girl, you know instantly. Boom!” He used his hands to imitate an explosion. “You know they are the one, and you’ll never want anyone else.” He grinned.

November was just walking by and she stopped when she saw Nico talking to me. “You look different tonight, Nick.” She studied my face intently for a moment before her expression flooded with surprise. Then she followed my gaze and when she saw who had my attention, she said. “Her name is Rayne. R-A-Y-N-E.” She looked up at Nico and waved a hand toward me. “Has he been spending too much time with Asher?”

He laughed and shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s what I was just wondering,” he mused.

“What exactly is your point, Nico?” I asked impatiently, although I had to admit I was curious.

He shrugged. “I’m starting to wonder if the curse could be contagious.” With that, he turned and walked away, still chuckling.

November watched me for another minute, then looked at Rayne. “I’m not sure whether to hope that’s true or not,” she said with a sigh. “I like her.” November’s eyes moved back to me and narrowed. “Of all people, I never thought I’d have to say this to you. Don’t break her heart.”

I responded with a lift of my chin then my eyes fixated on…Rayne (even her name was beautiful) once again as Nico’s words rattled around in my head. They sparked something familiar inside. It was a fitting description for the way I’d felt when I first saw Rayne. It only took an instant for it to hit me, to know. Boom!

I mulled this over through the rest of the night, barely noticing when Jack and Liam took off. Our eyes constantly met, though she tried to be covert about it. It solidified my belief that she also felt the pull between us.

Finally, last call arrived, and I sighed in relief. If I’d had to sit there for much longer and watch men hit on her, I probably would have lost my shit with someone.

Rayne began cleaning things up and I seized on the opportunity and stood. I prowled toward her, every step heightening my awareness of her. My desire for her. My need to be the only one for her.

The air between us was thick and she watched me warily as I approached. I couldn’t keep a predatory smile from sliding onto my face. Especially when I saw her shiver.

When the bar was all that separated us, I tipped my mouth up into a half smile and grabbed her hand from where it rested on the shiny, wooden surface and squeezed it gently.

“I’m Nick.”