Two
Aubree Hannigan
“Why did I agree to this?” I ask myself for the fifth time as I look around Remy’s Bar. What was Ruby thinking having me meet her brother in a place like this? We haven’t known each other long, but she should know I don’t go to places like this often. There must be a better place for a date than here. It’s six thirty and the only people in here look like they came straight from work to drink their night away. What makes it worse is besides Caity behind the bar, I’m the only other woman. The only reason I know Caity is because we used to play together when I would come and visit my grandma during the summer, many years ago. I’ve seen her a few times since I’ve been back, but as is life we grow and change and are different people than we were when we were nine. Maybe I should see if she wants to grab coffee sometime.
I twist the bear pendant hanging from my neck, the one my grandmother gave me when I was only five. She told me to never take it off, and one day it will bring me luck. My life has been good, I guess, but that luck she was talking about hasn’t exactly happened yet. I had nice enough parents, but I never felt like I fit in with their perception of what a perfect daughter should be. My Mom and Dad are both lawyers at an expensive law firm in the city, and they encouraged me to follow in their footsteps.
That was the last thing I wanted. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of having a family that I would take care of. My parents worked crazy hours, and I usually spent my nights and weekends with a nanny. Instead of doing what they wanted, I went to culinary school and got my degree in baking and pastry arts, yes, it’s a thing, and no it’s not like underwater basket weaving.
Culinary school was competitive and hard work. Most of my peers went on to work for five-star resorts around the world, but I had another goal in mind. I wanted to come back and work for my grandmother’s shop Berry Delicious. That’s how I met Ruby. She comes in a few times a week to grab breakfast. Eventually, we got to talking, and we became fast friends.
My stomach is tied up in knots. I only agreed to this because Ruby was so insistent. Ruby is the only real friend I have in town, and she basically begged me to go out with her brother. It makes me wonder what kind of guy he is that he needs his sister to get dates for him. Knowing Ruby though, he can’t be all that bad. She said he doesn’t ever date and he seems lonely. If anything, we can eat dinner and talk about how crazy Ruby is for setting us up and that will be the end of it.
I’ve been watching the door for ten minutes waiting for a guy to come in that looks like he’s here to meet me. Ruby didn’t give me many details. She said he was tall and had dark hair. Uhh, if you’re thinking that’s not a whole lot to go on, you’d be right. She also told me to wear my bear necklace, which I thought was weird, but Ruby is a little different from most people I’ve met. Three guys have walked in, and they have all gone straight for the bar. Every time they pass my table, I breathe out a sigh of relief, thanking God, he wasn’t the guy I was supposed to spend an evening with. I know I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but come on, we all do it, it’s human nature. And these guys all look like they are here to drown their sorrows in the bottom of a bottle or find a woman to lose themselves in for a couple of hours.
I look at my phone and see that he should have been here fifteen minutes ago. I should probably just leave, it’s not like I wanted to come anyway. I grab my purse and leave a ten on the table to pay for my half-empty beer and a tip for Caity. I’m about to stand when the door opens again. In walks a man dressed like everyone else I’ve seen here tonight wearing jeans, boots, and a warm coat. He looks like he’s been working all day, judging by the dirty shirt he has on, but the expression he’s wearing is different from every other person I’ve seen tonight. He looks determined like he’s on a mission and he’s not giving up until he’s completed it. The man is sexy as hell, and I can’t take my eyes away from him. He looks around the bar until his eyes find mine and then strides in my direction looking beyond pissed. I can’t decide if I should be scared or turned on. My body and brain war within me, fight or flight is kicking in. While I know I should get up and leave, I’m glued to my seat waiting for him to approach, dying to know what he’s going to say. His eyes never leave mine as he walks to the table.
Once he’s standing in front of me, he stops and inhales deeply closing his eyes. When he opens them, I swear I see desire filling his dark orbs. “Get. Up.” He says roughly.
“I’m sor… what? Who the hell do you think you are?”
He places his palms flat on the table between us and levels me with a demanding stare, making my heart beat rapidly, and my stomach tighten up. “Honey, we are not having dinner here. My sister knew what she was doing sending you to Remy’s without protection, but we aren’t staying. Now, let’s. Go.”
“You can’t just tell me what to do. I don’t even know you. What if I wanted to stay?” I cross my arms over my chest and give him my best glare, but he only stares at my chest, making me even more infuriated.
Giving me a sexy smirk, he opens his mouth, and his voice is like a warm whiskey. “If you really wanted to stay, I’d give in and sit my ass down. I have a feeling this is the last place you want to be. So, stop being stubborn and get your cute ass up so we can go.”
I stand slowly and brush past him as I walk to the door. He may be hot, but I’m done with people telling me what to do. I put up with it my whole life with my parents. I promised myself the day I chose not to be a lawyer that would be the last day someone would get to tell me what to do. I walk to my Jeep Wrangler already thinking about that bottle of wine sitting on my counter. I grab the handle to get in when my arm is pulled from behind, stopping me from getting in.
“Aubree, wait.” His deep baritone voice says from behind me. It soothes over me like a balm to my soul, and the raging fire slows to a low burn. I turn to face him, and he quickly backs me up against my Jeep. Breathing heavy, I’m pissed that he spoke to me that way in there, but I’m more pissed that my body seemed to like it. What is wrong with me? We’ve barely talked and yet there’s a need inside me like I’ve never felt before. I want to listen to whatever he has to say, no matter that he’s been nothing but a dominating asshole.