His deep voice sliced through the noise of the bar and I snapped my head up to meet his eyes. I’d forgotten the depths of those eyes in person. Over video chat they were beautiful, but in person they drew me in and I couldn’t look away.

The corners of his hazel eyes crinkled in surprise and happiness. My mouth went dry at the sight of him. He was better looking than I remembered. Taller. I guess since most of our interaction had been while sitting, or over the phone, I hadn’t fully realized how he towered over me, even in heels.

He was dressed more casually than our last in person interaction. Instead of the suit he’d worn on the plane, his muscular frame filled out a pair of dark jeans and light blue V-neck sweater that showed the most amazing hint of chest. A promise that what was underneath was even better than what covered it. What covered it was pretty damn good, but then again, I’d seen what was underneath too. I had a feeling seeing it in person would be sinful by comparison to the photo.

“You two know each other?” Tasha looked to me with a glare that demanded to know how on earth I knew this gorgeous man.

“Court.” His name came out in a whisper.

“Oh my God, you’re the guy from the plane!”

Court’s eyes left mine as he gave his attention to Tasha.

“Court Adams.” He held out a hand which Tasha took all too eagerly.

“I’m Tasha. Bianca’s roommate. Oh my God, the rule book you two are creating is amazing. Seriously, you could write a dissertation on human behavior with that thing.”

“What are you doing here?” I squeaked out, finally finding my voice.

A small shrug of his shoulders had my eyes falling to the muscles that were on display through the light material of his sweater. I was going to have to create my own Court-specific rules, like don’t ogle and use your damn words.

“I’m here for the career fair,” he said simply and then. “What’s this about a rule book?”

My face burned, and I glared at Tasha. “I, uh, have been writing down all your advice as a sort of how-to.” Tasha winked at me and then waved to someone at the end of the table. I didn’t follow her gaze, I was transfixed on Court.

“Such a good student,” he said, but his voice didn’t sound mocking. It was almost proud.

He’d been standing on the other side of Tasha – a safe distance away from me and my bumbling hormones, but as she moved away in the direction she’d waved, Court stepped forward. His woodsy, masculine scent floated around me making me forget the musty, alcohol and sweat odor that overpowered the bar.

His eyes scanned my body slowly sending goosebumps over my skin. “It’s good to see you 8B. You look great.”

“Thanks. I’m a little shocked you’re here. Oh my God were you here when I was talking to you earlier?” I covered my chest as if I were still half-naked.

A sheepish smile crossed his face. “Yeah, I’d just landed.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back – that you were here?”

He didn’t answer, and I drained my glass while I waited for him to explain, only realizing it was empty when the straw slurped in protest.

“I think that one’s cashed. Come on, I need to get a refill too.”

He moved toward the bar, but I stayed firmly frozen in place. I looked to Tasha who had completely abandoned me. Not even a glance back to see the look of desperation on my face.

“Come on, she’s fine.”

She wasn’t my concern. I wasn’t fine. How was I going to keep from making an utter fool of myself?

His hand moved to my side and I warmed under his touch. “I promise I’ll bring you right back.”

He led me to the bar, pushing through the crowd easily as if they’d parted just for him.

“What can I get ya?” the bartender looked Court over like she wanted to devour him.

“Can I get another one of these.” He placed his empty beer bottle on the bar top and looked to me, pulling me closer with the hand that still rested at my hip. “And whatever she wants,” he said looking back to the bartender but not loosening his hold.

I struggled to speak. With his hard body pressed at my side, I was beyond the ability to form complete sentences. Or think them.

“Is that a Rum and Coke?”

I nodded. “Diet.”

The bartender flited away, but not before another long, hungry gaze pointed at the man next to me.

“How’ve you been?” Court asked, letting go of me and leaning his tall frame against the bar. He settled in like we were old friends and he wanted to hear every detail that had happened in my life since the last time he’d seen me. It was the same sort of posture I recognized all over this bar from alumni catching up with old friends. But Court and I were hardly old friends. We’d spent all morning sending flirty texts back and forth and now here he was.

My body chilled without his and I inched forward seeking out the warmth that radiated off him. “Good. I – I’m sorry. I’m a little thrown that you’re actually here. I never thought I’d see you again. You know what I mean – like this, standing in front of me.”

It was true, I realized. Would I have told him the intimate things I had if I thought there would ever come a time he was standing in front of me again? I knew the answer before I’d even finished thinking it. There was no way I’d have admitted to this gorgeous, experienced man that I was a hopeless case or hadn’t sexted before. Oh, God. I’d actually told him I’d never had an orgasm during sex. And he’d seen me twice now more naked than anyone had seen me in…

“Whoa. I got you.” Court steadied me as I tumbled into him. He looked to my shoes and smiled. Leaning so that his cheek rested against mine, he whispered, “What did I tell you about those shoes? Those shoes are against the rules.”

My face flushed hotter as I remembered his words. The only place those shoes belong is around a guy’s shoulders.

He stood upright, and I missed the feel of his stubble against my skin.

“You remember the shoes?” I was impressed that something as insignificant as my wardrobe had been retained in his memories.

Our drinks arrived, and he took his and then handed me mine, keeping his fingers tight around the glass after I’d taken hold of it. He leaned in and the moment hung in the air thick and alive. Our fingers were live wires and the longer they touched the more sparks fizzled around us.

“I’ll remember those shoes,” he let his eyes fall back to my feet and then brought them up my body slowly. His voice gruffer when he spoke again. “until the day I die.”

“There you are.” Tasha appeared at my side and Court pulled back.

“What can I get you to drink?” he asked her, stepping back to the bar.

“Let’s do a round of shots. Rule book guy being here is cause for celebration.”

“Shots?” Court gave me a surprised look. “What’s your poison?”

“Lemon drops,” Tasha answered.

“Three lemon drops,” he told the bartender. “And another rum and diet.”

Court looked between Tash and me as she looped her arm through mine.

“So, Court,” she paused. “What’s that short for? Courtney?”

He grimaced and then nodded as he took a swig from his beer.

“I didn’t know that,” I said as I filed away the information. I was certain that every scrap of information I’d found on him had called him only Court.

“Nobody calls me that. I’ve gone by Court since as long as I can remember.”

“Not even your parents?” I asked, feeling more comfortable with him in the hot seat. Also, there was something comforting about the way Court interacted with me. Despite how insanely hot he was, he didn’t look at me as a pathetic girl he was taking pity on – he looked at me like he was interested in who I was and what I had to say.

The smile on his face disappeared and in its place was a look I didn’t recognize. Before I could analyze it, the bartender arrived with our drinks and Court turned his back to us. When he faced me again, the smile had returned.

“I can’t tell you the last time I had a lemon drop shot,” he said as we raised our shot glasses together.

“What should we toast to?” Tasha asked.

He glanced down, a seemingly harmless gesture until I felt his eyes land on my legs and down to my feet. Lifting his gaze back to us, Court’s mouth quirked up on one side before he said, “To rules and knowing when to break them.”

He winked as he lifted the drink to his lips.

We’d barely set our empty shot glasses on the bar when Tasha was hugging me and giving her apologies to Court.

“I’m gonna go next door and see if I can convince Lance to come here. Text or call me when you’re headed home and let me know you made it.”

“You’re not coming home tonight?” I hated the way my voice sounded whiny and disappointed. Of course, she was staying at Lance’s place. She almost always did when we’d been out.

“I have a feeling Lance is going to want to peel this dress off with his teeth when he seems me.” She shimmied her hips and shot a friendly smile at Court.

“It was nice to meet you,” Court said.

Tasha looked from him to me and then narrowed her gaze back to Court. “You too. And good work with this one. Rules or not, she’s come a long way since she met you. I mean look at her, she’s smoking hot.”

With that, Tasha disappeared and I let out a shaky breath at being left alone with Court.

“If you want to get back to your co-workers,” I pointed over my shoulder to the table we’d left. “I should probably call it a night anyway.”

“Are you kidding me, 8B? I want to see you in action.”

“In action?”

My heart hammered in my chest and my mind raced to understand his meaning. Did he want me to pretend to be his girlfriend here? Now?

Grabbing my free hand and tugging me behind him, Court’s intentions were only clear once we reached the karaoke signup table.

“Oh no,” I shook my head fervently. “I don’t do karaoke.”

He raised both eyebrows at me as he took a pen and scribbled on a small piece of paper. Curiosity got the better of me and I craned my neck to try and make out what he’d written. No luck.

Like he hadn’t just signed me up for public humiliation, he grabbed my hand again and pulled me away before I could ask questions… or grab the paper and tear it to shreds.

“Come on, let’s go grab a seat.”

Court was filled with a sort of contagious energy that had me smiling despite the way he took charge and left me trying to catch up. I liked to be one step ahead, but with him I didn’t even know which way we were going.

“How are things, Bianca?” he asked once we were seated at a table in the corner. Hearing him say my name made my pulse pick up.

I fidgeted with my drink, stirring the straw in circles and watching the brown liquid swirl and catch the light.

“Things are good. Great,” I added in a voice that sounded more like I was trying to convince myself than him.

Court laughed softly and pulled his chair closer to mine. “You don’t make it easy, do you?”

“Make what easy?”

“Getting to know you. You’ve got your canned answers down pat. You’re less guarded over text.”

I leaned back in my chair and I felt the weirdness of the night lift away. I liked that he called me out – challenged me. It was the reason I’d trusted him from the beginning. He didn’t put on airs.

“Okay, fine. Things are too uncertain right now and it’s making me feel unsure of everything. I have interviews lined up for jobs that I’m not even sure I want. All of this is coming to an end and I can’t seem to figure out what’s next.”

He nodded. “You don’t have a plan and you’re freaked out.”

“More like I’m afraid to make a plan. It feels like whatever decision I make sets off a string of events that is going to impact everything and how in the hell am I supposed to know what’s the right decision?”

“Wanna know a secret?” He leaned in and the soft material of his shirt rubbed against my arm.

“Yes,” I whispered, voice wavering.

He moved away, and his eyes fell to his beer. “None of it matters. What degree you get, what job you take – none of that is going to make or break your future. It just changes your location.”

“And the people,” I added.

He studied me for a moment and then his mouth pulled up in a knowing smile. “This is about Tonto.”

“His name is Todd.”

“And if you were basing the decision solely on him what would you do?”

“That’s not what I’m doing,” I insisted.

“Alright, but let’s pretend you were. What’s the best scenario for you and what’s his face?”

I blew out a deep breath. “He’s staying here for medical school so staying another couple years to get a master’s means we’d be in the same city. It would buy me some more time to give him, give us, a chance to get to know each other and see if we have a future.”

“You need to buy time to figure out if you want to be with the guy?”

“You’re putting words in my mouth.” I shook my head. “I already told you that’s not what I’m doing. I’m basing my future plans solely on me and what’s best for me.”

And yes, for what was best for my family, but I wasn’t about to drop my sad story on Court.

“If I did stay, though, it would make it more likely that Todd and I could be together. Is that so wrong?”

“No. No, 8B, that’s not wrong at all. He’s a lucky guy.”