He even had a dimple in one of his cheeks. Dimples hadn’t been part of the study, but they should have been. I sure as hell found them insanely attractive.
A lot of the men at the party had opted for formal wear. Some were in uniform and others in suits, but this guy was in dark-wash jeans with a black button-down shirt. The top two buttons were open and he had rolled his sleeves past muscular forearms to just below his elbows.
I would have pegged him as a SEAL even if I hadn’t been where I was. There was something about the way they moved, the very energy they radiated that was unmistakable if you’d been around them all your life like I had.
There were also those muscles. They were a dead giveaway by themselves around these parts. These guys’ bodies were in a league of their own, and this guy was right at the top of that league.
As I watched them move to the side of the room to join another table, I smiled at the guy behind the first one. Although still clearly a SEAL, he was much more awkward than his friend. Everything about him appeared white: his hair, his eyebrows, his pale skin. Only his red cheeks and green eyes seemed to have color. He flipped his hand up to give a wave, then stumbled after the hot one.
Dad let out a huffy-sounding sigh, and I heard him grumble something before he bowed his head again. His friend, Chris, another retired sailor man, resumed his prayer but sounded significantly more rushed and annoyed than he had before.
Once the prayer ended, Chris came back to his seat on Dad’s other side and the two of them murmured furiously about something. I assumed about the two guys who had come in late. Haley was seated at a different table, so I didn’t have company while having my meal.
Dad was busy with Chris and then with all the other guests seated with us, so I had plenty of time to people-watch. As they finished eating, many of the younger guests converged on the bar. Hot Guy and his friends included.
After dabbing my mouth with the cloth napkin, I rested my cutlery on my plate and pushed my chair back.
Dad paused mid-conversation to frown at me. “Where are you going?”
“Just to the bar. Can I bring you something?”
He shook his head before inclining it at the full drink beside his plate. “I’m fine. Thank you, darling. Don’t get into any trouble out there.”
“I won’t.” Instead of pointing out that it was his party and as such, probably one of the safest places I’d ever been, I smiled and stood up.
Haley was on the other side of the room, her hands flying around animatedly as she spoke to a cute guy sitting next to her. I was tempted to join them, but I didn’t want to cock block her, so I drifted over to the bar by myself.
Perhaps I’d get two extra drinks and take them over there. It was possible Haley’s table-mate knew Hot Guy, and I was definitely interested in getting to know him. He’d slipped out of my field of vision before I’d left our table, but—
“Hi,” a deep voice behind me said. “Can I buy you a drink?”
I spun toward the voice, nearly losing my balance when I saw who its owner was. None other than Hot Guy himself.
“It’s an open bar,” I replied, proud to have managed a non-stuttered response when faced with the richest Cognac-brown eyes I’d ever seen. They were hypnotizing whorls of autumnal red and light earthy brown.
When he grinned at my comeback, they lit up and almost seemed to glow in the warm amber light inside the lodge. The dimple I’d noticed earlier popped, joined by its twin in the other cheek.
“In that case, I’ll get you two.” He had the kind of voice powerful enough to send chills through my body. It also drew me in and wrapped me up in it, vibrating with quiet command even while his tone was light and flirty.
Oh, dear God. If I listened to him for long enough, I would need dry panties. Looking at him at the same time would prove downright disastrous for the ones I was wearing. But that didn’t mean I would pass up the opportunity to do both.
“Well, if you’re going to be getting them, I guess I’d better get the good stuff.” I made a show of looking at what was on offer behind the bar, tapping the side of my mouth like I was deep in thought about the decision. “I’ll have a Cognac and a beer.”
Hot Guy’s eyes widened along with his grin. “Cognac, huh? Since this is a special occasion, I suppose I should have one of those as well. You sure you want to pair it with beer?”
“Yep. I’m classy like that.” I gave him a smile but cringed inwardly. Shit. I don’t drink Cognac.
I’d been inspired by the color of his eyes, but I was only just starting to realize that meant I’d actually have to drink the stuff now. Good thing I would have that beer as a chaser.
“I’m Lincoln,” he said, flashing me those ridiculous dimples.
I swallowed past several dry spots in my throat at the sight of them. My brain scrambled for a second before I remembered he was waiting for my name. “Sofia. It’s nice to meet you.”
Nice to meet you? How boring. But I’d gotten words out. That counted in a situation like this.
“Nice to meet you, too, Sofia,” Lincoln said, somehow making my name sound like sex on his tongue. “Let me get our drinks. I’ll be right back.”
The crowd parted when he moved forward to get to the bar. It was an almost imperceptible movement of people. He didn’t have to shoulder, shove, or do the “excuse me” shimmy. People just seemed to shift on their feet
