"I'm not looking..."
She places her finger to my lips and hushes me. "I said flirt, not sleep with. But you can't go looking for forever with someone if you don't go throwing cupid's arrow out into the pond once in a while."
"Oh, listen to you. All wise and shit." I giggle.
"I have my moments." She flings her golden hair over her shoulder and smirks. "Now, come on, come out and throw some arrows with me."
"Are you sure your mom is okay with watching Matty?
"Seriously? Of course. She adores him.” Terry pulls me up from the couch. “Especially since me and my sister are not in a rush to give her any grandchildren of her own. Also, she said she'd bring some extra brownies for you."
"I do love your mom."
"So you'll go?"
"Yes, you win. I'll go out.”
"Yesss. Now go get your sexy ass in that dress." She spins me around and taps my ass.
"Who needs a man when I have you to boss me around and smack my ass?"
My Uber driver pulls outside the Tilted Keg, a cute little Irish bar with a sports theme that Terry claims is the place to be. This place is in the middle of nowhere, but I can tell through the windows, it’s bustling. I’m sure Terry is already inside trying to find me someone to mingle with. We came separately because I wanted to make sure Matty was settled before I left and Terry needed to change. So I promised to meet her here, while at the same time hoping Matty wouldn’t let me leave. It didn’t work, Terry’s mom gave him a brownie, and I was forgotten.
I thank my driver and step out into the cool night. I wrap my arms around my body to fight off the chill. I should’ve brought a jacket because this dress exposes everything.
I might as well be wearing a napkin.
But I have to admit these matching red sky-high heels do make my legs look like they go on forever.
The noise from the bar trickles outside and I find myself standing, looking at the door as if I’m waiting for an invite to come in. I’m not sure if I’m ready to go back into the wild. Maybe I still have time to turn back and go home to eat brownies with Matty.
Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I spin around, thinking it’s Terry when I’m met by the most gorgeous pair of chocolate eyes. Eyes that are a replica of the ones I stare into daily.
Holy shit.
"You look a little lost, Red." His husky voice cuts through the air and my breath hitches.
"No...um…I. No," I stutter, rubbing my eyes to make sure he's not an illusion.
This time my God of Thunder is wearing a pair of jogging shorts and sweat drips from his brown hair.
He has the same unkempt beard and bulging arms and chest that captured my attention the first time I met him.
Yep, he's really here.
"Are you okay?" he asks me, laying his hand on my arm. Everything inside of me spikes like it did three years ago.
I step back and his hand falls from me. I can't let him touch me. He's nothing but trouble—correction—I end up in nothing but trouble with him.
"Um, yes, I'm fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I'm just a little chilled."
“I know I'm a stranger." He brushes a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear. "But I promise I don't bite.”
The love mark you left me with three years ago says otherwise.
"Why are you blushing, Red? Do you want me to bite?" He snickers, and steps in closer to me.
Fuck, he smells good, like crisp apples and musky man sweat.
I slap my hands over my heated cheeks. "You shouldn't be talking that way to me."
His tongue darts from his mouth. "Why not?"
"I don't even know your name," I say quickly as an excuse, and he smirks smugly.
"Let me fix that then. It's Liam."
"Liam," I repeat in a haze. I knew it though. Mr. Lonely, down in the dumps, Thor is now standing in front of me, though he seems to have no clue who I am.
He laughs. "Yep. And what about you, Red. You have a name?"
Why does he keep calling me Red?
"Girl, there you are!" Terry steps outside and slings her arm around my shoulder. "I was worried you were going to blow me off." She looks over at Liam who is blinking at both of us. "Who are you?"
"Nobody." He grins and takes a step back further into the darkness.
Terry's lips twist and she glances down at me. My heart is still racing and I'm sure my palms are sweating.
"Well, nobody, do you want to join us inside?"
He glances at me, and I see an inner battle behind his eyes. He only looks at me for a second, before he shakes his head, wiping the look away, but I felt his struggle deep inside me. “Not tonight ladies. But you have fun.”
Shit. I can’t just let this man run off again. “Are you sure? I can buy you a drink. You look like you need it,” I say, maybe hoping a drink could do us both good. Ease whatever is bothering him and calm my nerves.
Though I feel like a moron when I see all the light in his eyes shut off and his body stiffen.
“Have a nice night, Red.”
As he walks off, I curse myself. I didn't get his last name again.
“What was his problem?”
“I—I don’t know. Was he really there?” I glance back behind me, seeing that his tall, muscular figure is now gone into the night.
“Yesss.” Terry laughs and grabs
