Violet laughed, shaking her head. “There’s no such thing.”
He shrugged one of those huge shoulders. “Don’t believe me then. Just try and pay your tab. Won’t be one.”
With that, he carried the pitcher of beer to the back of the room, setting the pitcher down in the center of their table with a soft thunk. “Ladies, which of you is the lucky one?” he asked.
The whole group looked up and twittered with laughter at the sight of the gorgeous hunk standing beside their table. Instantly, Violet felt proprietary and wanted to push him back to the bar where her friends couldn’t get to the man. But she stood next to him, clutching the beer mugs as if her life depended on them remaining in her hands.
Creek was used to this kind of reaction, but ignored it all, preferring the soft, husky laugh of the woman at his side. “I am,” a cute blond woman said. “But I’ll break it off if you promise to take his place!”
Creek refrained from rolling his eyes but he turned back to Blue Eyes. “I think I’m already taken,” he told the women. “Let me know when you need another round,” he said softly to her. “I’ll keep ‘em coming.”
“Thanks,” Violet replied, glad for the dim lighting in the bar that hopefully hid her blush.
“I’m Creek,” he said, sticking out his hand.
Violet set the beer mugs down on the table, ignoring her friends who were still twittering with excitement over the handsome mountain man’s flirtations. “I’m Violet.”
“Pleased to meet you, Violet,” he said, and took her delicate hand in his big one, not letting her hand go for a long moment.
“Same to you Creek,” she said. A more seasoned woman would say something flirtatious, maybe even move closer to him. Someone more confident would show this guy that she was interested.
But instead, Violet’s lashes lowered over her eyes, and she pulled back. “You really should charge us for the drinks, Creek. I don’t want you to get in trouble with your boss.”
Creek laughed softly, and Violet trembled with the crazy feelings that stormed through her body with the sound. Everything inside of her was completely aware of this man. And aware of the fact that she was a woman! For the first time in her life, she knew what it was like to be floored by a man. This man. He was amazing. Charm oozed from him, and there was a deep intelligence in his eyes that made her stomach tingle with anticipation. Heat stole up her arm from the strength of his hand and she couldn’t believe how painfully she was blushing.
“I guarantee that the owner would fully support the free drinks tonight. Enjoy the party, Violet. Just give me a signal when you’re ready for more.”
With that, he walked away and Violet sighed, wondering what she could have done differently. The man was absolutely gorgeous and amazing.
So out of her league, she told herself.
But with a great butt!
Violet didn’t realize that she was staring at Creek as he walked back to the bar. Nor did she realize that her friends were watching her stare at Creek as he walked away.
“Honey, why don’t you go over there and tell him to take you back into the storage room?” Jane whispered with a little nudge.
Violet jerked out of her fantasy at that comment, looking down at her friends. “Storage room?” she asked blankly, walking around the table to the empty chair. “Why would I…?”
The other women around the table burst out laughing, but in a good way. They weren’t spiteful women. The exact opposite in fact. These ladies were wonderful and supportive, all more than ready to cheer on their friends instead of taking them down like some females could be.
“Honey, if you don’t know why you’d go into the storage room with that hunk of gorgeousness, then we need to talk!” Beth said, and the ladies all started laughing again.
Violet rolled her eyes, pretending like the idea was ridiculous. But in reality, it really was. Crazy. The man was too good looking, and way too buff, to be interested in a woman like her.
She glanced over at the bar, then quickly away when she realized he was staring right back at her. For several moments, she held her breath, the muscles in her body tightening with awareness. It was crazy, she thought, as she slowly released her breath. Whew! She had to keep her eyes from…
Oh my! A blond woman with painted on jeans and the tightest shirt, which showed off more than it hid, just walked into the bar. And yawza! That woman had a pair on her! Those beauties were huge! Violet bit her lower lip as the woman leaned over, her blood-red lips smiling up at her…um…THE bartender.
And just that quickly, all the excitement of the night vanished. The gorgeous man laughed at whatever the bodacious blond said and winked.