“Right.” I smile. “But I don’t think the fence would agree with you.” I poke my index finger through the hole his anger has left in it.
Jordan’s body starts to shake with silent laughter. His eyes smile at me.
I let out a little laugh. “Do you want to talk about it?”
His humor quickly dissipates. He stares at the ground for a long moment. “No,” he says, lifting his head. “Right now, I just wanna get drunk.”
It’s pretty early to be drinking … but what the hell. I can call day drinking part of the new me.
“I could go for that.” I smile.
“That’s my girl.” He grins.
His girl?
His girl.
***
We drive back to Durango and head straight into town where the bars are. Jordan says he’ll leave his car there and pick it up in the morning, so we’ll be getting a cab back to the hotel when we’re done.
I’ve never done anything like this before – going to a bar in the afternoon with the intention of getting drunk.
I’m kind of excited. Okay, I’m freaking thrilled. I feel like a rebel.
Sad, but true.
Jordan has brought me to a bar aptly called ‘The Bar’. I’m sitting at a table in the back. Jordan’s gone to get us some drinks. This round is his.
The next is definitely mine.
He comes back with four shots in his hands, two beer bottle under his arm. I guess we’re starting big.
“Tequila,” he says, putting two of the shots down in front of me.
I’ve never tried tequila, but what the hell. This is the new Mia. The new Mia could be a tequila drinker.
I pick up one of the shot glasses, but his voice stops me. “Salt first.”
Taking the seat across from me, Jordan picks up the salt shaker from the table.
“Hand,” he says.
I hold my right hand out to him.
When he takes hold, my body instantly fires on all cylinders, the traction heading straight to the right parts of my anatomy.
He pours a line of salt on the side of my hand and says, “Lick.”
Jesus Christ. That sounded really hot.
I could really get into this tequila drinking. Especially if I get to hear Jordan talk to me like that.
Doing as told, I lean my mouth down to my hand and lick the salt off.
Jordan’s eyes haven’t moved from me. I see them flare the moment my tongue touches the salt.
I may or may not make the most of the moment, taking my time licking the salt from my hand.
I kind of like the affect it has on him.
When the salt is safely in my mouth, dissolving away, Jordan says in a really hoarse voice, “Now, drink the shot.”
I pick one of the shot glasses up. Glass to my lips, I down the tequila.
“Holy crap!” I’m breathing fire. I place the back of my hand to my damp lips, my eyes watering from the burn.
Jordan laughs. “Chase it with the beer, it’ll take the edge off. I forgot to bring the lime over.”
I take a big mouthful of beer.
My eyes are still watering, so I run my fingers under them catching the leaks.
“Not a tequila drinker?” He grins.
I shake my head. “This is the first time I’ve had it.”
“And what do you think?”
“Tastes like crap.” I grin. “But it does the job. Am I drinking alone?” I nod at his untouched drinks.
He shakes his head, then makes quick work of his own salt licking. He throws back his shot with far more ease than I just did.
Glass down, his eyes smile brightly at me.
I lean back in my chair, taking my beer bottle with me, and start picking at the label. “You look like a seasoned pro at that.”
“The tequila?”
“Hmm.” I nod.
“I’m a hard liquor man. What can I say.” He grins and picks the salt shaker up. “You want another hit?”
I flinch. He notices.
“I meant the salt, Mia. Do you want another hit of salt for your next shot?”
I shift, embarrassed. My face burns with my shame. “Uh … yes.” Biting my lip, I hold my hand out to him.
Instead of pouring the salt, Jordan encases my hand in his. Normally I would feel intimidated by this, but with Jordan, I don’t. His hold feels safe, gentle … kind.
For the first time in my life, I’m with a man who literally has me in his hand, and I don’t feel fear.
Instead, I find myself feeling connected to another human being in a way I never thought possible.
Releasing his hold a little, he turns my hand over and runs his thumb over my palm. It leaves a delicious trail of sensation in its wake.
My emotions start to tilt on their axis, and straight in his direction.
Lifting my eyes, Jordan’s gaze instantly captures mine. Without moving his eyes from me, he runs his fingers to my wrist, guiding my hand to the side.