Maybe this isn’t the way for me to meet someone. Surely, a club—or in this case, a lounge—can’t be the only way to meet the person you hope to spend your life with. There has to be other ways. Like online… I cringe at the thought. I created a profile on one of those dating websites once after Mason, Alec’s stepdad—who is also my dad’s best friend and, as I mentioned before, my godfather—said he got together with Alec’s mom through chatting on a dating site. I don’t know if the times have changed, but the number of creepy men was astounding and almost convinced me to switch teams. So, no, a dating site probably isn’t the way to go. But I don’t think this is either.
When we get to the bar, Chase orders himself a beer and me a lemon drop, then we go in search of a booth. They’re all taken, but we find a table with two chairs open, so we have a seat. Making sure my new little black dress doesn’t ride up and expose my goods, I scoot onto the seat carefully.
“So, what’s the game plan?” Chase asks, taking a drink of his beer. His hazel eyes meet mine, and my belly clenches. He’s so ruggedly handsome. He hasn’t shaved in a while, so his scruff is now practically a full beard. Idly, I wonder what it would feel like between my legs. I read it once in a book and at the time didn’t get it, but now, looking at Chase, I kind of do.
“I don’t know!” I shout nervously over the music as I try to remove the image of Chase’s face from between my legs. “You’re an expert at this,” I joke. “How do you get all the women you do?”
I expect Chase to laugh, but instead he frowns and takes another sip of his beer. Is it possible I offended him? I don’t know why. He’s always owned up to sleeping around. And I’m not judging him. Not now that I know why he does it. He was hurt. And one day he’ll meet a woman who will help him heal. But until then, he doesn’t want to be alone. And I get that. Because I’m so damn tired of being alone.
“Hey, are you mad at me? I was only joking.”
“No,” he says, putting his beer down. “But I don’t go after women.” He shrugs. “They come to me.”
I swallow thickly. The women go after him… Of course they do. Because most women aren’t afraid to go after what they want. I down the rest of my drink in one swallow and slam my glass down.
“Then that’s what I’ll do,” I tell him, standing.
“What?” He looks at me like I’m crazy, and I probably am. But so was Lexi once upon a time, and unlike me, she found her perfect path. Now it’s my turn.
“I’m going to go to the guys.” I glance around and spot a cluster of men at the bar. “And I’ll start by buying them a drink.” Just like guys do when they want a woman.
“Whoa, wait,” Chase says. “Maybe you should think about this first.”
“Why? So I can second-guess myself and then freak out and bail? No way.”
“No.” He wraps his fingers around my forearms to stop me. “Because the women who approach me are looking to fuck. They’re desperate.”
“So, what do I do then?” Why does meeting someone have to be so damn difficult?
“Let the guy come to you.”
“Okay…”
We return to the table, and Chase goes back to his beer while I look around. There are a lot of different people here. Couples dancing, women dancing with women. Men, who look similar to Chase, nursing a beer. I look at one man in particular. He’s sitting in a booth next to a woman. They’re not talking, both just people watching like Chase and I are… and it hits me.
“How is anyone going to know I’m available?”
“Huh?” he asks, a V forming in the center of his brows.
“How is anyone going to know I’m available?” I repeat.
“I heard you. What do you mean?”
“Well, we’ve been sitting here for a little while and no women have approached you… It’s probably because we’re sitting together. They’re assuming we’re together. Maybe we should separate? Or I should come back when Lexi can join me.” I clearly didn’t think this whole thing through. If Lexi were here, guys would know I’m single.
“How about you stop focusing on meeting a guy and we dance?” Chase suggests, standing and taking my hand.
“But—” My argument is thwarted the second Chase pulls me into his arms and forces my hands to wrap around his neck. His hands slide down my sides and land on the small of my back. He bends and leans in so his face is close to mine. I can feel his warm breath against my ear, and it sends chills racing down my spine.