I gestured to the seat behind me, "At this point, it would be kind of rude if I didn't invite you to sit."
"Thanks." He rounds the table and takes the seat Lana was previously sitting in. "I would have been over here sooner, but by the time the bartender came back around, you had already started raising your voice."
"That is an experience I never want to have again. I knew I should have just stayed in the hotel room tonight."
"But if you did that, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to rescue the damsel in distress."
"So, do you have some kind of hero complex I don't know about? First you stepped in with my awkward conversation without me asking, and now this?”
The bartender comes over and sets fresh glasses on the table. "Those are on the house."
"Thanks," Bentley says. He turns his focus on me, "neither one of these situations was something I planned on. I'm just happy I came down to the bar with my teammate tonight. Otherwise, that could've gone a completely different direction."
"Believe me, I'm grateful." I take a sip of my drink and look around the room, doing anything I can to keep my gaze off the man who continually comes to my rescue and surprises me.
"I guess that means you'll be going on a second date with me."
I spit out the drink I just took, and it goes all over him. "Where in the hell would you get that idea?"
"Well, I know you have an interest in me. Otherwise, you wouldn't be fighting your feelings so hard. Second, I did just rescue and I think that's deserving of a date."
Yet, he continuously surprises me. As much as my encounter a few moments ago rattled me, I'm not going to let that interfere with the rest of my night. He's right. I do have some kind of feelings for him, and before that douche nozzle interrupted my girl's night, I was going to tell Lana that I'm done fighting her, and am willing to take a chance on him. But is now the time to tell him that? I mean, he did bring it up so his mind is obviously in that space. You can do this Jolene, be more like Lana, take life by the horns and see where it leads you. "I don't know, I feel like a second date might not be enough to show you how grateful I am."
His face lights up, and I don't think I've seen him this happy. At least, not since that first time he flew, and we landed at the airport.
"This isn't a joke, is it?" He points at me, "because if it is, you are a cruel woman."
I laugh. "No, it's not a joke. I'm willing to let you attempt to sweep me off of my feet."
“There’ll be no attempt,” he reaches across the table and places his hand on top of mine. “Before long you won’t be able to get enough of me. Mark my words.”
Just like that he’s thrown down the gauntlet and I know my heart will be his whether I like it or not.
Thirteen
Bentley
Rossand I are in the elevator on the way up to our rooms. I’d like to say we closed the hotel bar down, but Lana and Jolene were still pretty shaken up by that asshole. We called them an Uber and sent them back to their hotel. I swear, if I see that guy around the hotel, I’m going to pummel him. He’s lucky I even gave him the opportunity to leave the bar. I’m not a violent man, but he didn’t have any good intentions, and I’m grateful I was in there tonight. Who knows what would have happened otherwise?
“Dude, no wonder you’re head over heels for that chick. She’s hot.” Ross backs out of the open doors. “You should have seen your face when her voice got loud. You went into defender mode.”
“It’s not just because she’s hot,” I roll my eyes at him and follow him out of the elevator. “She’s incredibly stubborn. And I’m sure you would have, too. It sure as hell didn't take you long to come up beside me.”
“It was in case you needed backup, man. And my mom would also kick my ass if I didn’t stand up to defend a lady’s honor.”
“All I’m hearing is you’re scared of your mom.” I walk backward toward my room.
“You would be, too.” He turns to the opposite end of the hallway but stops. “Next time Mom has a cookout or get together; you’re welcome to come. Then you can tell me you aren’t scared of her.”
“I’m sure she’s as sweet as pie.”
“Yeah, okay.” He turns back toward his room and walks away. “I’ll see you at the airport in the morning,” he calls over his shoulder.
I stop walking backward, turning until I’m facing the doors on either side of the hallway. As soon as I get to my room, I slide the keycard into the slot and walk in. Before I make it to my suitcase to change into some sleep pants, my phone dings.
Jolene: We made it. Thank you again.
Bentley: No problem. What time do you usually get to the airport? Maybe we can grab breakfast.