“Are you subtly saying I should run or wondering if I’ll fall on my face before I reach the door?” I swat a few unruly locks away from my face. “Jokes aside, I don’t know Cassidy well enough to trust her judgment.”
“Which means you don’t trust me, either.” He mindlessly spins an empty beer bottle on the counter.
“Not one bit.”
I’m not sure why he finds it amusing, but the smile blooming on his lips reaches his striking eyes.
“How long are you staying in Newport?”
I’ve not had time to sightsee or explore the town yet, but I spent a year researching different locations in California. Newport Beach is definitely where I’d like to sprout my roots. “Depending on luck, work, and health, fifty, maybe sixty years. Seventy at a stretch, but that’s wishful thinking with my lifestyle.”
He cocks an eyebrow, straightening his back as he inches closer again. “Green Card holder?”
“I might be very soon.” I tilt my head to the side, treating myself to a cursory once-over of his perfectly toned body. A shadow of a self-indulgent smirk twists his lips when we lock eyes. “You think I’m pretty, Theo? Funny? Interesting?” I bite back a smile when his eyebrows bunch in the middle. “I believe Vegas is just five hours away. How drunk do I need to get you before you sayI do?”
A single snort flies past his mouth. Not amused—horrified. He jerks back like a person walking off an unexpected step.
“Relax,” I chuckle, touching his shoulder, curious if the electric current jabs at me again. It does, traveling from the tips of my fingers straight to my clit. Resisting this man will be one hell of a challenge. “I have a strange sense of humor. I won the Green Card Lottery last year.”
He shakes his head, and mortification gives way to amusement. “Unless you’re ready to land a husband fast, don’t crack that joke around too often. You’d be surprised how many middle-aged men would gladly go down on one knee for you.”
The bartender slides my drink over first, this time before he opens a large fridge to fetch Theo’s order.
“Don’t,” Theo clips when I reach inside my bag to retrieve my wallet. “It’s on me.”
“That’s sweet, but—”
“But nothing, Thalia. Smile for me, saythank youinGreek, and join your friends. Cassidy’s so red she might spontaneously combust.” His eyes don’t leave my face, so I’m not sure how he knows this.
“Efcharistó[4].” I grab the drink, place my hand over the glass to stop the liquid from spilling, and then give Theo a quick show of what running in high heels looks like. His soft laughter forces my heart’s rhythm into higher gear.
“Oh. My.God!” Amy squeals when I hop on my stool, draping my bag over the back. “Do I need glasses, or was that really Theo Hayes hitting on you?”
“He didn’t hit me!” I exclaim a touch too loud.
They gawk at me for a second, then burst out laughing. MJ’s cackling so hard she’s tearful. The more prominent the confusion on my face, the harder they laugh, drawing the attention of everyone within earshot.
“I guess I misunderstood that...” I say. “Can you explain?”
“I said he was hitting on you, nothittingyou, girl.”
“Oh, right. Sorry, I mix up words sometimes, and I don’t understand all the slang phrases. Does that mean the same as making a pass at someone?”
Cass drapes her arm over my shoulders, pulling me to her side. “Yeah, babe, it does. Theo was definitely making a pass at you. He’d eat you out right here, right now, if you’d give him the green light.”
Not the best image to feed my vivid imagination. My brain grabs hold of the idea, develops an enticing plot, complete with multi-dimensional characters, and transforms it into a full-blown, detailed fantasy.
I pause the inappropriate, erotic video clip so I can enjoy it another time—when I’m alone with my silicone friend, ready to use the fantasy to my advantage.
THREE
Thalia
“I THINK IT'S TIME WE CHANGE VENUES. I feel like dancing the night away,” Mary-Jane suggests at half-past ten when her bottle of prosecco runs dry.
The alarm on my cell will blare in six hours to wake me up for work. I should be back at the motel by now, getting some sleep. I should, but I’m not and won’t be any time soon. A long time had passed since I let myself have fun. I’m not ready to call it a night just yet.
Cass and Amy love the idea, already up on their feet and gathering their things, so I follow, hoping to fit in and hold onto my new friends.