Tanned skin, deep-set eyes, rounded cheekbones, a square jaw, and a generous mouth that was ripe for abusing.
As though aware I was studying him, his attention shifted and landed on me.
I wasn’t one to play shy. In the city, when I found someone I liked, I let my interest be known. This man was definitely someone worth noting. Knowing I had his attention, I took my time scanning him from head to toe, making a show of checking him out. When I refocused on his face, there was distinct returned interest, a lust that tugged at us both from half a room away.
I winked and lifted my mug of beer for another sip as I peered across the mountainous planes out the window. The heat of his gaze remained, licking a warm path up my spine, making me want to shiver.
I set my beer down and made a display of licking my lips instead of doing the polite thing and dabbing with a napkin. After a minute, I glanced back. The man was seated now, and the moment my gaze landed on his, he looked away, examining the tablecloth like it might provide him with the secrets of the universe.
“Perhaps this weekend won’t be all bad,” I said under my breath.
My dinner arrived, and I took my time eating, not wanting to finish. The rehearsal dinner party was boisterous. Drinks flowed, and their laughter rang through the restaurant. The women especially were having a good time. There had been an endless delivery of wine to their end of the table.
Mr. Checkered Shirt didn’t have anything except water. At random points over the course of dinner, he stole subtle glances in my direction. Once, a tiny quirk appeared at the corner of his mouth, a hint of a smile which I returned. He turned away, shaking his head and chuckling.
I had his attention.
When I finished my dinner and the waitress asked how I’d enjoyed my meal, I flinched. The truth was, I hadn’t tasted it. My attention was so diverted, I hadn’t picked apart the quality of the food like I’d planned to do all day.
“It was great. Could I get another lager?”
“Coming up. If you’re here for the weekend, you should check out the local brewery. They do a whole sampler of all their ales. People quite enjoy it.”
“I might. Thank you for the suggestion.”
And I added it to my list of things to do while in Jasper. Christian was my counterpart when it came to scrutinizing good beer. We loved discovering new local breweries. If I found something to his taste, I’d bring him home a little gift.
My new mug of beer arrived, and I sipped it while the waitress wandered off. The plates were being cleared at the other table, and a man and woman stood, drawing their guest’s attention. It was the man with the auburn hair who’d wandered in with Mr. Checkered Shirt earlier. Apparently, he was the future groom.
While they thanked their guests for coming, my person of interest leaned back in his chair, making another subtle scan of the restaurant. His warm gaze lingered an extra minute on mine.
I needed to figure out how to get him alone. The urge to take him back to my room was surpassing my need for anything else. I didn’t care what his name was or what he did for a living. All I cared about was what he would look like sprawled naked underneath me and just how hard he’d let me fuck his ass.
I adjusted in my seat. My balls tingled with anticipation the longer I envisioned it.
I was on my third beer when people from the rehearsal dinner started clearing out. A few of the men headed toward the bar. The groom knocked Mr. Checkered Shirt on the shoulder and gestured for him to follow.
Sitting straighter, I shoved my empty mug aside, knowing this could be my chance. Approaching a man at a bar was second nature, something I did regularly. Interrupting his dinner was plain rude.
The men, four of them, found stools at the long bar on the other side of the room. Three of them ordered drinks. The guy I had my eye on did not. He must have been the DD. Conveniently, he’d positioned himself at the end of the group, which left a vacant stool beside him. An opening. An invitation. He wanted me to join him.
Enough observing. It was time for action.
I tugged my sleeves, straightening my shirt as I