His Forever Girl (New Orleans' Ladies #4) - Liz Talley Page 0,3

throat had loosened the striped power tie, and he’d unbuttoned the top button showing gorgeous tanned skin at his throat. His five o’clock shadow gave him a rakish air. “But you don’t have to feel obliged to take me to dinner. I’ll take half the mushrooms though.”

“You actually remind me of Ainsley Braddock, my Sadie’s date. And you’ve got a deal on the mushrooms. It’s the least I can do for saving me from whatever they had planned over there.”

For some reason, she wanted the mushrooms and the dinner. Which was crazy. She didn’t know this man from Adam. Which she always thought a stupid saying because she didn’t know Adam. Okay, she had a cousin named Adam, but—

“I’m good for dinner, too. That is, if you’re free?”

Tess nodded, wondering if it was a mistake to look so eager. Her stomach growled and she decided dinner was dinner. And if it was with a handsome stranger, she’d have news to share with Gigi when she called her later. There was something appealing about being spontaneous, something exciting about having dinner with Graham of the power tie and wing tips. “A friend was supposed to meet me after work but couldn’t get off. I haven’t eaten yet so… that sounds fun.”

Graham lifted his glass and clinked it against the one she held in her hand. “Then it’s a date.”

They both drank and Ron shook his head. “How do you do it? Any time I go to a bar, I go home with a tab and that’s it.”

Tess laughed. “Joanne would be pissed if you came home with anything other than a bar tab.”

“Pregnant women are such downers. She used to be fun,” Ron grumbled.

A perplexed expression crossed Graham’s face.

Tess helped him out. “I know. You probably thought Ron is gay. But he’s not. He just flirts with everyone, chasing that tip.”

Ron lifted a shoulder. “I never said I was gay.”

“You implied it,” Graham said, sounding amused.

“No, you made an assumption based on my comment regarding men in baseball pants.” Ron’s eyes danced with laughter. He loved flipping stereotypes.

“Such a twisted sense of humor,” Tess said, finishing off her gimlet. The crisp taste and slight buzz made her feel invincible. Or maybe that was due to the fact she’d picked up a hot guy in a bar. Okay, only for dinner, but even so, she felt better about her crap day with Granny B who had ended it by declaring Tess would never see a single piece of jewelry in her will. “Do you want to order stuffed mushrooms? If so, we better put in an order. Daryl’s slow.”

“Hey, good food requires patience,” Ron said.

Graham centered his attention on her. “Or we could go. I’m hungry for more than an appetizer.”

“Meow,” Ron purred, before moseying toward a customer at the other end of the bar.

Tess’s cheeks blistered even though she knew it was a joke.

Graham’s gaze slid over her, lingering particularly on her mouth. Tess licked her lips before she could catch herself—and he definitely noted the movement. “I’m not familiar with the Marigny area so I don’t know any restaurants close by.”

“I’m not dressed overly nice, so we better stick to casual.” Tess glanced outside. “Looks like the rain is gone and the stars are out. Why don’t we walk toward the Quarter? It’s not far and there’s always something there to tickle the fancy.”

Tess hopped off the stool, tossing a ten and five on the bar to cover her drink and still give Ron a decent tip. Joanne had only a month to go until she delivered their first child, and money was tight for the couple.

“I’ll defer to the local.” Graham withdrew a credit card and drummed his fingers on the bar while Ron slid the card through the machine. Then he stood, lifting an attaché case. “Let me lock this in my rental car and we’ll head out.”

“Have fun, you two,” Ron called holding up his bar towel and giving it a wave.

And so Tess walked out of Two-Legged Pete’s with a good-looking man and the expectation for food… and maybe something more.

Or perhaps she wanted it to be more than what it was.

Either way, it was better than watching The Bachelor.

GRAHAM NAQUIN POPPED the trunk of the Chevy Malibu and placed his briefcase inside, slamming the lid with finality.

So… he’d picked up a random chick in a bar.

Outside his current comfort zone in a huge way. In fact, it was something he’d vowed not to do again.