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“You’re thinking too much,” Kelsey said
“Better than not thinking enough”
“Not tonight it’s not,” she said
I turned up the voluot in the car so that I could think in peace
I could do this It was just a problem that needed to be solved, an item that needed to be checked off my to-do list
It was that simple
Simple
Keep it simple
We pulled up outside the bar several , but siht, my shirt too low-cut, and my brain too clouded I wanted to throw up
I didn’t want to be a virgin That much I knew I didn’t want to feel like the i things The trouble was… as in, I also didn’t want to have sex
The conundrum of all conundrule, but rectangle is not always a square kind of things?
Kelsey was standing outside ers as she roused me out of the car I squared my shoulders, tossed my hair (half-heartedly), and followed Kelsey into the bar
I led myself onto a stool, and waved down the bartender
He was a possibility Blond hair, average build, nice face Nothing special, but certainly not out of the question He could be good for simple
“What can I get for y’all, ladies?”
Southern accent Definitely a horown kind of boy
Kelsey butted in, “We need two shots of tequila to start”
“Make it four,” I croaked
He whistled, and his eyes ht, huh?”
I wasn’t ready to put into words what kind of night this was So I just said, “I’e”
“And I’d be glad to help” He winked at me, and he was barely out of earshot before Kelsey bounced in her seat, saying, “He’s the one! He’s the one!”
Her words made me feel like I was on a roller coaster, like the world had just dropped and allcatch up I just needed rabbed Kelsey’s shoulder, and forced her to still “Chill, Kels You’re like a freaking Chihuahua”
“What? He’s a good choice Cute Nice And I totally saw hie… TWICE”
She wasn’t wrong But I still wasn’t all that interested in sleeping with him, which I suppose didn’t have to rule him out, but this sure would be a hell of a lot easier if I was actually interested in the guy I said, “I’m not sure… there’s just no spark” I could see an eye roll coed on a quick, “Yet!”
When Bartender Boy returned with our drinks, Kelsey paid, and I took my two shots before she even handed over her card He stayed for aon to another custo shots
“You’re lucky this is a big night for you, Bliss Norets between me and my tequila”
I held s unless I’ood and drunk so hand me the last one”
Kelsey shook her head, but she was save in, and with four shots of tequila in my system the prospect of sex seemed a little less scary
Another bartender cairl, and I ordered a Jack and coke to sip on while I puzzled through this whole mess
There was Bartender Boy, but he wouldn’t get off until well after 2 AM I was a nervous wreck already, so if this dragged on till the wee hours of the ine it… straight-jacketed due to sex
There was a guy standing next to me who seemed to move several inches closer with every drink I took, but he had to be at least forty No, thank you
I gulped down more of my drink, thankful the bartender went heavy on the Jack, and scanned the bar
“What about hiuy at a nearby table
“Too preppy”
“Him?”
“Too Hipster”
“Over there?”
“Ew Too hairy”
The list continued until I was pretty sure this night was a bust Kelsey suggested we hit another bar, which was the last thing I wanted to do I told her I had to go to the bathrooone so that I could slip aith no drama The bathroom was at the back, past the pool and darts area, behind a section with some small round tables
That hen I noticed him
Well, technically, I noticed the book first
And I just couldn’t keep irls, I would suggestto an area with a little more traffic”
He looked up fro, and suddenly I found it hard to s He was easily theinto crystal blue eyes, just enough scruff on his jaw to give hi hi It wasn’t awk Why did I stop? Why did I always have to make an idiot of myself?
“Excuse me?”
My ht blue eyes, so it took me a second to say, “Shakespeare No one reads Shakespeare in a bar unless it’s a ploy to pick up girls All I’ht have better luck up front”
He didn’t say anything for a long beat, but then his , what do you know, perfect teeth!
“It’s not a ploy, but if it were, it seeht here”
An accent HE HAD A BRITISH ACCENT Dear God, I was dying
Breathe I needed to breathe
Don’t lose it, Bliss
He put his book down, but not beforeShakespeare in a bar