Page 5 of Searching the Skies
“Not at all.”
He slid onto the stool next to her. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in this place. What brings you in tonight?”
She took a slow sip from her drink. “I’m going on leave tomorrow, and I’ve decided to throw myself my own pity party.”
Concern darkened Ash’s face. “Leave? Is everything okay?”
“Perfectly fine on my end.” She snorted, rolling her eyes. “I just need to go home and take care of some things.”
“I can leave if you’d rather be alone…”
“No! Please, don’t,” she said. “Besides, I probably should have someone here to keep me from drinking too many of these.”
Ash allowed the bartender to refill his glass. “I don’t think you’ll be able to get too drunk and mopey in here tonight.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge?”
His wide grin returned and he laughed. “Nah. The music’s too upbeat for anyone to successfully wallow. I think they pick the playlist on purpose.” With his drink, he gestured toward a speaker in the corner. “Bland yet peppy electropop keeps us from drowning our sorrows or getting too philosophical about our purpose on board this ship. Sometimes, it even inspires people to get up and dance.”
“You’re such a liar,” she said, holding up her glass to camouflage her amusement. “I’ve never seen anyone dance in here.”
“Maybe it’s because you don’t come in often enough.” He took a swig. “Because I never lie.”
Geneva noted the irony of how she had spent the past couple of days trying to steer her thoughts away from the handsome commander and was using him as a diversion from more pressing concerns. Hours passed and, between the drinks and the company, she had to admit she felt better than she had when she’d entered the bar. “I should drop by here more often,” she said.
“You should.” His gaze never left hers. “I can’t say I’m happy about the events that drove you to this place, whatever they may be, but I’m not going to pretend it’s not fortunate for me I got to spend the evening seated next to a beautiful woman.”
Blushing, she looked away from him. “I think you’ve had too much to drink,” she mumbled, taking a sip from her own glass.
“You know you’re beautiful, and you know every set of eyes was upon you as soon as you set foot in the room.” He leaned back on the stool and scanned the area. “Just as they are right now.”
She kept her eyes focused on her drink. “I thought you never lied.”
“Okay, fine, then. They’re all staring at me with jealousy because I’m the only one who had the balls to approach you.” His shoulders rose and fell in a casual shrug. “Especially since we all know how you’re capable of killing a man with your bare hands.”
Geneva allowed herself a small laugh, though she was conscious of her flaming cheeks. “Alcohol does tend to bolster one’s confidence.”
“True. But I had something else going for me.”
The heat refused to subside. “Oh? What is it?”
He craned his neck, a mischievous grin appearing on his lips as his face came into her line of view. “I noticed you checking me out at the meeting yesterday.”
Her jaw dropped open at his revelation. She recovered quickly and snapped it shut, but she couldn’t come up with any sort of valid response.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind at all. In fact…” He reached out and lightly brushed the top of her hand gripping the glass, with his fingertips, a sensation so light, she didn’t know if she was imagining it or not. “I thought I was pretty damn lucky you were finally looking back.”
His last words came as a surprise. She forced herself to meet his clear blue gaze again. “What else were you thinking?” she whispered.
“That I wanted to drag you out of there and fuck you senseless.”
Geneva choked on the last sip of her drink. She covered her mouth as she coughed, unsure of how to reply. “Damn, I’m sorry,” Ash said, looking down at his glass and shaking his head. “They keep telling me my honesty’s going to get me in trouble one of these days. I should leave now before I make an even bigger ass out of myself.”
Still aware of his hand on hers and armed with the newfound knowledge of his explicit desires, she couldn’t believe the words about to come out of her mouth. “So, what are you waiting for?”
It was Ash’s turn to stare at her in shock. Several awkward moments passed before he spoke again. “Are you sure?”
Faced with the choice between an uncharacteristic wild night and more hours spent being pissed off at the universe, the answer was clear. A smile spread across her face. “Which one of us is supposed to say ‘let’s get out of here’ first?”