Page 4 of Challenge Me

He held it out to me, and when his fingers brushed mine, he winked.

“Thanks, but I can pay.”

“And so can I, handsome.”

“So, he’s a flirt,” I ventured, trying not to sound like a complete idiot.

His smirk intensified. “So, he enjoys it.”

“Maybe I’d rather pay for it.”

He lifted one shoulder. “If it’s that big of a deal, but I’m of the opinion that you should smile and say thank you when people make offers from the heart.”

“Is it from the heart?” I asked, then tried to hide my smile behind the glass.

“Everything I do is from the heart.” After a second, he snorted a laugh. “Damn, even I can’t lie that well.”

“If not from the heart, then where?”

He hummed and leaned back against the cabinet on the wall. While I drank, I took the opportunity to check him out. His hair was deep brown with body that made it bounce when he moved. It came down to his jaw, and it looked incredibly soft. He had high cheekbones and full lips that made his lip ring hug the lower one tightly. The hoops in his septum and right nostril drew attention to the gentle slope of his nose, slightly upturned at the end. His features were sharp in a way that was elegant, and I couldn’t deny that he was beautiful.

His brown eyes met mine, and I shifted my gaze to the side to watch a group of people playing pool. The table was almost out of place here.

“Let’s just chalk it up to you being lovely,” he said after a minute.

My fingers tightened around the glass. “Oh. Well, thank you.”

I sucked in a breath when he dropped his elbows to the counter, which brought him close to me so suddenly that I reared back.

“Your friend is gay.”

I resituated myself and tried not to feel intimidated by his overwhelming presence. “Yeah, he is.”

“Are you?”

Out of habit, I hesitated. “Yes.”

“But not together.”

“You heard our conversation. He’s very happily taken.”

“Just checking. Some guys are into sharing.”

“Are you?”

A mesmerizing smile took over his face. “Why do you ask?”

“Because you did.”

He stepped back. I took the chance to draw in a full breath that wasn’t dominated by the scent of dark cacao. It made my mouth water, so I washed it away with the whiskey. It ended up pairing incredibly well.

“Are you going to answer?” I asked when he still hadn’t said anything.

“No, Amir, I’m not.” He put his hands on the counter and locked onto my eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was his voice or my name that made goosebumps rise on my arms.

“No?” I repeated.

“I don’t share. Glad we cleared that up.”