“What do you mean, it’s complicated?”
He grunted again, and finished off his beer in three large gulps. When he banged the empty glass onto the wood, the bartender returned with a refill for him. I had never seen something like that happen, let alone in a relatively crowded bar, but Rex was obviously some kind of regular there. I guessed he had status.
He shrugged. “It’s complicated. That’s all it means.”
I looked at him again, and saw something there I couldn’t define yet. He was obviously a part of this world, but it somehow didn’t define him. He wasn’t like Tadd, but he was in the same situation as guys like Tadd. I didn’t understand what he was doing at that bar, drinking like a regular, and what his complicated job was. But I felt something inside of me suddenly need to find out.
We let the silence grow between us for another minute, before he finally spoke.
“What do you do?” he asked.
“I work for Adstrigo, doing marketing stuff.”
He looked interested. “Shane Green’s company, right?”
I nodded. “Yep, the one and only.”
“Have you ever met him?”
“Sure, everyone meets him at least once. He also happens to be dating by best friend. Well, engaged now.”
I couldn’t read the look on his face. “That’s cool,” he said, and let it drop.
“You’re not exactly a talker, are you?” I said after another short silence. I felt like I was pulling teeth.
He grunted in return and smiled.
“Yeah, exactly,” I teased.
He grinned wickedly. “You talk enough for the both of us.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, a little annoyed.
“Nothing at all. Just because I don’t talk a lot, doesn’t mean I have nothing to say.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “And what do you have to say now?”
“Just trying to figure you out.”
“And what do you think?”
He moved a few inches closer, and I felt a thrill in my chest.
“I think you’re pretty and you’re not used to hearing ‘no.’ I think you grew up rich and you don’t know what you’re doing. I think you’re bored and lost.”
My breath caught in my chest. I realized how accurate he was, how really lost I had been feeling ever since moving to Philadelphia, and how bored I was with my life. I craved excitement and something other than the normal, easy existence I had been leading. I needed something or someone to give me purpose, something to elevate me beyond the drudgery of my normal waking hours.
“Is that what you’re looking for? Some excitement?” I asked quietly.
He laughed. “No, not at all. I’ve had enough excitement to last a lifetime.”
I looked him up and down. “I have to say, I’m a little surprised.”
He grinned wickedly again. “I’m full of surprises, Darcy.” He slammed back the last of his drink and looked at me expectantly. I wanted to argue, but there was a devilish look in his eye, like a mischievous child. I picked up my drink and drank it as fast as I could. The cold soda and whiskey mixed into my stomach, warming me up and freezing my head. I felt a little fuzzy and happy.
“See, that’s what I thought,” he said.
He ordered us two more drinks, and I had a feeling I already knew where the night was headed.
Chapter Four
We spent the next two hours slowly getting drunk together. He didn’t seem to be in any rush, but he wasn’t exactly taking it easy on the drinks. I asked him questions, and sometimes he answered them. Mostly, he talked about the people in the bar. He told me about Jimmy Jay, how he lost his eye in the Vietnam War, and about Tadd. He never went into specifics, but he talked a lot about ‘jobs’ and ‘tasks.’ He kept it all vague and mysterious, and whenever I tried to press for more information about him, he either ignored me, or changed the subject. I was getting frustrated, and I was getting drunk.
We ordered more drinks, and after the bartender put them in front of us and walked away, I dropped my hand onto his thigh. I could feel the thick denim of his jean shorts and the powerful, solid muscles of his leg. He let out a small growl and looked at me, his eyes suddenly full of a passion I hadn’t seen out of him yet.
“You’re a fucking sexy girl, Darcy,” he said quietly, his voice full of gravel and bass. I had to lean in to hear him.
“You think so?” I asked, trying to play it cool. Inwardly, I felt my excitement grow.
“And I think you know it, too,” he answered, his grin coming back.
I went to pull my hand away, but he covered it with his before I could move. He was fast, and his large hand engulfed mine. His skin was calloused and hard, like he was used to manual labor, and his knuckles looked red and bruised. My eyes widened a bit as I looked at his injuries. His grin turned into a sly smile.