But watching this man regard me with obvious awe in the middle of a loud, crowded bar really drives the point home. If JMP has anything to do with it, this book is going to be huge.

It also probably means that my book is now more interesting to him than I am.

“Yeah.” I avert my eyes, suddenly self-conscious and more than a little disappointed.

“Whoa.” He moves sideways so he’s in my line of sight, drawing my gaze back to him. “That was a shift. Are you not thrilled?”

“I am,” I reply cautiously. “This is just going to change a lot of things for me is all.”

He nods as if he understands, then offers his hand to me. “I’m Ryan Whitlock. Pleasure to meet you, Scarlett.”

The edge of his ring scrapes against my palm as I shake his hand. He brings his other up to clasp mine between his, and he holds on slightly longer than is appropriate for a simple handshake. I don’t dare move as the warmth of his hands seep into my own.

The intensity in his eyes coupled with his hands on mine as he leans further into my space dispels any concerns I just had about how interesting I may or may not be to him.

But, of course, my friends choose this moment to come back from the dance floor. Loudly. They surround me, seemingly oblivious to Ryan standing there as they sidle up to the bar.

“Scarlett!” Katherine draws out my name almost comically as she throws an arm around my shoulders. “Time to move on to our next stop!”

I laugh as she shakes me back and forth. “What are you talking about?”

“We planned a whole bar crawl,” Mandy says. “The next place is the one we did body shots at the last time we were out, remember?”

“You did body shots,” I correct her. Knowing Ryan can hear me, it seems an important distinction to make. “I did no such thing.”

“Because you’re boring.” Ava tilts her whole body back dramatically as she drags the word from her throat.

I can’t really argue with that, so I catch Ryan’s eye and shrug. He chuckles.

Mandy finally notices him, then winks knowingly at me. “Okay, ladies. After all that dancing, I could use some air. Let’s wait for Scarlett outside.” She rounds up the other two, and they make their way to the door.

I give Ryan an apologetic look.

“It’s okay,” he says, sliding a folded napkin across the bar top. “I need to find my friends anyway. But I really would like to see you again.”

I unfold the napkin to see his name and number scrawled on it in ink. I laugh loudly. “This is so old school.”