“Pretty lame of me since I’m here for my twenty-first birthday party, right?” She’d dodged my question about the bourbon, and I didn’t even care. As long as she kept talking and looking at me, she could discuss the art of war or a prostate exam.

“Well, happy birthday.” Twenty-one felt too young for me, even though I was only twenty-six, but like hell was I walking away from her.

“Thank you.” When she brought the straw between her lips and sucked, my thoughts escalated from innocent to filthy.

How many hours did we have until I had to leave again?

Without hesitation, I ordered two glasses of Legacy Ridge. One for myself and one for Miss Kentucky. Based on her accent, I had to believe she was from there, especially given her bourbon knowledge.

I was about to give her my name and offer her a polite handshake (rather than revealing the dirty thoughts in my head), but she waved me off.

Damn, rejected? My right hand landed on the counter at my side as the bartender slid over the tumblers.

“Sorry.” She lowered her lemonade and tucked her blonde hair behind her ears. “I’d just rather remain, well . . . strangers?”

Strangers with a question mark, huh? Hell, I’d take whatever she’d give me.

“I leave in the morning . . . and I shouldn’t even be here with finals next week. My friends dragged me here with the help of my dad . . . surprise birthday party and all.”

All the nervous pauses made me anxious, and I wasn’t someone to ever feel that way. Jumpy wasn’t an excellent quality when you often found yourself inside enemy lines, being shot at. “Where are your friends? Shouldn’t they be celebrating with you?”

“They ditched me for some hotties. Their words, not mine.”

“What kind of friends abandon you on your birthday?” I grunted, insulted on her behalf.

“The kind that study way too much and have no life like me. So, they needed one fun and wild weekend, and believe me, they deserve it.”

Well then. I lifted the two glasses and offered her one, but she declined as fast as she’d turned down my handshake.

“Whatever choices I make next, I’d rather they be all mine and not alcohol induced.”

“And what choices do you plan on making?” Please say they involve me.

“Ohh, I don’t know.”

She fidgeted with the material of her pale-yellow dress that clung to her curves. I did my best not to lower my gaze to her cleavage, to not wonder if she had on a bra since I could make out her nipples.

So, basically, I did notice.

Everything about her.

I could probably clock her pulse rate without even holding her wrist.

I set aside the second glass to try mine. “Damn. This is fantastic,” I admitted, which earned me a smile from ear to ear.

Do that again.