Falling for the P.I. (Entangled Bliss) (Still Harbor) - Victoria James Page 0,2

to be interested in the vast array of bottles on display. The bartender made eye contact with her and walked over. Perfect. Another drink was exactly what she needed.

“What can I get you, sweetheart?”

“I’d love a double whiskey,” she said, clutching the edge of the bar and leaning forward.

“Can I buy you that drink?”

Kate stared straight ahead, breath caught in her throat. That wasn’t the voice she would have thought Mr. Art Exhibit would have. No, this voice was slurred, rough, and…slimy. Because of the loud music, Kate couldn’t really decipher which direction the voice was coming from. She turned in her barstool to look at Mr. Art Exhibit. A blond woman was currently draped around the man and he wasn’t even looking in Kate’s direction.

Kate swivelled in the opposite direction, dread weighing her down as she came face to face with the owner of the voice. He was grinning. No, leering. His long, curly, greasy hair was covering one eye, while the other gave her a slow once-over. Kate swallowed hard. This was why she didn’t do bar pick-ups. This is exactly how the Kate Abbott bar pickup would go: hot man ignoring her, drunken man propositioning her.

“No thanks,” Kate said, trying not to appear rude while at the same time being clear she wasn’t interested. She turned away from him, just in time to miss the visual that went along with the belch that boomed near her ear. Charming. So instead of securing Mr. Art Exhibit, she had attracted Mr. Belcher. Kate shuddered, grateful for her whiskey’s timely arrival.

The man leaned forward, his rough wool sweater brushing against her arm. Kate bristled, picking up her glass. She downed half the contents in one long swig.

“I love a woman who can drink,” the man said, almost knocking her off her stool as he claimed the chair beside her. Kate clutched the edge of the bar counter, while turning to glare at her sisters. Cara’s head was face down on the table, shoulders shaking. Alex was motioning wildly, but Kate had no idea what she was trying to communicate. Kate turned back in her chair, ready to take her drink and leave. This was her last pickup attempt ever.

“How’s about you and I go somewhere we can talk?”

Kate clenched her teeth. “How’s about no. Thank you.”

His hand made contact with her arm. The heat from what felt like sweaty paws seeped through the fabric of her sweater. Kate stood abruptly and yanked her arm free with one quick motion. “No thank you. And keep your hands to yourself.”

“I saw you and your friends watching me, and I know I’m the reason you sat here. You know you picked that seat to be close to me,” he said, his face inches from hers, his breath smacking against her skin.

“The lady can sit wherever she damn well wants, buddy.”

Kate closed her eyes briefly. The voice. She knew who that voice must belong to. It was sensual, deep, and with just enough warmth to make her toes curl. Kate turned around. Sure enough, Mr. Art Exhibit was standing there.

Mr. Belcher leaned forward. “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”

“I don’t care. Get your beer and leave,” he said, standing. Mr. Art Exhibit towered over both of them. He kept himself in peak physical condition, and when she turned again to look at Mr. Belcher, she could tell he was thinking the exact same thing. He scowled at them, took his beer, and left.

“Uh, I guess a thank you is in order,” Kate said with an awkward smile.

One corner of his mouth was turned up slightly, and Kate looked up into the deepest, darkest shade of blue eyes she’d ever seen. “Not needed. I consider it a community service,” he said, his smile deepening.

“Then maybe I should buy you a drink,” Kate said, smiling slightly, finding her ability to flirt. She could do this.

He shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m used to paying my own way.”

“Or are you afraid my offer to buy you a drink is really a pickup in disguise?”

This time, his smiled widened, the corners of his eyes crinkled, and his mouth opened to reveal a row of perfect white teeth. “Hell, honey, if that’s what you’re after, you don’t need to buy me a damn thing.”

Kate tried to catch her breath, which apparently had been sucked right out of her by his reference to the two of them spending the night together. “Oh, no. That is totally not what I