Ro leaned her elbows on the bar’s edge and released a long exhale, more than ready for another drink. She’d only had two so far…an amaretto sour when she’d first arrived, and the regrettable birthday shot.
The downtown Chicago bar scene wasn’t her usual Saturday night jam. Actually the bar scene asa wholewasn’t really her thing. Truth was, most of Ro’s weekends lately had been spent at home…alone.
A fact made even sadder since she was her own boss and worked from home, as well.
But between work, peeling wallpaper, and painting the walls, interior doors, and trim of the house she’d recently purchased, there just wasn’t much time left for socializing. When shedidmanage a night out, it was either a girl’s night with Megan or something like this.
Her, her best friend, and the men of Delta.
In the time she’d come to know them, the guys had all welcomed her into their small circle of trust. So when Megan and Christian invited her to join in tonight’s festivities, Ro hadn’t even considered saying no.
After all, Cade was her friend, now, too. Just like every other man on the team.
A face flashed before her eyes. Dark. Bruting. Sexy. But Ro ignored it and sidled up closer to the bar.
Her chin lifted slightly as she leaned her elbows on the smooth surface and waited. A sliver of pride sank it at how much better she’d gotten at that, lately. The ignoring, that is.
Of course, sheshouldbe an expert at it after all this time. It wasn’t like she hadn’t had time to perfect the craft.
Since she was teenager, Ro had been ignoring her deepest, most hidden desires. She’d become a true master at schooling her expression wheneverhewas around. A savant at ignoring the way her heart stopped beating every time the intimidating man entered a room.
If there was a gold medal in the art of making oneself purposely overlook the way they ached with the need whenever a certain person was near, I’d hold the world freaking record.
Ro straightened her shoulders and lifted her spine. Yes, shewouldhold the record, if for no other reason than she’d both valiantly—and successfully—resisted the urge to throw herself into the man’s arms and finally taste those bearded lips.
For.Years.
Which is why she considered herself quite the expert in the field of pretending not to see what was often right in front of her.
Take right now, for instance. She was standing here, actively blocking out the knowledge that the man of her dreams was back at that table with Meg, Christian, and the others right this very second.
And she couldn’t care less.
Liar, liar, skirt on fire. And you do realize thinking about how good you are atnotthinking about the man means you’re…well…thinking about him, right?
Well crap. Okay, so maybe she needed a little more practice in not thinking about him…but at least she had control of her face and tongue. As long as no one could tell she wanted nothing more than to run her fingertips through that thick beard and feel it caressing her skin as he brushed his lips along her—
Damn it, Ro, this has got to stop! You need to either put up or shut up, because this whole loving-from-afar BS isn’t a healthy way to live.
That pride she was feeling seconds before dissipated into an invisible vapor, vanishing into the air with the truth of her subconscious words. Because the voice in her head was right.
It was well-past time she put an end to the decades-old crush and move the hell on already. After two decades of both secretly wishing Megan’s older brother would see her as more than a friend—and then being utterly terrified at the thought that he actuallywould—Ro was tired.
So, so tired.
She was also done.
“Who was next?”
Her hand shot up to signal the busy bar tender she was ready to order. Yes, it was high time she quit pining away for the sexy, stoic former SEAL and moved the heck on.
Starting. Now.
This was Chicago, for crying out loud. There were hot, single men everywhere she looked, and any one of them would be lucky to have her. At least, that’s what Ro told herself as the rushed redhead behind the bar appeared in front of her.
“What can I get you?” The other woman offered with a half-frenzied smile.
Shoot. Ro had been so desperate to focus on something other than her inner turmoil, she’d raised her hand without having decided on a drink.