The fear of commitment has become a serious epidemic and it has brought nothing but trouble into Reagan Parker's life. She always assumed she would be married by the time she turned thirty. Well her thirtieth birthday is only a year away and her bo...
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"Back again, Red?" A familiar voice questioned her as she squeezed up to the bar. Reagan turned her face from the female bartender to see her not so charming sexual fairy-godmother. He didn't look as clean shaven as he had the first time she had met him. She found she liked him better with the scruff.
"I'm sorry are you talking to me?"
He threw a towel over his shoulder, lifting a brow, "I'm looking at you aren't I?" Reagan ran her tongue over her teeth in annoyance as her eyes narrowed into slits. She couldn't explain what it was but this guy really got under her skin for some reason. He didn't seem put off by her reaction, giving her a smirk, "What can I get for you, Red?"
"Two Sam Adams, please."
He gave a nod of his head, twisting to grab some clean glasses from the shelf behind him, "So another lonely night, prepared to double fist it?" She knew he was teasing her from the light of mischief in his dark eyes. Reagan wondered if she was special or if this was simply the way he treated everyone that he knew, stranger or friend.
"No. I am on a date actually."
"Oh? How did you two meet?" He questioned with forced interest
"Online." He let out a hearty laugh as if truly amused by the concept. Personally Reagan had laughed just as hard when her best friend Sierra had suggested it. However, the more time passed without any other offers the better the idea seemed. Which was how she had ended up at Noctrum tonight. Cameron and her had gone to dinner at the Boathouse, the food had been fantastic but the company had been subpar. The two of them had absolutely nothing in common, she lived in her own apartment and worked a nine to five job. Cameron lived in his parents basement and told her an entrepreneur, which she believed roughly translated into-Pot dealer.The only thing he had going for him at this point was that he was nice to look at, and it had been a minute since she had gotten off with anything other than her vibrator.
"I'm happy that my nightcap advice is getting you places."
Reagan felt her face heat with embarrassment that he had remembered that,"Shut up." She hissed out between her teeth, glancing around to the people near her before leaning forward, "That was one time. This isn't like that..." She waved her hand dismissively, even though she had spent the whole dinner trying to decide if that's exactly what it was like.
He shrugged his broad shoulders, "Whatever you say, either way it must going very well or very poorly if you brought him."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you only bring a date to a bar if you're trying to take them to your bed or kick them to the curb, while you look for someone else to take to bed." He turned his face and winked at a small group of girls as they saddled up on the far side of the bar.
Reagan scoffed, shaking her head at the blushing reaction of the females in question, "You are utterly repulsive, I hope you realize that."
He leveled her with his dark gaze, never losing his smirk, "Are you trying to sweet talk me, Red?"
"You wish. So what's with the nickname?"
"I do it with every girl. You see for you girls a nickname make all feel special like I took time to make it for you but for me it just saves me the trouble having to remember all their names." Reagan felt her face twist up in disgust as she rolled her eyes at his comment. Of course that would be his reasoning. She watched as he filled the glasses with beer, noticing how long and elegant his fingers were. A thought about whether he played an instrument or not popped into her head but she kept from asking him.
Instead she let a different question form on her tongue, "And you call me Red because?" She couldn't help her curiosity.
He chortled as he placed the two beers down on the bartop in front of her, "Cause the first time we met you were wearing that little red number...that image was burned into my brain for days. Hence, Red..."
Reagan cheeks burned at the way his eyes roamed over her again as if he was undressing her right there. She cleared her throat, "Well, my name is Reagan, not Red." She corrected with a firm tone, lifting her chin, "I'm not one of your girls. So could learn to use my name like a regular human being, which I'm sure will be a challenge for a neanderthal like you but I have faith you'll figure it out with time."
"You're funny, Red."
Reagan grabbed the beers, gifting him with a tight lipped smile, "So I'm told.Better get back to my date." She turned her back to him.
"So which is it?" He called to her as she took a step away.
She tossed a look over her shoulder at him, bodies squeezing around her, "What?"
"Is it good or is it bad?"
Reagan found herself stunned for a half-second as she realized what he was asking about. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Why do you care?"
The female bartender turned to him, "Austin! Stop flirting, I'm drowning over here."
He gave her a dismissive wave of his hand but never turned his eyes from Reagan, "Just call me a curious third party." She knew there was no way he was actually interested unless that interest involved his dick. Guys like him were meant to be avoided, they didn't want commitment and that was all Reagan was looking for.
"Guess you'll have to stay tuned until next time to find out. Have a good night, Austin." His grin widened as she turned from him once more and walked back to Cameron, feeling his eyes follow her the whole way.
