"Can I buy you another drink?" he offered. "Hey, I'm Trey, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Trey," she said, sliding off the stool. "I'm leaving."
"Wait!" Trey put a hand on the pretty blonde's arm.
Panic flashed in her amazing green-gold eyes. This was one jumpy woman.
"Wait," he said again, softly. "Don't go on my account. I'll leave you alone, if that's what you want."
She stopped, looked down at his hand on her arm and jerked away from him.
"Really. I'm not trying to pick you up or anything. I wouldn't even know how." He grimaced self-deprecatingly. "I'm sorry if I was bothering you."
He didn't care if she stayed or left. Except--she did intrigue him.
Light reddish-gold hair hung down her back in long spirals, hair that he wanted to fill his hands with. She had the biggest, most expressive green eyes he'd ever seen, and the overwhelming sadness in them made his breath stick in his chest.
"I don't need another drink." She sat down again.
She wasn't leaving. Whew. The relief shifting through him was crazy, since he'd just told her he'd leave her alone. "Are you sure? I'd even spring for a beer, if you wanted one."
She smiled crookedly.
"Seriously," he said, "if you want me to stop talking to you, just say so. I'll go sit somewhere else." He met her eyes. What had put that nervous shimmer in them?
"You don't have to move. Just know that I don't pick up strange guys in bars. I don't let them buy me drinks, I don't dance with them, and I don't flirt with them."
"Hey." Her vehement protests made him wonder what had happened to her. He put a hand on his chest as if wounded. "I'm not strange."
She choked out a laugh, and for some reason it made him feel...proud. Like he'd done something good for a change. "I mean, I don't know you."
He studied her out of the corner of his eye. She was slim, but full breasts pushed against a thin white T-shirt. She sat with one long, long leg crossed over the other, wearing jeans and a pair of pointy-toed shoes, one of which hung from the toe of the top foot in a sexy, inviting way. He couldn't take his eyes off that foot, gently swinging in time to the music. Even though she hated country music. Her green eyes had little flecks of gold that made them sparkle. There was a lot of life in those eyes, even though her face was serious.
Now what? It had been a hell of a long time since he'd tried to make conversation with a girl in a bar. Not that he was trying to pick her up. He was just curious.
"You look like you need cheering up," he commented, changing the subject and taking another swig of his Pale Ale.
One corner of her mouth turned up. "I don't think that's possible."
"Wow. Sounds pretty bad."
"My life is shit right now," she said. "You don't even want to try to cheer me up. You should go find someone else if you want to have some fun."
He looked back at her steadily. "I'm not looking for fun," he said. "My life is shit right now, too. Maybe we could just keep each company in our misery."
He had her attention again. Her lips curved into a reluctant smile. "We're pretty pathetic, aren't we?"
He grinned. Saw her eyes widen in response. Liked it. His body responded with a tightening in his groin. "Yeah."
"Listen, would you at least tell me your name?"
She pursed those pretty lips, and his cock twitched. "It's Marli."
"Marli," he repeated. "I like it."
"I really shouldn't be doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Talking to you." She bit her lower lip in a sexy nibble. "Look, you seem really nice and...well, really hot." She closed her eyes, putting a hand to her forehead. "Damn."
He stared at her, arousal comingling with bemusement.
"I like talking to you," she continued, "but I can't do this. I can't be...having fun."
He knew only too well what she meant. "Yeah, I know. You're not allowed to have fun or enjoy yourself. The world should just stop and know your pain. Isn't that right?"
She drew in a long breath. "Yes."
"It seems weird that normal life goes on, doesn't it?" He lifted a hand to all the people around them, laughing, dancing, oblivious.
"Will it...get better? Will that feeling ever go away?"
"I'll let you know if it does." He paused. "I'm kidding. It's a cliche, but life does go on, Marli. I've been wallowing too long. You aren't the only one who's been enjoying yourself tonight."
He didn't want to scare her away. Christ, she was jumpy as a grasshopper. But he had to admit he was interested and attracted.
"This is the first time in a long time I've felt...well, felt anything," he continued. "Felt hungry. Felt amused. Felt...turned on." He met her eyes steadily.
"I really have to go." She grabbed her purse and stood up. Then she stopped. "'Bye, Trey. It was nice to meet you."
Damn. He'd said too much. Disappointment settled over him, slow and heavy, but this time he didn't try to stop her as she threaded her way through the crowded bar and out the door.
Chapter 2
Sheldon lay on the bed in his dingy motel room, arms behind his head. When he'd left the bar that night, he'd turned around and looked at Marli--that bitch--and he'd seen her eyes widen in response. She'd had no idea what he'd been about to do.
Oh, man, that had been sweet. Krista had been so utterly terrified when he'd pulled out the knife. She'd tried to run, but he was too fast. He'd grabbed her... He replayed the video in his mind, almost enjoying it more the second time around.
He put a hand to the hard-on behind his fly and rubbed. His cock twitched and thickened, his balls drew up and his skin tingled. He was getting excited all over again. The power. There was no greater power than completely dominating someone, inflicting pain. And she'd deserved it. She was a woman, not as much of a slut as her friend Marli, but all women were whores.
He couldn't stop thinking about Marli, that tall, blonde bitch. Krista's friend. What a slut she was, flirting with all those men. But when he wanted to flirt with her, she'd cut him dead. Ha. Dead. A laugh gurgled inside him. That was funny, considering what happened to her friend.
Marli'd flirted with him, then rejected him. She'd laughed at him, laughed at him being a cowboy. Heat built in his chest and in his head at the memory.
His mother's face flashed through his mind, her laughing mouth and mocking eyes.
That wasn't how it worked. When he wanted a woman, he got her. Then he could do what he wanted with her. Like all the others.
They all deserved what they got. Krista had changed her mind about going with him the moment they'd gotten in his car. She'd tried to get away, and he'd had to stop her. It hadn't gone the way he'd planned it. He glanced over at the closet in his motel room. Ah, well.
He sat up and punched the crappy cheap pillows, then stuffed them back behind him. He gave some thought to his plans. He didn't want to wait around too long because they were looking for him. He knew it. He saw the news on TV. Usually, he left town right away, but this time Marli's taunting smile had kept his anger simmering. Marli was going to pay for laughing at him. Just like his mother.
It was dangerous, staying here. He never stuck around after he was done with a woman. His blood sizzled through his veins.
If he was going to stay in Rocky Harbor, he had to change his appearance. He hadn't had much cash. The fifty bucks he'd taken out of Krista's purse he'd used for a trip to Long Drugs for some hair dye and a pair of scissors. But the money hadn't lasted long and now he'd been hit with a genius idea.
He could kill two birds with one stone--get a job and keep an eye out for Marli.