Free Running From Forever by Ashley Wilcox

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flying in my face. I was going to date Miles, get to know Miles,
regardless of Leah’s gut feeling, and she knew I would, too.
    By the time I arrived, the bar was already
filled with ETV employees, minus one hot executive. My eyes
immediately pulled to the bar, but not because they spotted
Merrick’s tight black t-shirt, exposing his ripped, muscular body
more so than it did Tuesday; no, I was already salivating for a
cold beer and shot. It was that kind of day and let’s face it, I
was that kind of girl.
    After smiling and saying hello to a few people,
including Sami, I took a seat on the open bar stool towards the end
of the bar. Merrick met me there with a Mic Ultra already in hand.
Apparently my exhaustion was painted on my face.
    “Rough one?” he asked as I nodded my thanks and
took a long swig of the beer.
    I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “You
could say that.”
    “Then you’ll probably need one of these,” he put
a shot glass down in front of me, filling it with Jack.
    My smile grew impossibly larger, enamored that
he knew exactly what I needed. He poured one for himself, then
clinked it with mine before tossing it back. It was strong but went
down wonderfully. It’d been awhile since I’d done one, but it still
felt the same. Soothing.
    “Thanks,” I told him after putting the glass
back down on the bar. “I definitely needed that today.”
    He winked before putting the dirty shot glasses
underneath the bar. “My pleasure. Looked like you could use
one.”
    My eyes opened for extra emphasis and I nodded
my head in agreement. “Definitely one of those days.”
    “Well, let me know if you need another.” He
smiled before making his way down the bar to serving the others
waiting.
    I watched as he did. There was no denying his
attractiveness. I was with every other female on that. He was
built. Not overly huge, but very well-defined. His brown eyes
weren’t an unusual shade, but they were big and his eyelashes were
longer and thicker than any man’s should be. He was athletic and
hot with tattoos galore, everything the old Kayla would be pouncing
on at her first opportunity. Problem was, I wasn’t the old Kayla
anymore. Going for a bartender that probably drank all night, slept
all morning, and spent the remainder of his day at the gym or
tanning wasn’t my thing anymore. Even though guys like him were
nice to look at and, more often than not, amazing in bed, they
weren’t who you settled down with. Only a select few women could
tame them and whip them into shape, and unfortunately, I didn’t
have that patience.
    It was a little after eight when I felt a smooth
hand cup the back of my neck and a charismatic “hello” into my ear.
Chills radiated down my spine as a pulse generated between my legs.
I didn’t need to look to confirm who it was, but I did anyways. My
packaged executive was standing beside me with this cool,
heart-throbbing grin. I was already three sheets to the wind by
that time, so my eyes were definitely glossed seductively by the
time they met his.
    Miles leaned against the bar, placing his card
on top as I turned to face him better. His tie was loosened and his
breath smelled of liquor.
    “Rough meeting?” I asked, loosening his tie some
more. It wasn’t something that needed to be done, but something I
had always wanted to do.
    He licked his lips while surveying my face. I
felt my breathing becoming constricted as he did. It was hot and
seductive and got my entire body’s attention. Miles leaned in
closer, our cheeks almost touching. My breathing stopped. I
couldn’t handle him that close.
    “Rough dinner,” he whispered in my ear before
kissing my cheek.
    “Drink for you, sir?”
    I heard Merrick speak, but I couldn’t look. I
was still numb, intoxicated by Miles’ heated breath against my
skin. I could only watch Miles, mesmerized. There would be no way
my mouth wouldn’t taste his tonight. It’d been four days of
imagining how it’d feel. Four