Free Strong Enough by TERESA HILL Page A

doesn’t say anything.
    Reaching down I grab a rocks glass and make
the vodka, water and squeeze the two limes as I hand it over.
Pausing, he takes the glass from me and looks very closely at my
eyes. His face relaxes as his smile widens and his chocolate eyes
almost dance. Good god take me
now.
    I’m not sure how to respond so I do what any
normal person would do, I walk away. Ok maybe not the normal thing
to do, but it’s normal for me. I don’t do awkward.
    I’m not sure what to do with myself. I can
feel his eyes following the back of me as I find things to do on
the north side of the bar. Stormy looks at me puzzled, and my reply
look matches hers. At this point, I just don’t know what to do with
myself. This guy is staring me down, and for the first time in a
really long time, I want to stare back. But I am not sure why.
Looking at him, I feel like I know him. Something calms me when I
see him.
    Caught up in thought I didn’t see Stormy
walk over. “Girl, you have an admirer, and one I wouldn’t mind
admiring myself if I may add. That boy is H.O.T why are you over
here acting like you have something to do on my side when you
clearly need to be over there talking it up with him. Hell I will
cover your side AND my side if you want to talk to him for a bit. I
have watched him since he walked in and he has not taken his eyes
off of you. Do you know him?”
    “That’s just it Storm, I don’t think I know
him, but yet, shit, I feel like I do when I look at him. It’s
freaking me the fuck out. And him staring at me is only making
things worse. I am two seconds from saying fuck this and
leaving.”
    “Oh no you aren’t Reece, you know as well as
I do that you and guys don’t um, mesh well. But girl, this boy is
seriously into you and in record time. Has he talked to you yet?
Gotten a piece of the Reese charm? I am gonna have to say no
otherwise he would not still be standing there.” She laughs and
nudges my shoulder to let me know she is playing with me.
Unfortunately, here jokes are the truth. I don’t react well to
guys. I give attitude in an attempt to flirt. Let’s face it I don’t
flirt at all.
    “No I haven’t spoken directly to him. I, um,
shit Stormy I don’t know what to say!” The fear in my voice could
be heard by anyone sitting in ear shot.
    “Geez Reese it’s not rocket science, just
walk over there put your hand out and say Hi, I’m Reese and you
are… and then shut up.”
    With a fit of frustration and a little bit
of a ‘your right attitude’ I throw my hands up and land them back
on my hips as I look her square in the eyes. “Seriously Stormy, if
it was THAT easy for me, don’t you think I would have a boyfriend
by now?”
    “Please Reese, your lack of a boyfriend has
nothing to do with your inability to talk to the opposite sex, it
has more to do with your hatred of them. They are NOT all alike,
maybe this one is different?” Her shoulders flex upwards as she
gives a sheepish questionable look.
    I really cannot argue with her on this one.
I have been given interest plenty of times. And I think guys are
hot and I am attracted to them, but that’s as far as it goes. My
only attempt at a boyfriend in the last five years was Chris and
well, that did not work out one bit, but I’m sure it was my fault,
or at least his story says it is. It doesn’t matter though, because
Stormy is right.
    She is standing there staring at me and
without being noticed, or at least I hope he didn’t notice, I look
out the corner of my eye to see that he is still standing at the
bar, and even though he is talking to Mr. East Coast, he continues
to glance my direction. I’m either going to have to walk over there
and introduce myself or fire Stormy, and well, I can’t fire her, at
least not for this, which leaves me with no choice.
    Deep breath in, a curt smile to Stormy, and
I turn and head back to my station where he is standing, his right
arm bent and resting on the bar with his drink in the