Free Rykhan (Book 1 of Mate Search Series) by J.A. Hornbuckle

if we just sit here? I’ve been on
my feet all day and my dogs are barking.” The gentleman, if he
called himself one in the loosest of terms, twisted and turned in
his chair, checking out the other women at the surrounding tables.
“I don’t wanna be rude or nothing but I’m tired of coming to these
things.”
    “So why are you here then? I mean, if you’re
tired and everything.” It was a valid question, especially in light
of how Leah felt about the experience so far.
    “It’s my ma. She’s always after me to find a
nice girl and move to a place of my own. She just don’t get it,
though. Says I’m too picky and that everybody’s the same height
when in bed.” Leah took in the round face and sparse hair, the
hunched shoulders and hands that gesticulated as he spoke. Yep, he
had the look of a man already well set in his ways. “Says it’s not
normal for a man of forty…ah, I mean thirty-five…to still be living
at home.”
    Leah cocked her head as she studied him and
decided to go for the truth. “She might have a point.”
    For the first time, the man looked straight at
her. There was a beat or two of silence before she heard him
whisper, “Bitch” and the bell again sounded. He, like Ted, moved
out of his chair like a shot anxious to get away from her. This was
more than okay.
    And so it went.
    One after another, they came, they sat, and
they talked. Some tried their version of charm or used their form
of humor in order to present themselves in the best possible light.
Leah tried to respond in kind and hoped she didn’t fail as badly at
the forced camaraderie as the men did.
    “I don’t think I’m being choosy,” she explained
to Pam as they stood elbow to elbow at the ladies room sink,
reapplying their lipstick and finger combing their hair during the
break. “But I haven’t been impressed so far.”
    “I thought Ted was nice.” Pam finished with her
hair and took out a small bottle of perfume for a quick
spritz.
    “He was slimy, with all that business about ‘by
invitation only’ garbage. Ick, Pam!”
    Pam smiled at her reflection before moving her
eyes to Leah’s image. “Yeah, that part wasn’t so cool but I think
he was nervous and just talking shit.” She stepped back to allow
another girl to squeeze in for some mirror-time and pulled Leah
with her. “That first guy, though? Mister tall, dark, and
oh-my-god? He was seriously hot.”
    “Yeah?” Leah really couldn’t have cared less at
this point and was just hoping to make it through the rest of the
evening without yawning.
    “But he couldn’t see me for nothing. Every time
I looked up at him, he was eyeing you!”
    Wait…what?
    Leah frowned and glanced at her
friend.
    “And he was still trying to catch your eye when
we got up for break!” Pam didn’t sound disappointed, though. “Put
the man out of his misery and smile at him or something, would
you?”
    “Has he been to my table yet?”
    “No, silly. He’ll be your last partner of the
evening with the direction they’ve got the guys moving.” Pam yanked
the restroom door open but continued talking over her shoulder as
they left the crowded lavatory. “Let’s get a refill and see if the
second half is better than the first, shall we?”
    Leah leaned down a bit, trying to adjust her
stride to Pam’s much shorter pace. “Could you point him out to
me?”
    Pam lifted an eyebrow before a giggle broke
through her newly shined lips. “Of course, honey. That’s a
wing-girl’s job!”
    Leah had no clue what that meant but if there
was someone out there who was tall, dark and oh-my-god as well as
even remotely interested in her, then she’d like the chance to see
him before he hit her table.
    Keeping her fingers crossed that maybe, just
maybe the night wouldn’t turn out to be a bust after
all.
     
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Rykhan and Wyst stood on the outer fringes of
where the humans gathered in the bar and sipped at their drinks as
they talked quietly. Making