She had just moved into town and was having a drink at a bar she had found. She was idly sipping on a cocktail when a commotion arose near the door. Curious, she glanced at the source of the noise. There, one of the most gorgeous specimens of humanity was arguing with the bouncer. As attractive as they were, what they were arguing about was none of her business. As she turned back, their eyes met from across the room, but only briefly.

  She could swear she felt like she was standing next to an electric fence, knowing if she reached out, she would get zapped. She knew they felt it too, as their eyes widened and their lips curled up into a smile. The moment was over when they got escorted out. Turning back to her drink, she eyed the patrons next to her with suspicion.

  "No one messed with your drink." The bartender stated.

  "Sorry, but I just moved here, and....." She trailed off, wondering if she'd just made a big mistake by insinuating that she was suspicious of the townspeople. The bartender cracked a smile and said, "It's okay, people can be the worst. If you're still concerned, I can make you another one on the house."

  "No, that's okay, but what was the deal with the bouncer? It sounded intense." She hoped it came off as a casual question, and not desperately trying to figure out who that was, that affected her so. With a knowing look, the bartender casually said, "Nah, that's just what Jamie does. Comes in, causes a stir, and gets escorted out. It happens all the time." The bartender said that last bit with a tired sigh, as if they wished they could do something about it but couldn't.

  She asked if there was something the owner could do about it, but the bartender said that it was because of the owner that Jamie was able to get away with it. Not wanting to seem like she was prying, she said, "Ah, I see." And dropped the topic. Glancing at the clock over the bar, she remembered that she had work in the morning. If she wanted to be on time and not hungover, she would need to get home.

  Paying for her drink, she walked out of the bar, and she breathed in the evening air. Pulling out her phone to call an Uber, she heard a voice calling to her from nearby.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "Hey, you're that chick who was staring at me in the bar."

  She hated feeling called out, so she said, "If I recall, you were doing an awful lot of staring too. Besides, what are you doing shouting at me from the shadows? Why don't you come over here and talk to me like a regular person?"

  She was surprised when Jamie came up and almost shyly stood several steps away. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was being in a new town that made her bold. Either way, she stepped closer to Jamie and asked, "What do you do when you're not staring at strangers in a bar?" Their warm vanilla and cinnamon scent made her feel like she just stepped into a bakery.

  "Well, if you must know, madame, I work in the bakery next to the bar, and I go there after long shifts to unwind. And what, may I ask, were you doing staring at me, hmm?" They asked in a clearly amused tone of voice.

  "I was not staring. You were causing a scene, so it's only natural that I glance over at the commotion."

  "So you were staring at me, you can admit it, you want me."

  "Right. Whatever, it's not my fault you find me so irrisistable."

  "Yeah, I do."

  The bluntness in their reply made her pause. It occurred to her how close they had gotten during their conversation. She took a moment to appreciate Jamie's appearance. A well toned body, an undercut haircut that had some color she couldn't quite identify in the semi-darkness, and their clothes, while casual in appearance, were definitely more on the expensive side.

  There was an undercurrent of desire in their earnest eyes, and they tentatively asked if they could kiss her. Throwing caution to the wind, she said yes. The kiss was sweet and gentle and over too soon for her liking. But remembering that she had work in the morning, she reluctantly separated herself from Jamie's grasp.

  Apologizing, she said she had to work in the morning. But if she got their number, they could talk later. Quickly putting their contact info into her phone, they asked if she would like them to wait for her ride or if she would like to get a ride home from them.

  She said that the sharing of a car could wait until the second date. "You call this a date?" They asked in disbelief. She smiled slyly and said, "No. But if you play your cards right, tomorrow could be." And as she said it, a car pulled up, and she got in, giving the driver her address.