The Reluctant Cougar (Rise of the Alpha King's Heir)

Archie's Melody (Part 1)

One year ago, after Christmas

"And that's how cardboard is made," Archie said in a rush. He sucked in a breath, wracking his brain before blurting, "Do you want to know how notebook paper is made? Just like the cardboard it all starts with--"

"Uh," one of the girls said quickly, glancing at the other, "We've got to go--"

"--water our pet fish so it doesn't drown, but it was nice meeting you both!"

Archie watched them all but run away. He glanced over to see a bereft look covering P.A.'s face.

"Messed up again, huh?"

"You'll get it," P.A. assured him, but the guy looked restless, hopeless.

"You always do better on your own," Archie prompted. "Why don't you show me how it's done again?"

P.A. laughed mirthlessly, "I must be doing a shitty job if that's what you think I do to seal the deal."

"It's not the teacher, it's the student," Archie admitted. "I get so nervous. I don't know. I'll get it eventually."

"Your balls will be wrinkled before then at the rate you're going," P.A. teased.

"So don't wait on me. I release you from the buddy-responsibility crap. You've shown me the ropes. Maybe I need to try things at my own pace, without an audience."

P.A.'s eyes lit up, "I'm putting too much pressure on you, ain't I? Damn, I hadn't thought about that. You really want to try flying solo?"

"Yeah. I'm good. You go do your thing."

Archie recognized the quick scan his buddy was doing, checking for women that were already interested; it cut the work in half.

Archie saw her about the same time P.A. did.

"You sure?" P.A. wondered one more time, but he was already making eye-contact with the girl; she crossed and uncrossed her legs, looking him slowly up and down.

"You'd better go before she decides to come after you instead," Archie teased; he let out a long sigh of relief when P.A. finally walked away.

The first set of girls had been too sweet, had reminded him too much of his sisters, and he hadn't had the heart to rip theirs out with a one-night-stand. Women that hunted alone, like the one P.A. was talking to, knew exactly what they wanted and what to expect. P.A. said he didn't mess with good girls, but too many of the girls they'd chatted up still had stars in their eyes, still seemed to think they'd find prince charming in a bar. He hoped Helen wasn't becoming one of them.

Another sigh escaped him as he turned around to nurse his drink.

"That horny, huh?"

Archie glanced up into the amused eyes of the new bartender, caught off guard by her crassness, "What?"

She continued wiping glasses as she explained, "It's been a while since I've seen a guy that nervous around girls. You'd be better off nutting at least once before leaving your place, Mr. Random Facts."

A bubble of laughter escaped him, her words so different and at odds with his world view that he didn't know what to do with her.

"Hey, I'm just saying," she said with a shrug, but her lips were pulled into a smile too.

He studied her as she walked down the bar to take another order. Her body was plump, rounded in a way he wasn't used to seeing. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't stop studying her as she moved. He especially liked the way she jiggled. She looked like she'd be so soft all over, like no matter where he touched it would feel like a cloud.