Hooking Nash

Abandoned At The Bar

KENNEDY

The bartender, not Baxter, came back and placed a beer in front of Josh and a glass of water in front of me.

"So," Josh started and turned his deep brown eyes on me "where are you from?"

"I was in Chicago." For some reason, I didn't want to tell him where I was originally from, where I grew up, so I told him where I had lived before I moved to Manhattan.

"Do you like New York so far?"

"Yes, very much."

"Yo, Sampson," a deep voice called out. At the same time, I observed a heavy hand land on Josh's shoulder, causing him to move his hand off of my back.

I knew that voice.

"Seriously, Reed? What do you want?" Josh groaned.

I felt my body stiffen as I glanced up to my right, and there he was, on the other side of Josh. His tall, muscular frame stood a few inches taller than Josh. I knew from watching him on TV that he had gotten bigger, but I wasn't prepared for how incredibly tall and muscular he seemed up close. Even with his clothes on, I could tell that his shoulders were larger than they had been a few years before, and his biceps looked huge as they flexed when he squeezed Josh's shoulder.

Nash peered down at Josh with the signature smirk on his lips, his hand in his jeans pocket, and the other one on Josh's shoulder. My eyes took him in, trailing down over the black T-shirt that fit snuggly over his wide chest, and down to the jeans that hung low on his narrow hips, down his muscular legs. I could see the outline of his huge thigh muscles, the hands in his pants pocket, and the large bulge between his legs. I felt my face start to blush, remembering exactly what the women had said in the bathroom. I swallowed hard and tried to focus my fuzzy brain. It affected me to just be near him - not that the martinis helped - and I totally understood why he was always surrounded by women. He really was the hottest guy I had ever seen.

"Who's the hot girl?" Nash asked before he fully looked at me and I winced. He didn't even recognize me? And he thought I was hot. Was that a good thing or bad thing?

Once his eyes locked on mine, it only took a few seconds before they went wide and his face dropped as he made the connection.

"Hey, Nash," I offered with a smile, all while my heart was beating like I had just run a marathon. He was just so freaking gorgeous and the expression on his face was so... Nash.

"Holy shit! Hey...wow... Kennedy?"

His eyes ran all over me as his hand went through his dark curls, leaving his hair even more tousled than it already was. It didn't help my situation. I was flustered from just looking at him.

Nash almost pushed Josh out of the way as he reached for me. All of a sudden I was wrapped up in his huge arms as he crushed me against his broad chest and lifted me up from the floor. I had to fight back a moan as his incredible body was right up against mine. The familiar scent, clean and fresh with a spicy undertone, surrounded me, invaded my senses. Josh just stood there, silently watching us with his eyebrows furrowed.

"What are you doing here?" Nash demanded as he put me back down on my feet.

"I am here with Sam, my college roommate." My voice sounded breathier than normal and it made me cringe. I didn't want to act like all the other women that swarmed around him.

Nash's sexy green eyes studied my face, the smirk still on his lips. "I mean in town? Or here too I guess." He chuckled. "How long are you staying?" Then his eyes drew together and he looked accusatory at me. "How long have you been in New York? And why didn't you tell me you were coming?"