Dressed to kill, Alyssa set out to one of the local bars for some distraction following her fight with Eva. She'd had a good cry, a long hot shower and decided to head out for a drink and dancing to burn off a good mad.

She wound through the room, working her way towards the bar, more than a couple heads turn in her direction, making eye contact and giving her the 'come-hither' nod. But she wasn't interested in being called over like a poodle, especially since she was rolling solo tonight and without someone to stand as a buffer against the douches. So she kept her gaze moving, never making direct contact because that was a guarantee to open up the door for them to approach her.

Leaning against the bar, Alyssa hooked her elbows on the polished walnut, her eyes scanning the room. It was rammed with bodies. Some corporate and trendy, others more casual and not dressed to impress. But one thing everyone had in common was they were all looking for a fun; an easy night to burn off some steam.

For some people, like Alyssa, that meant stepping out for a few drinks and a lot of dancing. For others...it meant something else entirely.

And then she saw him, Ethan sat in a corner booth wearing a leather jacket over a dark shirt. Brows drawn in a dark, brooding look as he sipped from his beer and a little snarl of interest curled in her belly. He looked sexy, even with that miserable sulk on his handsome face.

Exuding a very distinct 'don't bother me' vibe. An interesting contrast to the general tone of the crowd. She hadn't expected the nightlife on Haven to be this promising. The interior of the establishment was equal parts glossy and rough, kind of like Officer Davies, she mused. With his classic good looks and casual way he carried himself. There was no pretense with him. He dressed comfortably, simply—without thought to convention or trend or style.           

Alyssa raised a hand to flag down one of the three bartenders, all racing to keep up with the rush of patrons. And hadn't been there more than thirty seconds when the guy at her side grazed a finger along the curve of her bicep.

"Hey gorgeous, can I buy you a drink?" he said, breathing in her ear. Turning around, Alyssa rolled his hand off her arm and was about to speak up when her gaze was pulled back to Ethan, pinned by a couple of women and an expression of stark terror on his face. Hell, the redhead was practically in his lap.

"So what's it gonna be?" The guy pressed when she'd failed to respond with either a 'Yes' or 'Get lost'.

Alyssa swung her gaze to him, noted the gleam of his eyes, the way his tongue grazed the edge of his teeth. He wasn't a bad looking dude. And despite his approach, certainly not the worst offender she'd come up against. Had she not seen Ethan first, there was a very real possibility Alyssa might have taken the easy mark, but as it was—she had seen Ethan.

Aside from the misery loving company, she'd hung out with enough men to know when a wing woman was needed, and since he'd been kind enough to step in during her moment of need the other day, Alyssa figured it was only fair she'd return the favour.

"Sorry, doll," she said, flashing her best smile. "I've got to go rescue my man over there." The guy followed Alyssa's nod towards Ethan. Smirked.

"Those chicks got nothing on you, babe. He's a lucky guy."

"That he is." Adjusting herself, Alyssa sauntered over, clearing across the dance floor and through the dense throng of bodies with all the smooth efficiency of someone used to navigating the bar scene.

"There you are," she smiled as Ethan's gaze latched to her, his panicked expression rapidly warming with relief. "Sorry I'm late. But you know what they say about perfection." Winking, she turned to her left, as if suddenly seeing the two women for the first time.

"Oh, wonderful. Can we have a couple shots of tequila please? And a pitcher of Stella on tap?"

The honey blonde blinked slowly, glanced to her equally confused friend. Now that she was closer, she could see that they weren't bad looking chicks, but certainly misguiding in thinking their heavy flirtation would swing Ethan's attention.

"We don't work here."

"Oh? Funny. You both have a serviceable look about you." Alyssa said, wagging a finger in their general direction. "Yeah. Very efficient. Sure you're not a waitress?"

"No," the redhead snapped, hands on her skinny hips. "We're not."

"Good, then you have no reason to continue bothering my boyfriend." Flicking her wrist with a dismissive wave, she turned her attention back to Ethan, shutting the two hussies out cold. Claiming the spot in the booth opposite him.

Ethan's breath slid out, long and slow, as they huffed off to the bar, sparks shooting from their ears. Christ, those two had been the most persistent he'd come across and had Alyssa not appeared, Ethan was hard pressed to imagine what it would have taken to pry them off him. "Thanks for that," he said, bringing his beer to his lips.

"No problem," Alyssa said, hooking an arm across the back of the chair. "Though I'm going to have to stick around for a bit. At least long enough for the rest of the ladies in here to get a good long look of you with a hot piece of tail." Her smiled flashed at the stunned pop of his eyes. "What's the matter, Sheriff? Don't think I'm hot?"

Ethan answered that by swallowing more beer and kept his eyes decidedly in the neighborhood of her eyes and not...elsewhere. Particularly that little stone winking in the dimple of her throat. Though looking at her didn't exactly help. She was stunning. No, dazzling with her witchy eyes and smoky voice. The longer he looked at her, the more he liked what he saw.

Grimacing, Ethan shot his eyes down to his beer. 

Clearly enjoying herself, Alyssa laughed. "Don't worry. Twenty—thirty minutes should do it. Consider it a mutually beneficial civic service. Ah, here's a waitress." Flagging down one of the ladies in black, Alyssa pitched the same order she'd tossed at the stage-five clingers.

"You like tequila?"

Ethan shrugged. "I've tossed back my fair share in college. Can't say I acquired a taste for it, though."

"The best stuff is in Mexico. I did a tasting tour down there last fall. Up until then I didn't realize that we've been drinking the stuff all wrong." The waitress returned, plunking down two shots of Patron silver before sashaying off into the crowd.

Ethan eyed the shot glasses conspicuously. "How the heck do you drink it then if not to kick it back?"

"You're supposed to sip and savour," Alyssa said, placing one of the shots in front of him. "Slowly. Carefully." She rolled her lip between her teeth in that way of hers he was quickly finding very provocative, and brushed her shot glass against his. "Salud."

Raising it to his lips, he sipped decidedly—then kicked back his glass and sucked on the lime to clear the foul taste from his mouth.

"I said sip it and savour," she laughed.

"Tastes like ass." And shuddered in the wake of aftershocks skipping over his tongue. "If I'm going to torture myself, I'd rather get the damn thing over with."

Still laughing, she knocked back hers but without any apparent discomfort. "Alright, Sheriff. You pick next. We're we having?"

"Having?"

"Pick a drink." Angling back, Alyssa looped her arm across the back of the banquet. "I chose first. Now it's your turn."

"I think I'll stick with this." Ethan lifted his beer. "I'm a one brew in a night kind of guy."

"Seriously? It's a Saturday. When was the last time you got sloppy?"

"I'm a cop. A well-known figure of authority on a very small island. I don't get sloppy."

She sighed, a pitying kind of sound. "You need to learn to live a little."

"And you need to learn to pace yourself."

Alyssa rolled her eyes at that, angled her head with a smile. "Didn't peg you for a lightweight."

Her comment kicked him right where she'd aimed. Straight in the balls. Ethan resisted the urge to cup himself. "I'm not."

She pursed her lips, shrugged. "Could've fooled me. Hiding behind your occupation and squeaky clean image." She tisked teasingly. "Sad."

Lowering his beer, Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"One more," she said. "Make it a good one and, after the pitcher, we'll call it a night on the booze. Scouts honour." And raised her hand in the Girl Scout salute. He tried not to imagine her in a buttoned up blouse, pleated skirt and badge covered sash.

"One," Ethan agreed. Flagging down the closest waitress, he placed the order.

"What did you get?" she asked, setting her arms to the table and leaning forward so he could hear her over the rise in voices and music.

The edge of Ethan's mouth raised a notch. "Wait and see."

As they sat there, unspeaking, he wracked his brain for something to break the awkward silences, worried if he didn't think of something soon they would lapse into awkward silence. Then she'd think he was boring and stupid and holy freaking Christ he was sweating and this wasn't even an actual date.

"How are things working out at the gallery?" And that was the best he could come up with? Fucking pitiful.

"Alright, I guess. It's not exactly my area of expertise. I told her she should really consider a professionals for this sort of thing."

"If Eva wanted one of those whats-it's she'd have hired one."

Alyssa's lips quirked in amusement. "You mean a Social Media Coordinator?"

He lifted a shoulder, the gesture heavy with indifference. "Sure."

"I guess you're right, and honestly I shouldn't complain. It's a paycheck and staves off the boredom." She waved a hand. Sighed.

"Feeling homesick?"

"No, not really. Aside from my best friend Indy, all I have is Cleo. She was the best thing to come into my life after my ex walked out of it." A light rushed into Alyssa's eyes, it warmed in her cheeks. He saw something similar in his parents, or when Marshall caught sight of Eva. Love.

Ethan sat back, confused. Eva hadn't said anything about her sister being into...well, other women, or in a relationship with one for that matter, but then again they'd been out of touch for six years.

So...Alyssa was a lesbian, or, he supposed more accurately bi-sexual. More importantly, taken.

A revelation that left him mildly stumped and saddened when he should have been relieved. Not that he had a problem with her choice of lifestyle. Love was love, didn't matter what the packaging. And Alyssa being in a relationship, even with another girl, meant he could get back to trying to tuck her into a friendly little off-limits box like he wanted.

But, dammit, it still sucked balls.

"How long have you and your girlfriend been together?" he asked, though in truth he didn't really want to know but figured it would be rude not to ask. He'd only posed the question when Alyssa burst out laughing—a long, gorgeous, rich sound that made him want to smile even though he couldn't understand what was so damn funny?

"Cleo," she said, dabbing carefully around her eyes so as not to disturb her eyeliner, "is my cat." Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through and then flipped it around to show him a leopard-printed beauty, sitting all regal in a slant of bright sun. Green eyes narrowed to contented slits.

"She's gorgeous," he said, handing back her phone and a punch of joy rising in his gut.

"She is," Alyssa agreed, laughter still bright in her eyes as she tucked her phone away.

The waitress returned at that moment saving him from his own stupidity, her tray overburdened with an array of shots and glasses. "Here we go," she said, lining them up on the table. Alyssa's eyes rounded in disbelief.

"What's this?"

"Two Around the World's," the waitress answered with a 'well-duh' curve of her brow. Then, with her tray clear, set to the task of assembling what could only be described as a topsy-turvy tower of alcohol. It started with a shot of vodka and ended with an Irish car bomb with a whole lot happening in the middle.

The last time Ethan had done one of these, he'd been nineteen and very, very stupid, but Alyssa's challenge and brazen comments had birthed a sort of competitive spirit inside of him.

"Holy shit," she laughed when the waitress was gone and lifted her eyes to his. "Time to put my money where my mouth is, I guess?"

Ethan dragged a hand across his mouth, his lips aching to curve into a smile. "You guess right, but honestly don't push yourself. Drink what you can manage. Seeing the look on your face was worth the expense."

Alyssa exhaled heavily, eyeing the shot at the top that when nudged would start a chain reaction. "First one to bottom wins?"

Ethan nodded. "Don't say I didn't warn you."