"What can I get you ladies?" a sexy male voice said.

Jade Morrow lifted her sea blue eyes to meet beautiful emerald green ones. Her mouth opened to speak but no sound came out.

"Martini dry, handsome," Jade's friend said, batting her brown eyes at the gorgeous man that Jade couldn't take her eyes off.

Standing behind the bar, of the high class restaurant and bar, on the busy main strip of San Francisco, was the most gorgeous being she'd ever laid eyes on. He was in black slacks and a white long- sleeved, collared shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, which showed off his tanned, muscular arms to perfection.

His blonde hair was still wet from a recent shower and was spiked up on top at different angles as if he'd been running his fingers through it in frustration. A recent haircut, maybe, Jade thought.

He smiled and Jade thought she would pass out then and there. Her body trembled at the impact of it. His smile lit up his face, and his eyes twinkled as if he knew something she didn't. He was every girl's fantasy with movie star good looks, a bad boy smile and a killer athletic body. He was a mix of David Beckham, Brad Pitt, and Liam Hemsworth all rolled into one. Yum!

"And for you, darlin'?" he asked Jade, with a bit of a southern drawl, and leaned his arms lazily on the bar as if he had all the time in the world for her, even though the bar was packed with people.

"Just a bottle of water, please," she answered, looking away from the hypnotizing eyes.

Jade saw him nod and turn away to get their order out of the corner of her eye.

"God, the new bartender is so hot," Becky, her friend from work, sighed watching him. She turned her head as he bent over, "Great ass."

"He's very handsome," Jade said, evenly and opened her purse to get her wallet.

Becky laughed. "You're so sweet, Jade!"

"What do you mean?" Jade asked puzzled, turning to face her.

"There is a hunk of grade A, prime beef, right in front of you, who was totally checking you out by the way, and you just say 'oh, yes, he's very handsome'," Becky said in a mocking tone imitiating her.

Jade scoffed."He was not checking me out."

"Wanna bet?" Becky challenged.

Jade watched the bartender taking another order. He grinned at the young couple as he chatted. "It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter because you're not going to do anything about it!"

"Of course not."

"Jade, he's gorgeous! Take a chance for once in your life!" Becky shook her arm.

"No."

The bartender walked back towards them carrying their drinks. "Sorry, for the wait ladies." He set the drinks in front of them.

"No problem, handsome," Becky smiled up at him in blatant admiration as she picked up her drink and somehow made taking a sip sexy.

Jade wanted to roll her eyes at her friend's obvious flirting. "How much?" she asked, opening her wallet.

He looked up from pouring the bottled water into a small glass with ice for her. He waved her money away. "On the house. Enjoy." He walked away upon being summoned by another customer.

"Told you," Becky crowed, taking a sip of her drink.

"You think?" Jade asked nervously, touching a hand to her French braid to make sure it was still in place.

"Yes! Go ask him out," Becky gestured towards him.

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?!"

"Because...I don't even know him! Besides, he's not my type."

"Oh, I know your type, boring, suit and tie, attached to a briefcase with his laptop, and a Bluetooth glued to his ear," Becky rolled her eyes.

"Successful," Jade countered.

Becky drank from her glass. "Well, he makes an excellent martini. That's got to count for something," Becky smiled, looking at Jade encouragingly.

"I don't date bartenders."

Becky snorted, "You're such a snob!"

"It's not being a snob!," Jade whined. "I just want more out of life than... that," she trailed off as it occurred to her that she was being a snob.

"What more do you want? Huh? You're a successful accountant. You own a house and a car. You're beautiful, and you've got a great bod. Why not attach a gorgeous hunk to the list?"

Jade looked over to the guy. He was leaning over the bar again, chatting to some giggling college girls. He looked up at Jade and their eyes met . He smiled slowly and winked at her as if he had known that she was checking him out. That's all she needed; a pretty play boy.

"That's why," Jade said, while still admiring his dazzling smile as he grinned at the girls and then laughed at something one of the blondes had said.

His laugh wrapped around her heart and squeezed. It was a beautiful sound, deep and rich, and she couldn't help but be jealous that some other girl had gotten him to make the joyous sound.

"He's got to flirt for tips," Becky countered, a sympathetic look met Jade's eyes.

Jade ignored it. She didn't want pity. She was pitied enough growing up, being overweight, and having glasses and braces. No guy had checked her out in high school, and it was something that still hurt her self confidence."Exactly! And that's the only reason he's flirting with me."

"He bought our drinks on the house. That shows he likes you, Jade. He has to pay for them himself."

She glanced over at the bartender meticulously drying some glasses. He obviously worked hard and took pride in his work, Jade thought, as he held the glass up checking for spots. He wiped the glass again. Jade admired him for working hard for a job that obviously didn't pay very well.

She hoped that his hard work would pay off and someday he would be running the place. He looked like a nice guy, and she wished him well.

Jade shook her head, "It's not going to happen, Becky."

***

"Back again, darlin'?" The bartender asked her the next day, wiping the bar down in front of her.

"Oh, my friend and I come almost every day after work. We work just a few blocks away," Jade gestured towards the door.

He nodded in understanding. "What can I get for you?"

"Oh, just a water."

"You come to a bar for water?" he asked curiously, reaching under the bar to the refrigerator.

"I don't drink. Becky does. I just come for the company, the atmosphere."

He smiled at the word atmosphere, giving her a long, admiring look, and she blushed.

"So you don't have a boyfriend, then?" he asked, handing her the bottle. "I mean, he'd be hanging around here with you, if you did."

Jade's stomach flipped in delight at his interest. "Uh...no. I mean, no, not currently," she said nervously.

"Good to know," he said with a "butterflies in the stomach" inducing smile. He patted the bar in front of her,"Don't go anywhere," and then he walked away to go serve another customer.

Becky appeared and slid onto the stool next to her, "Sorry, I'm late."

"That's alright," Jade answered, picking up her bottled water.

She felt a sudden rush of disappointment that Becky had arrived. Jade felt guilty for feeling that way about her friend, but she had liked talking to the bartender and he had asked her to wait right there as if he was going to come back just to talk to her.

And now that Becky was there, they wouldn't have a chance to talk privately amongst themselves. Not that Jade really thought he was interested in her in any way other than to be friendly with her to get tips. But he was nice, and he was handsome, and it would be exciting to be flirted with.

Guys flirting with her didn't happen often and when it did, it was usually because Becky had brought a date, and her date brought a friend to hang out with Jade.

What else was the poor guy to do? He had to suffer through the whole evening saddled to Jade until his friend was ready to call it a night with Becky.

Jade had to admit some of those double dates had turned into a second or even a third, but nothing beyond that. There were no real sparks, no burning desire to be with that person and only that person.

Jade wanted love. Real souls connecting kind of love and she wasn't sure how to get it.

"A glass would help," the bartender rushed over. "I'm so sorry, darlin'."

The bartender set a glass with ice on the bar in front of her. He was about to lean again on the bar in front of her, Jade was sure, but he stopped and straightened as he saw Becky.

She heard him sigh under his breath, and Jade got a shiver of pleasure course through her body that he was just as disappointed as she was that they couldn't talk privately. His eyes met hers, and they held promise in them that they would talk later.

"Evening, ma'am, what can I get for you?" he asked, sending Becky a friendly smile.

"Where are you from, handsome? You have a nice accent there," Becky said to him, batting her eyelashes in an attempt to look flirtatious. It worked on many men, but Jade was happy to see he wasn't affected.

"I'm from a small town not too far from Dallas, Texas, ma'am," he answered, leaning his arms on the bar to hunker down more to their height.

Jade appreciated not having to crane her neck to look up at him. And since he was so close to her, she could smell his cologne. It smelled incredible. She couldn't recognize it as any commercial brand that she knew of. It smelled as she had expected him to smell, like the outdoors.

It smelled of clean air, trees, and a hint of leather. It wasn't overpowering, it was soft, and it teased her nose to want to come closer, to step into his arms, to put her nose into the crook of his neck, and place a kiss on his warm skin.

"Isn't that nice?!" Becky's voice snapped her back to attention.

Jade blushed as his eyes met hers, and the look in them was hot, like he knew what she had been thinking about. Which was impossible as no one could read minds.

"You look like a cowboy, are you a cowboy?" Becky kept talking excitedly.

Lawson glanced over at Jade, who was paying attention to their conversation intently. "Yes, ma'am, I was born an' raised on a cattle ranch."

"How exciting," Becky bounced happily on the stool.

"It's just a job," he answered with a shrug.

"So, do you ride horses?" Becky asked.

"Yes, it's kind of necessary. We herd cattle and move them from pasture to pasture. We check fences lines..." he answered, looking at Jade. "Sorry, it's probably boring to you."

"Jade is quite the equestrian herself. She's won all sorts of awards, haven't you, Jade?" Becky said, prodding her.

"Well, a few..." Jade replied embarrassed.

"That right?" he asked, seemingly impressed. "My sis...excuse me," he said, seeing another customer. He left to go take their order.

"Jade, what the hell is wrong with you? I find something that the two of you have in common and you just sit there! Why didn't you ask him to go riding with you sometime?"

"I told you."

"I know, I know, no cell phone glued to his ear. Got it."

Jade had thought about it. It would be fun to go riding again. She hadn't met anyone since her move to San Francisco that enjoyed riding. Would he really like it? A nice trot in the park? Or a gallop through a field?

The thought invigorated her. She loved riding. There was nothing in the world as exciting as that. Had it been just a part of the job for him? Or did that sexy smile of his appear on his face as he rode?

He returned after serving the next few customers. "I'm sorry it's been really busy."

"No problem at all."

He looked to Jade who merely smiled. "As I was saying, my sister is into equestrian shows. She's won a few blue ribbons herself. It's not an easy sport. Not only do you have to have talent, but your horse needs to as well. And for you to work in total sync with your animal is a thing of beauty when it happens."

Jade smiled. He totally understood. Not many people did. They thought riding a horse was simple and that it wasn't a real sport.

******************************

Jade went home alone as usual. Shutting the door to the outside world, she picked up the mail off the floor, which had fallen from the slot in her door. Jade shuffled through bills as she walked through the living room to the kitchen. She tossed the mail on the kitchen island and opened up the refrigerator to see what she could make for dinner. She settled on an omelet using the last remains of the fridge.

Jade curled up on the couch and turned on the tv with the remote. Her mother would have a heart attack if she could see her daughter not eating at the table. But living alone, she just couldn't sit at the table alone anymore. It was too depressing.

She sighed, loneliness overcoming her. Jade hadn't been on a date in a long time. She prided herself on her fast-moving career in banking as one of the top accountants of a major financial institution.

Jade worked hard and worked long hours. Her only break was her happy hour with Becky, and then she went back to the office. There was not much of a reason to come home.

Maybe she should get a cat, Jade thought. She liked cats. At least a cat would curl up with her on the couch. Give her some affection. Jade missed having someone show her affection.

Granted, the men she dated didn't give her the affection she was quite looking for. They all were headed for the bedroom. And Jade would have nothing to do with that. She didn't love them. They didn't give her what she needed in companionship, so why would she give them anything in the bedroom?

Jade sighed again, shut off the TV, and got up to go to bed. Wasn't anything exciting going to happen in her life?