“Be strong,” she whispered as they reached the bar area.
The guy pouring the shots behind the bar lifted a brow when he saw Valerie approach. “I’ll take one,” Valerie said.
God that was the worse thing she could do—get drunk. “Valerie no,” she warned, hoping Valerie would listen to reason.
“Who brought the narc?”
Isabel immediately turned to the idiot behind the bar, pouring the shots. “Pardon me?”
He did the stupidest show of bowing down with his hand over his head and then added in the most antagonistic voice. “Pardon me!”
Isabel’s face warmed in reaction, as the people around her chuckled. He poured a few more shots. “You in, Narc?” he asked, looking at her with a smartassy smirk.
“Easy Ramon,” Alex said.
“Yes, pour her one please,” Valerie, said.
Isabel’s jaw dropped, then remembered how hard it must be for Valerie to be here standing so close to the man she used to be hopelessly in love with.
Ramon pulled out another shot glass. “Coming right up.” He was your typical muscle head. Isabel expected no less from Alex’s friends. Though he wasn’t as big as Alex, she could see even under his dress shirt, he had enough muscle to call attention from most girls.
She ignored the shot in front of her for as long as she could, until he finally called her on it. “So… did I pour that for nothing?”
Valerie turned to her, then to Ramon. “Romero, this is my roommate, Isabel. Isabel, this is Romero.”
“I thought it was Ramon.”
His expression hardened. “It’s Romero.” He pushed the shot closer to her.
Isabel turned to Valerie, exasperated—the things she did for her. Grudgingly, she took the shot. Romero smiled as she grimaced, feeling the alcohol warm her throat.
“Want another one?”
“No.” Her voice was hoarse and he laughed.
“Is that your first shot ever, Narc?”
“My name is Isabel.”
He smirked. “Too long. But all right, is that your first shot, Izzy?”
It was better than Narc, and it wasn’t the first time she’d been called that, so she didn’t protest, staring at him as she sucked on a lime. “No, it’s not.”
His golden brown eyes seemed to sparkle in amusement as he poured more shots. The crowd that was there when they arrived had dispersed. Just Isabel and Valerie—who stood right behind her, talking to Alex—were the only ones still there, leaving Romero to scrutinize only her. She pushed her glasses up, trying not to stare at his impressive forearms as he poured the shots. “Take another one.”
Isabel stared at the shots in front of him—one for him—one for her. “I’m driving.” She lifted her chin.
“It’s early. You’ll be fine.” He took his shot and smiled at her.
She turned, hoping Valerie could get her out of this but both she and Alex were gone. Really? Already? After all they’d gone over on there way there? She hadn’t even noticed them walk away. Her shoulders slumped and she took the shot, immediately sucking on a lime. Romero grinned from ear to ear. “You see? And you were fighting it.”
“That’s my last one.” Her voice was a rasp. “I mean it.” She’d never understand why people enjoyed doing shots.
Romero set the bottle aside and leaned his elbows onto the bar. “So how come I’ve never met you? You and Valerie been friends long?”
Unlike most guys who tried being discreet, he did nothing to hide the fact he was taking her in, completely. She felt utterly invaded, the way his eyes went from her hair to her cle**age. They even spent some time on her hands. She tried hiding her unease with his bald-faced demeanor. “Years, we met in college.”
“College girl, uh? What are you doing now?”
Isabel still felt the burn in her throat from the two shots. “I’m a teacher. And you?”
She was used to limited eye contact when first meeting someone. Not Romero. He seemed to seek her eyes out, and then smile confidently. “I should’ve known.”
“What does that mean?” She’d heard this before. Even with her mom being a teacher, she knew most people’s image of a teacher—straight-laced, unattractive, mousy women, usually with a ridiculous bun in their hair.
“I’m just sayin’.”
“You’re saying what?” She lifted her eyebrow.
It was annoying the way every one of her statements or questions seemed to amuse him. “You look like a teacher.”
She felt herself warm inside. “And what exactly does a teacher look like?”
The corner of his mouth lifted as he blatantly looked her over again. “Sweet…and sexy, apparently.”
She felt the heat rush to her face and Romero smiled even bigger. “Did I embarrass you?”
“No,” she said too quickly. “You didn’t answer my question. What do you do?”
“I just started my own business this year.” He poured another shot and lifted it to her.
She shook her head. Not even one more. “What kind of business?”
He didn’t even bother with a lime after downing the shot he poured. “I’m in the security business.”
Of course. “Like a bodyguard?”
“Somethin’ like that.” Isabel studied his stubborn jaw and the way he’d smirk at everyone he glanced at, like he had some kind of inside joke going with each one. She wondered if she was the joke. Here was this tough looking bodyguard, or whatever he was having some fun with the nervous schoolteacher at the bar. She was glad now that Valerie had convinced her to wear her hair down. Well, half down. The front was still up in a barrette, but she let the back hang loose.