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lips. “And second, how do you know you aren’t
good with people if you’re never around any? Why do you lock yourself away from
the world?”
    She groaned. “I should have known I’d be in for another
inquisition. Why are you so curious about me all of a sudden?”
    He shrugged. “I dunno, I just am. Besides, didn’t we agree
that we were gonna get to know each other?”
    “We did but you have yet to tell me anything pertinent about
yourself. Quid pro quo, Mr. Serano.”
    Sitting back in his chair he folded his arms across his
chest. “Fine. You wanna know something about me? I own this bar and named it
after my father. Now it’s your turn. Answer my question. Why do you shut
everyone out?”
    She could only gape at him as she processed yet another
shotgun blast of new information. But she could tell by his body language that
he wasn’t going to elaborate and then his question registered. “I don’t seem to
be very proficient at shutting you out.”
    “That’s because I’m a persistent motherfucker.” He grinned.
    “That’s true, very true.” She laughed, then when she noticed
his stubborn expression, she sighed.
    “All right. I don’t shut everyone out. I’ve just had a few
bad experiences as far as relationships go, so I’m cautious.”
    “What kinds of relationships? Romantic or friendships?”
    Why would he ask that? What difference did it make?
    “Both.” Oh she so didn’t want to get into this with
him. She barely knew him and he was starting to poke into some very raw
territory. Chloe didn’t even know the full story as to why she was so backward.
    It was his turn to sigh. “You need to expound. What sorts of
bad experiences?”
    “Listen, usually when people get to know each other, don’t
they start out small? Sharing things like where they’re from, what their family
is like? What they do for a living?”
    “I told you what I do for a living.”
    “No, you dropped the ‘I own this bar’ bomb on me and then
promptly asked me another very personal question. Every time we’ve spoken so
far it’s been all about me. You need to expound. How long have you owned
this bar? Your father must be proud to have it named after him. And while we’re
at it, how old are you? Since today’s your birthday and all.” There. Put him
under the microscope and see how he likes it.
    Cocking his head to the side, he exhaled roughly from his
nose, the sound more suited to coming from a pissed-off bull. It was
intimidating and she might have backed down if he hadn’t then said, “All right,
fuck it, you’re right. I’ve had the bar for about five years now. Well, my
brothers and I own it. My dad passed away while the building was under
construction, so when it was finally finished we thought it fitting to name it
after him.” He took a slow look around him and a wistful smile graced his lips.
“You know, seeing how things turned out I bet the old man probably would be
proud.”
    Once his eyes landed back on hers, his smile turned
inviting. “And I’m thirty-two as of today.”
    “I’m sorry to hear about your dad. It sounds like you were
close. You have brothers?”
    “Thank you and yeah, three older brothers, actually. What
about you? Siblings?”
    She shook her head. “No, it’s just me. It would have been
nice to have a sibling, I think.”
    Reaching for his beer, he laughed. “Yeah, maybe for you it
would have been nice. Not so much for me. My brothers made it a hobby of theirs
to beat the shit out of me every chance they got. Tough love.”
    “Your relationship with them obviously turned out okay,
though.” She laughed. “And maybe that’s the reason you fight every other week?
Whaling on someone else the way you couldn’t on your brothers relieves some of
those repression issues of yours?”
    Nodding, he chuckled. “Yeah, I guess that’s a part of it
anyway. But really, why were you so afraid to come out with me tonight?”
    Running her tongue over her teeth, she squinted at