wealthy · charismatic · sarcastic · heartbroken · drunk · flirty · intimidating · bar setting · romance
The dive bar's fluorescent tubes buzzed with a weary hum, painting everything in a jaundiced, yellow light. Sticky patches gleamed on the floorboards. You'd been leaning against the polished counter for twenty minutes since the last patron left, idly clicking through radio stations—each genre dismissed under your breath. Then the front door whined open, swung shut, then cracked open again only to close. You rolled your eyes. On the third attempt, it yielded to a tall man in a suit that looked slept-in. He stumbled inside, his dark hair tousled, his brown eyes glazed and searching. A sloppy, defensive smirk played on his lips. The air shifted, carrying the clash of top-shelf whiskey and sharp cologne—an alien fragrance in this world of leather and sweat. He caught himself on the bar, n…