Now or Never

her fire, and gave her the confidence to let go and have fun.
    “Ready?” Luna asked.
    Grayson grinned slyly. “Let’s go.”
    The night was cool and smelled like rain beneath a cloudy sky, but that didn’t stop most people from coming out in their summer clothes. Grayson wasn’t sure if the two girls in front of them in line were wearing dresses or handkerchiefs for all the coverage the shiny cloth gave them. She looked down at her own demure blue jeans and sweater. At least, her jeans were tight and the sweater form-fitting, so she didn’t look too frumpy. She certainly felt underdressed, though.
    At the doorway, a burly security guard checked IDs. His dark eyes did a double-take when they walked up, and he let out a wolf whistle. “Damn girl. I didn’t know there were two of you.”
    Luna tossed her long red-gold hair over her shoulder and preened. “Tiny, this is my little sister, Grayson.”
    Tiny? Grayson thought, eyeing his over six-foot frame, all muscles and beef.
    Tiny nodded, his bald head shining under the neon lights as he accepted Grayson’s ID, giving it a passing glance. “I don’t know if this town is big enough for both of you. You’re going to give the guys a heart attack when you walk in there.”
    Luna flashed a wicked grin. “That’s the plan.”
    Grayson was sure her cheeks were red as roses. How had Luna been granted all the confidence, and Grayson hadn’t?
    She must have taken all of that characteristic in the womb.
    Tiny handed their IDs back. “Have fun ladies.”
    “Oh, we will Tiny.” Luna laced her arm through Grayson’s and pulled her inside, with a little excited skip in her step.
    They were immediately assaulted by the noise and the smell of cigarettes and alcohol. “The Trap” was just like any other old bar—dingy, smoky, and full of shifting bodies and music so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think. A group of guys turned to stare at them. Grayson shifted her feet and looked down, her automatic response to attention.
    Luna elbowed her in the side. “ No one knows you.”
    The reminder hit home, and Grayson stood up straighter, willing the confidence to take over. She even found the courage to smile, though whether it was a nervous grin or a sexy one, there was no way to tell. Arms still linked, Luna led the way, squeezing through the crowd to the bar. A group of clean-shaven guys parted to make room for them, flashing smiles in their direction. A couple of girls with short skirts and low cut shirts glared daggers at them, but Luna just smiled and waved.
    Behind the bar, a good-looking bartender with huge tattooed arms turned to face them. He had dark hair and pale green eyes. “Whoa. I’m seeing double here. I obviously need more sleep.” He winked.
    Grayson fought the urge to groan. A lifetime of twin jokes got old long ago.
    “The usual, Luna? Times two?”
    Great . Luna was on first name basis with the bouncer and the bartender. Had her sister turned into a lush while she was away? Scratch that, even more of a lush than she already was.
    “We may look alike, but the similarity truly ends there.” Luna tapped her fingers on the counter. “I’ll take the usual, and she’ll have a Jack and Coke.”
    The bartender nodded and pulled out a bottle of beer from the cooler beneath the counter, then slid it across to Luna. As the bartender mixed Grayson’s drink, a broad-shouldered guy much older than they were threw money down. “On me,” he blurted out.
    Luna turned and gave him one of her hundred-watt smiles. “Thank you, but buying our drinks doesn’t mean you will be getting us into bed,” she yelled over the music.
    Grayson sucked in a breath, dropping her head low willing herself to disappear. Her sister was so over the top. She always said the unexpected. For the tenth time since they’d pulled into the lot, Grayson felt her face get warm.
    The man laughed. “Just watching the two of you is enough for me.”
    Luna tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek, and then led Grayson by the hand over to the only empty table. Within moments, a waitress came by, setting down more drinks. “The guy at the pool table sent them over.”
    Grayson turned to where she indicated. A tall, skinny guy tipped his cowboy hat with a smile, and then turned back to his game.
    Luna tapped her fingernails on the neck of her new beer. “Another good thing about this place, I never pay to get in, and I never pay for a drink. They like the eye candy. This is a military