His full mouth breaks into another mesmerizing smile as he sweeps aside the strands with a careless hand. “Yeah, I know. It’s pretty bad.”
“It’s not bad. It just gets in your eyes, and you have pretty eyes.”
He leans an elbow on the bar, putting us way too close. Almost nose-to-nose.
Elliott has a nice nose. Straight and a little bit freckled. Never noticed that before.
The freckles. Not his nose. Clearly, I’ve noticed his nose. It’s in the middle of his beautiful face.
“Oh, yeah? Anything else you want to compliment about me?”
Okay, flirty bartender. You’re not going to hypnotize me. “You wish.”
Mic. Drop.
His deep laugh booms over the thumping base as I turn and saunter back to our table in the corner.
Let the fun begin.
CHAPTER 20
ELLIOTT
August
Two questions:
1. Who’s with Loren?
2. Is she single?
It’s almost closingtime and Loren and her friend are still here. Normally, I’d be laying down the law and kicking them out so we can get home. But she’s entertaining as hell when she’s drunk.
Whyis she so drunk though? From the dribs and drabs I’ve overheard from her conversations with her friend, it seems as though all is not well in paradise. How’d I come to that conclusion? Let’s just say they’ve dropped the term “douche canoe” an insane number of times in conjunction with her boyfriend’s name.
Called it the first time I saw the guy.
Loren’s friend slips off her stool. They were at the far table for a couple rounds, then made their way to the open seats at thebar. “Time to go, doll face,” she shouts. “We’ve got work in a few hours.”
From Loren’s pout, you’d swear her friend told her that someone ran over her cat. “It can’t be time for bed already. I haven’t even danced yet.”
Loren has been on that dance floor tonight more than anyone else in this bar.
Not that there’s any point in saying so. She seems determined when she heads to the center of the empty floor.
She looks shit hot in that green dress. If she were single and if she wasn’t my neighbor and drunk as a skunk, I would absolutely shoot my shot.
Meg groans, dropping her face into her hands. “I’m never getting home.”
“I can take her back if you want.” The offer is out before I have a chance to stop it.
Meg narrows her eyes at me. “Why should I trust you?”
August chooses this moment to step out of the office. Should’ve known he’d be listening from back there. He’s the nosiest Nellie there ever was. “Because he’s basically Clark fucking Kent without the glasses. Unbutton your shirt, Elliott; show her the red and blue spandex suit you wear under those shitty T-shirts.”
I’d take my “shitty T-shirts” any day over the Hawaiian button-up his sister made him wear for tonight’s shift. “Nobody asked you.”
August shrugs and heads over to the dishwasher to start unloading and drying glasses.
