"So earlier tonight you said you work with computers, right?" he asked. "Like IT or something else?"
"I'm a computer programmer for a software developer. I write programs and apps, fix code and bugs, that sort of thing. I work remotely most of the time because they send me all sorts of places to work with their subsidiaries, which is nice, but I just got a promotion into management so I won't be required to travel as much."
"Sounds like an interesting job."
He brought me a glass with three lime wedges in it. Wow, he definitely paid attention to detail. That was something I appreciated in people. Like Josey the bartender and now Ben Murphy.
Our fingers brushed when I took the drink and the corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile.
"Thank you." I sipped my drink before I said, "It is an interesting job, at least to me. Cam's eyes glaze over when I talk about it too much. But what about you? You own a business here, right? Working on cars?"
Ben nodded and headed back over to the other counter to make his drink. "I mostly do repair jobs but once in a while I get a restoration project and that's what I really enjoy doing. I like bringing old cars back to life."
"See, that sounds interesting to me." I took another sip. "And this is a delicious drink, so why don't you tell me about it while I finish."
Ben picked up his glass and stood next to the island, leaning his hip against the counter right next to my thigh. "What do you want to know?"
"What does a typical day look like for you?" I asked. "Walk me through it." I'd always been curious about how other people lived their lives. As much as people are alike, they're also different in the most fascinating ways.
His eyebrows lowered. "Seriously?"
I nodded.
"I have no idea where to start," he said.
"What time do you get up? Like, what's your morning routine?" I asked.
"It's pretty boring," he hedged.
"Just tell me."
"Promise you won't give me shit?"
I grinned and shook my head. "But I'll tell you about how I usually roll out of bed and spend the entire day in my pajamas while I'm working and I won't get mad when you give me crap back."
"Fine," he said with a sigh.
"So, what time do you get up and what do you do in the morning before you go to work?"
"I get up around five and work out. I'm usually showered and walking out the door with a protein shake or something by six-thirty. The shop opens at seven and I spend the first ten or fifteen minutes double-checking the schedule and projects for the day and make a pot of coffee. Cassie rolls in around seven-thirty and I go out into the shop to start on whatever needs to be done. I have three other guys that work for me so we don't just do repairs and restorations, we also do oil changes, tires, and other routine maintenance."
"Sounds like you're pretty busy," I commented. "What time do you close up shop?"
"Most days a little after five. We stay open if someone needs to come by after work to pick up their vehicle."
"So you work ten or eleven hours a day?"
Ben shrugged and lifted his glass to his lips. I watched his throat work as he swallowed. Watching a man drink should not be sexy. Jeez, what was going on with me?
"Not every day, but a few days a week, yeah." He looked at me. "What about you? What do your days look like?"
"Nuh-uh. What do you do after work?"
He grunted and shook his head. "Not much. I come home. I either cook or pick up something on my way. I eat. I shower, watch TV or read, and go to bed."
I cocked my head as he spoke. That certainly didn't sound like the kind of life a playboy bachelor would have. Blondie and her friend at the bar obviously didn't know shit about him. Or he was purposely leaving out his bar trolling to make himself look better.
"What about dating?"
