Sophie responds by laughing along with him, and taking a big gulp of her cocktail.
“He hasn’tgoneanywhere, you two. So shut up,” I scold, narrowing my eyes at the siblings who apparently team up whenever they are around one another. If they only knew It’s been almost a week since I embarrassed myself and asked Wesley,my boss,to kiss me.
Jesus, every time it pops into my head, I cringe.
They continue giggling.
“Right. I’m sure there’s nothing going on between you andWesley,”he says the name all whiney and high pitched like a corny porn star, obviously making fun of my use of his full name.
“There isn’t!” I throw my hands up in exasperation. I mean, I want there to be, but there isn’t.
“So then you wouldn’t mind if I gave Chase your number?” he asks, hiking his thumb over his shoulder. “My bartender thinks you’re cute. Asked if you were available.”
I look behind him, and see a relatively handsome man pouring a whiskey before handing it to an older man across the bar. He’s tall, with shoulder length auburn hair and a nice build, but he’s no Wesley.
Maybe this is what I need. Maybe I just need to have fun with a cute guy to get my mind off of my infatuation with my boss. I chew on the corner of my lip, studying the man—Chase—behind the bar. He smiles at a customer, and it seems genuine. Yeah, this should do the trick. He’s cute… enough. I guess.
“Is he nice?” I ask Maverick.
His eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. “Um, yeah. Chase is a great guy. One of the best.”
I nod, my decision made. “Okay, sure. Yeah, you can give him my number.”
“He’s going to kill you,” Sophie hisses at her brother.
“I didn’t think she’d agree,” Maverick replies in an exasperated tone.
Chase looks over, and we make eye contact. I shyly wave at him, and his face lights up, giving me a broad smile. No dimples. I give him what I hope isn’t an awkward smile, and turn back to the still arguing siblings.
“He bit my head off when I tried flirting with her at dinner,” Maverick says to Sophie.
I almost snap my neck with how fast I turn my head to him. “What?”
“And aren’t you going to Texas tomorrow with him and Lilah?” Sophie buts in.
I’m not ready to move past what Mav just said, but I answer Soph anyway. “Yes.”
“Few days in a hotel… a lot can happen,” Maverick clicks his tongue.
“I’ll have my own room, and Delilah will be there,” I remind the twin interrogation team.
That does nothing to convince them otherwise. Maverick prattles on about how Wesley and I “bumping uglies” could really benefit his grouchy brother, but he’ll give my number to Chase anyway. Sophie laughs and agrees, but not with the Chase part.
I down two drinks to push thoughts of their brother away, and it does the opposite. I briefly met Chase, and did my best at flirting, but it felt kind of weird and forced. I’m sure it’ll get easier once I get to know him better. I dance my ass off to some nineties country with Sophie, catching Chase stealing glances our way.
When we finally decide it’s time to go home, Maverick calls Sophie a cab after I promise her I can drive. I hug her goodbye, promising to text when we all land in Texas.
I’m in the bathroom freshening up when I realize I might not actually be okay to drive. I thought I drank enough water, and sweated it all out on the dancefloor. Damn it. I love and hate being a light-weight. I’ll have to have Maverick call a cab for me as well, which means the one that took Sophie home will have to come back for me. Small town life and all.
I leave the bathroom and walk up to the bar, watching Maverick wipe down the display liquor bottles. “Hey, Mav? Can you call me a ride actually? I’m a little tipsier than I thought,” I tell him, looking around the bar.
He nods. “No problem.”
Noticing my perusal of the space, he adds, “Chase went home. Told me to tell you he’d text you,” he says with a teasing smirk, and I do my very best pretending to be excited.
Twenty minutes later, I’m sitting at the bar eating out of a questionable bowl of mixed nuts, when I hear a deep but gentle voice say from behind, “Let’s go, trouble maker.”
I look over my shoulder and see a black T-shirt stretched over a broad muscled chest. Following it up, I see Wesley’s perfect face, and have to stop myself from sighing in appreciation. How is he still taller than me? I’m on a damn barstool for Christ’s sake. I face forward again and glare at Maverick. “I asked for a cab.”
