My sister has never done a nude scene, you jackass.
But I bite back that comeback since he’s just not worth it. I stare pointedly at the stool douchey boss is occupying. “Excuse me. I’m meeting someone,” I say, hoping he finally gets the message to go back to Creepville now.
“Someone who couldn’t be bothered to show up on time?” he asks as the sound of footsteps growing closer registers.
“How do you know he’s late?”
“He’s not here. I am. Don’t you want a man who shows up?”
He’s officially ruined my rosé. I open my purse so I can pay the tip and get the hell out when the footsteps stop. The origami man wedges himself between us, looming over the other guy but turning to me. “Hi, honey, sorry I’m late. But I got us a great table to make up for it. Did you want to join me, or do you still need to make that phone call to your aunt?”
In his dark-brown eyes, I see the offer.I’m here to whisk you away if you need me to.
I also see the out.I’ll cover for you while you walk away from this asshole.
I flash asee you latersmile at the asshole, then a real one at my temporary hero as I push back in the stool, ready to leave. “Thanks, sweetie. A table sounds great.”
But douchey boss harrumphs faster, then pushes back in his stool, the grating sound of metal against metal screeching in my ears. With an aggravated sigh, he tosses a dollar on the bar. Nice tip. He heads off, his tail tucked between his legs.
The towering man tracks him the whole way, eyes like a hawk’s, till the man’s out of sight.
That’s just…hot.
When he turns back to me, he’s mostly, but not quite, all business-y as he says, “He’s gone. Do you need anything else?”
That’s a good question, and I should say no given the length of my to-do list. But there’s a hint of something more in his voice that I like. I’m revved up from the way he got rid of that jerk. Does he think I’m Haven too? No idea, but if it comes down to it, I’ll make surethis guyknows I’mnotmy sister.
Because his moves have got me a little hot under the hoodie. Looking back, I might blame the adrenaline for the words forming on my tongue as I impulsively say, “Yes. Can I buy you a drink?”
2
READ THE ROOM
BANKS
Do I always pretend to date random women in bars?
No, I don’t.
But the way that sleazeball crowded her, leered at her, and spoke to her when she clearly told him she wasn’t interested fired me the hell up. If anyone did anything like that to my little sister… My shoulders tighten with tension. I wouldn’t stand for it.
And while I didn’t hear everything he said, it didn’t take a body language expert to know she was telling him to get lost. Sure, I could have just physically shown the man the door—eight years as a Marine means I’m no slouch in theshifting unwanted types alongdepartment—but I don’t like to make a scene.
In fact, I’m excellent atnotmaking scenes. Hence the offer to pretend to be her dude for the night.
But something I’m even better at than not making a mountain out of a molehill? Spotting opportunities.
I take the one this gorgeous woman with the long blond hair is offering me. “Yes, you can,” I say, meeting her captivating crystal-blue gaze at last, now that I’m done sending death rays at that guy. With him in the rearview, I pause, like we need a reset to move past that part of the night and intothispart before I add, “On one condition.”
“What’s your condition?”
“That you let me buy it for you.”
A soft laugh falls from her glossy lips. Such a better expression than the tight, tense look on her face moments ago. Now her shoulders are relaxed, her eyes inviting. “Chivalry is not dead.”
“Not with me, that’s for damn sure.”
With awell thenexpression, she gestures to the stool next to her. I take it, placing the tablet I’ve been holding on the bar top. Time to set my business plans aside, along with the proposal I’ve been working on since my early evening meeting here in this hotel. I’ll send this proposal to Dean tonight to review. Get his feedback. Make sure it’s airtight and confident before I fire it off to a huge potential client. A kernel of hope rushes through me. This gig could be huge for our recently launched firm.
