“Why are you impressed?” As if I’m showing off, I down the shot of amber liquid that has been staring at me for the last few minutes, only mildly regretting it afterward. Ick. That shot was a lot stronger than the others I’ve taken in the past two hours. Plus, it tastes like cinnamon, which I hate, and it’s burning all the way down my throat. Anddd . . . I think that’s enough of that for thenight.
Liam seems to be amused by my struggle to get the shot down because he’s smirking, while looking through the foam of his beer. He’s so odd. “When most girls drink as much as you’ve drank tonight, they’d be acting sloppy.” While listening to his observant statement, I notice Jade out of the corner of my eye. He’s probably talking about her. She’s created a dance floor in between a few tables, trying her hardest to get Jared to dance. I don’t think Jareddances.
“Last call!” A voice shouts across the bar. I think it’s Sterling, but I can’t see. Not that I should care or be looking around for him, especially since I’ve purposely forgotten Liam’s warning about Sterling. None of it matters anyway. I’m here for the summer to earn some money and enjoy the beaches and views. Those views can include the good-looking men around here, but it stops there since I will be back home in fourteen weeks, with my heart still intact. Not sure I can say the same for Jade, but we’ll see how that allplaysout.
Sterling makes his way down to the end of the bar and hands me our bill. “I comped your meal,” he says with a wink and a cute crookedsmirk.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I tell him, concerned he might get introuble.
“I know, but I wanted to. Do you need one last drink before the barcloses?”
“Yeah, I was just going to order a last round,” I tell him. Um, no, I wasn’t. I just told myself I was done, so I should be done rather than looking for any excuse to keep Sterlingoverhere.
“I’ll get it for you. What’s it goingtobe?”
“I think you’ve had enough,” Liam interjects. My back is toward him at the moment but it doesn’t stop the record scratch in my head as his words sink in. Did he just cutmeoff?
I turn around, glaring at him with a snarl. “Uh,what?”
“You have work in the morning,” hecontinues.
“Last time I checked, I was a big girl, and I’m capable of making my own decisions.” I accent my remark with a condescending tap on hisshoulder.
“Come on dude, she’s just having a good time. It’s all good,” SterlingtellsLiam.
With a scowl on his face, Liam lifts his hands in defense. “Whatever. I don’t care what she does. See you back at Buckingham.” He’s so snide. Everything he says comes with an attitude, and I’ve definitely had about enough of thattonight.
“I’m sure I’ll be right behind you after I finish this drink . . . but don’t wait up,” I joke while turning back to face Sterling. “As for you, I’ll have another Dirty Beach,please.”
“A what?” helaughs.
“Oh, right, Jade made up the drink. Um, just a Dark Russian, please.”Oh,Jade.
“Ah,” he laughs. “Coming right up.” Sterling leaves with a slight squeeze to myshoulder.
As Sterling pushes through the crowd with a cocktail tray held high above everyone's heads, the sound of metal scraping against the floor startles me into spinning around. Liam has pushed his stool away from the bar, and he’s throwing cash down as if it were lit with flames. “Have a good night,” he mumbles before heading over to JaredandCale.
I can’t hear much of their conversation but Jade playfully punches Liam in the chest and looks over to me at the same time. I have no interest in knowing what they’re saying. Damn all good-looking men. Liam just solidified my distaste for his kind, and I’m sure Sterling is one of the same, but at least he hasn’t purposely tried to piss meoffyet.
Jade dances over to me and plops down in Liam’s seat, breathless and laughing. “I love thisplace.”
“You’re a crazy lady.” I love her energy but sometimes it exhausts me. I’m not a big dancer. I’m more of a talker, and I like to learn people—figure out the inner thoughts of anyone who crosses my path. Maybe it’s from growing up in a small area where everyone knows everyone’sbusiness.
“Looks like Liam had fun tonight,” she says with araisedbrow.
I can’t help but laugh. “So, was it the way he snarled at his burger when he found onions inside, or was it the way he rolled his eyes just slowly enough for everyone around him to notice when I asked for my lastdrink?”
Jade slaps my leg. “Oh, Jules, you’ll see. With Liam, those are sentiments ofaffection.”
“What world are you living in?” Iaskher.
With nothing more than a smile for a response, Sterling comes between us. “Ladies,” he says, placing two new cocktail napkins down and handing us our final round of drinks for theevening.
“So, about your brother . . .” Jade pipes up as if it were her greatest idea of thenight.
There’s a smugness to his sultry grin and it’s totally getting a rise outofJade.
“When are we going to set up this double date?” Jade! I don’t need to yell at her out loud. She knows exactly what she’s doing and what she’s done. It was purposeful and . . . I’m not completely upset by it, but hot men are always trouble. I keep telling her this, but she’d rather tell me I’minsane.
