He grinned. “Wasn’t planning to. I want a front-row seat to the show.” He pulled off his logoed shirt, leaving him in only a black undershirt. His armpit hair stuck out a little, and the shirt made the muscles of his arms look even bigger. He nodded to Jack. “I’m off the clock.”
Jack looked even more confused.
Tension slid into my stomach. I hadn’t meant for my outing to mess with Jack’s bar. “But who’s going to be the bouncer tonight? I like you keeping an eye on me.”
His eyes softened as he looked at me. “I can do that better from right here.”
Jack sighed. “I’ll call Edgar up from the back. He won’t like it, but it’s been a while since you took a night off.” He held out a hand toward me. “If you’re sure about this, give me your keys.”
“I’m sure about this. And I left my keys at home.” I folded my arms on top of the bar. “So, a kamikaze shot?”
“Make that two. I’m buying.” Sean snagged his wallet out of his back pocket, sliding his card to Jack. “In fact, double everything she orders tonight. I want to see if I can keep up.” He bumped my shoulder with his.
“I plan on drinking a lot,” I warned him.
“Bring it on, honey,” he shot back.
Jack took his card. “Iamgoing to charge it to you, since I’m being left out.”
“You could always join us,” Sean said. “Right, Hailey? You want Jack to drink with us, don’t you?”
I hesitated, studying Jack and wondering if he’d be a mean drunk or a fun one. The image wouldn’t rise. “I can’t picture you drunk,” I admitted.
“Oh, he can drink.” Sean’s lips tilted up.
“But not tonight,” Jack said. “Someone has to make sure she gets home safe.”
His promise let the twist of tension in my stomach loosen, warmth replacing it.
“A kamikaze, huh?” Jack searched my eyes. “So vodka is your poison of choice?”
I swung a little on my barstool. “It goes well with fruit juice.”
He laughed. “That it does.” He began mixing the drinks, and I watched his hands, fascinated by them like always. I didn’t often see him mix shots. Most people ordered whiskey, since it was a whiskey bar.
“When are you going to tell us what happened last week?” Sean asked.
I grimaced, looking down at my hands. “Ask me again when I’ve had enough drinks.”
He laughed. “How many is enough?”
“When I answer the question.” I reached for one of the glasses Jack set down. The liquid was mostly clear with a bit of murkiness. I took off the lime, tilted my head back to down the shot, then sucked on the lime after.
Sean followed a beat behind. “Another, Jack. She did it wrong.” He leaned in closer. “You’re supposed to clink your glass with mine before you gulp it like that.”
“You’re right.” Giddiness hit me when the heat from the drink flooded through my chest. At least, I thought the heat was from the drink. “I’ll get it right this time.”
Jack shook his head, but he was smiling. “You two are going to get so wasted. Sean is terrible at holding his booze.”
After the second kamikaze shot, Jack brought the pineapple drink, but with vodka, and then the pretty purple one with an even heavier pour. By the time I was sipping at the one with a red splash, I was a little dizzy and finally ready to talk.
“Wait a minute. You’re saying it was his idea to watch someone else go down on you? And you didn’t call me?” Sean looked crestfallen.
I leaned against his side, liking his warmth. “I’ve been wondering all week if I’da been able to orgasm if it was you,” I admitted.
“Don’t wonder. It would have happened.” Sean gripped his drink. “If we weren’t both drunk, I’d take you up to Jack’s apartment right now and show you.”
I hummed in my throat. “You’re prolly right. I always do when I’m imagining it’s you.” I tried to whisper the last part in his ear.
