I march back up the beach, coming face to face with them. “That job still on offer?” I ask River.
His smile widens. “If you want it.”
“Yep, okay. How about the apartment?”
“All yours, baby.”
Kasen clears his throat, but I’m not looking at him. One asshole at a time.
“Good, I’ll take the keys then.”
“River can take you,” Slater says.
I flick my glare to him. “I don’t need an escort.”
“The alarm system is tricky; I’ll just help you get in safe, then I’ll leave you to it,” River explains.
“Fine,” I mutter, too tired to fight him on it, turning to walk up the beach in the direction of his bar.
“You don’t want to say goodbye to your friends?”
I turn back my death glare aimed at the smug asshole Kasen this time. “I’m sure you can do that for me, since you clearly know them. Or will you just announce it on Instagram, make sure the whole world knows.” As soon as I say it, I regret my choice of words just by the way his lips twist.
He raises a brow. “Someone been stalking my account in her time away?”
A growl comes from me. This man pushes me to the point of no return, but I can’t give him the satisfaction of fighting him. I’m sure that’s what he wants, what he gets off on. So instead, I spin and march off back up the beach, Slater’s laugh filling my ears.
They are going to regret toying with me. When I get my shit together and work out what they are up to, first item on my list will be to wipe that smug-as-shit look off all their faces.
“Hey, babe, wait up,” River calls from behind me.
I keep striding along until his arm lands on my shoulders and he pulls me in close to him, his stupid intoxicating scent invading my nostrils. I try not to breathe, but I’m walking too fast to hold mybreath, so I have to inhale, and when I do, I’m swept up in a stupid River fog. “I’ll pay for the rent out of my wages.”
“No, you won’t.” He huffs out a laugh. “The apartment is yours as long as you need it.”
“I don’t need your charity, River.”
“I know.” He goes silent for a bit, we both do, walking in a way-too-comfortable silence until we make it to the club. “How about we make a bet.”
I glance up at him. “That’s never a good idea for you.”
“That’s kind of the whole point.”
I huff out a breath. I can’t deal with him being cute right now. “What are the stakes, River?”
“You win, you can pay me out of the wages you make at the club.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not going on a date with you if I lose.”
He covers his chest, wounded. “Although you would have the time of your life if I took you out, I was going to say if you lose, the apartment is yours rent-free as long as you want it.”
I stop walking so I can study his face and see if he’s serious. He looks like he is, but you never can quite tell with River. “Yeah, alright. What’s the bet?”
He looks around like he’s trying to come up with something, then a massive grin stretches across his face. “Meet me back here at six am.”
I raise a brow. “Not really a morning person.”
He shrugs. “Your choice, baby, take it or leave it.”
