Conversations around the room quieted and everyone stared at the red-faced waitress. Patrons clapped while fellow servers hurried over to assist. With his arm still locked around her, Zander guided Savannah toward the bar. Heshouldhave removed his hand, but instead, tightened his hold around the sexy contour of her waist.
At the bar, she acknowledged him before sliding onto the seat. “Thanks.”
Is she thanking me for keeping her dry, or for hauling her against me?
A burly bartender moseyed over. “How you two doin’ this afternoon?”
“Doin’ alright,” Savannah replied. “I’ll take a shot of tequila and an amber beer on draft, if you have one.”
“Your best scotch, neat,” Zander said, though the bartender never bothered looking in his direction.
“You two lovebirds want some food, too?”
Savannah slid her gaze to Zander and kicked up her brow. “Sure.”
He bit back a smile.Is she toying with me?
After setting a menu on the bar between them, the bartender got busy pouring their drinks.
Savannah leaned close and peered into Zander’s eyes. “Let’s try not to kill each other over this, ‘kay?”
The energy behind her unwavering gaze ricocheted through him. He shouldn’t like staring into those hypnotic dark eyes, but he did. And he sure as hell shouldn’t like this forced arrangement, but as he studied her pretty face, his throbbing headache subsided. And a different kind of throbbing took hold.
Her lips parted. She shuddered in a breath. He clenched his teeth to stem the fire burning a trail to his groin. Desiring her was wrong on too many levels. Hisonlythought should be convincing her to agree to his plan for Starry Cove. But the ideas preoccupying his brain had nothing whatsoever to do with his business venture. Absolutely nothing.Dammit, concentrate.
The bartender dropped napkins on the bar before depositing their drinks. “Wanna start a tab?”
She dragged her gaze from Zander. “That’ll work.”
“What can I gitcha?”
They each ordered a burger. Savannah tacked on a side of cheese fries before the bartender moseyed off.
“So, Zander, you ready to play nice with me?” she asked.
I’ll definitely play with you. Lots and lots of foreplay.He reached for his drink. “I can do that.”
She lifted the shot glass. “A toast to Kyle.”
He had no interest in honoring his late father, but he didn’t want to start their alcohol-fueled meeting by upsetting her, so he raised his drink.
“To a sweet, funny, but misunderstood man who has been the most reliable person in my life since I was ten.”
What the hell?It sounded like she was describing a totally different person from the one he knew. Before he could digest her toast, she clinked glasses and licked the salty rim. As she coated her tongue with white crystals, heat radiated through him, landing in his junk.Get it together.
After tossing back the liquor, she pierced him with a steely gaze. “Damn that tasted like more.”
Eager to assist, the bartender appeared with the tequila bottle and a smile. Beneath his thick moustache, the dude was missing a front tooth. “I can make that happen, darlin’.”
Zander didn’t want him plying his stepsister with cheap booze. He needed her sober so she could agree to his proposal. Once she did, he’d draft a quick letter to Sheldon and hightail it back to civilization.
She held up her hand. “I’m good.”
Relieved, he sipped his scotch. The familiar taste burned the back of his throat and he tossed back another mouthful before setting the glass down.
“Your food’ll be out shortly. You just let me know if I can gitcha anything…anything at all, lil’ darlin’.” Before ambling down the bar, he eyed Savannah’s chest.
Zander could have been on fire, and the bartender wouldn’t have noticed.
