bar, ready to do whatever it takes to get this man back to my hotel room.
He’s all Michael B. Jordan—hot as fuck and even better to listen to with that insanely sexy accent. I’m not immune to a hot-as-sin accent, or a man with a quicksilver tongue.
Because I’ve learned something about a man who isn’t afraid to give and take in a conversation. A man like that?
He’ll give and take the same way in bed.
In my pocket, my phone buzzes, and I check it to see a message.
Emma: Seems like you found someone fun.
I look down the bar and see my sister and her friend have settled there. A pretty brunette bartender is cracking jokes with them as she mixes a drink.
Emma catches my eye before pointing to where Dean’s dealing with other customers. Then she’s tapping into her phone.
Emma: I called it the second we walked in. You’re so into him.
I roll my eyes. I’m used to the teasing about my love life. My three sisters have wanted to hook me up with every guy friend they’ve ever had.
But I’m happy playing the field.
Especially when there are hot British bartenders just waiting to be picked up.
Dean grabs two different bottles and whips them around to make a cocktail. He moves them easily, quickly, almost like he’s performing a magic trick. The customers he’s mixing the drink in front of ooh and aah, clapping as he does a long pour. He finishes and hands the glass to an older woman at the other end of the bar. Then he pivots and heads my way. As he walks over, my lips curve up in a grin. Sure, I’m his customer, but he could have sent someone else to see if I needed a refill.
I knew it. He’s totally hooked on me.
He’ll be the perfect guy to blow off steam with right before training camp. Before the pact.
He leans on the bar in front of me, eyeing my now empty glass.
“So, I’m guessing you thought that was better than a Bud?”
“Seems I did. You picked well for me,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest, letting him see the muscles earned from countless hard-core workouts.
“I’ve done this for a few years. I’m good at reading customers.”
“Yeah, I’d say you’re pretty damn good at that.”
“Some things are easy to read.” His eyes are on me—where I want them.
“I like it when that happens,” I say and the way this conversation is going right now, it’s time to reel him in. I take a quick glance around, then I say, “Glad I walked in here tonight. I’m digging the whole vibe.”
Emphasis on vibe.
Dean’s brown eyes spark in the light. “I’ll be sure to let the owner know you like The Magpie.”
“I do,” I say. “Great bartenders too. Very . . . attentive.”
Dean smirks, and the grin is so damn cheeky I want to kiss it off him with a punishing, devouring kind of kiss.
“He’s very hands-on, the owner,” Dean says. “Likes to know what’s going on with the front of the house.”
“Sounds like my kind of guy.”
Dean grabs my glass for a refill without me asking. He’s back in moments with the full glass. “Had a feeling you’d want more.”
“That's exactly what I want.” I take a drink of the fresh stout. “How late does this boss of yours have you working?”
Another smirk from Dean comes my way and leaves my head spinning as he says, “Late. My boss works us pretty hard.”
I’d like to work him hard.
“I ought to talk to this guy. Tell him how impressed I am with his dedicated staff.”
“I’m sure he’d appreciate that.” Dean laughs. “Especially since you’re already talking to him. I’m the owner.”
“Oh, very clever. Well played.”
“It was, admittedly, hard to resist.”
I take a beat, then go for the close. “There are other things hard to resist,” I say, my tone making my meaning clear.
For a second, it looks like it costs him something to say the next words, but when they come out, they’re gravelly, smoky. “What sort of things?”
“Tell me what time you get off, and I’ll show you.”
He laughs, shaking his head, but it’s not a no. It’s more like What the hell have I gotten myself into? “But I don’t even know your name.”
I extend a hand to shake. He looks at it like he’s considering it, then he clasps it.
If I said there was a spark, that’d be cliché. It’s a goddamn handshake after all. I’ve given and received a million