Hardwood - K.M. Neuhold Page 0,9
at work. I bite my bottom lip and pull my hand back before I can do something stupid like see what his sandpapery hands feel like against my tongue.
Van sets my vodka Sprite in front of me, and I give him a waifish smile because he’s hot and fun to flirt with.
“What would I do without you?” I tease, batting my eyelashes and loving the way he blushes and rolls his eyes.
“Find someone else to pour your drinks?” he guesses.
“Oh baby, no one pours them like you do,” I purr, and he chuckles.
“Go find someone who isn’t married to flirt with,” he says sternly, but the twinkle in his eye lets me know he loves the attention.
“Fine,” I say with a sigh. “Tell Rafe I said hi, and my offer for a threesome is still on the table.”
Van barks out a laugh and shakes his head. Sometimes Rafe comes to hang out at the bar during Van’s shifts, and he is absolutely adorable and just as much fun to flirt with as Van is. Another customer flags him down, and I set some cash on the bar to cover the drink and a nice tip. I’m about to head back over to my friends when I notice Everett looking at me out of the corner of his eye as he tries to pretend his drink is endlessly fascinating. I think Mia and Jordy can live without me for a few minutes.
I slide onto the stool beside him and lift my glass to my lips.
“New in town?” I ask casually.
“Nope, born and raised actually,” he answers.
Interesting. I know I’m a nosy bitch, but I’m dying to pry. I shouldn’t, he’s entitled to his privacy. It’s definitely none of my business.
“So, just new to Jack’s?” Damn, I almost made it.
He lifts his drink to his mouth and takes a gulp, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows, his tongue darting out to capture a stray droplet off his lip when he lowers the glass. Ungh.
“I normally go to Wooley’s,” he answers.
Double interesting. Maybe there was a breakup then. His ex probably got their regular bar in the split.
“Welcome then. I’ve been coming here for years, and it’s a great bar. Lots of nice people, and the drinks aren’t overpriced, not much more you could ask for out of a bar,” I ramble, taking another sip from my drink to shut my stupid mouth up.
The corner of his lip quirks up in an uncertain sort of half smile. “Thanks. I’m not sure I’ll become a regular, I’m kind of…trying it out,” he confesses.
“I get it.”
I glance over my shoulder to make sure my friends aren’t terribly bereft without me, and I’m unsurprised to find them both making vulgar gestures in my direction. Sometimes it’s hard to remember why I love them. I give them the finger and turn my attention back to Everett.
“So, what do you do for a living?”
“You don’t have to do that,” he says.
“Do what?” I cock my head curiously, pulling my eyebrows together.
“You saw me acting nervous in the parking lot and now you think I need a friend, right?” he guesses. “I appreciate it, but you don’t need to worry about me. I really am just here for a drink.”
“Wow, I clearly need to work on my flirting if it’s coming off as pity,” I joke. Yes, I figured he could use a friendly welcome after seeing how nervous he was outside. Would I also like to take him home and lick his abs, among other things? Also, yes.
“Sorry,” he says, giving me another one of those cute half-smiles. “I am so far outside of my comfort zone right now it’s not even funny.”
“Fuck comfort zones. When was the last time something memorable happened inside of a comfort zone?” I challenge.
A surprised laugh escapes his lips, and his half smile is cranked up to a full smile, and damn is he even more gorgeous when he smiles for real.
“You have a point there,” he agrees.
“I’m a genius,” I agree. “Listen, I won’t bug you if you’d rather be alone.”
He looks down at his glass, swirling it absently. “Construction,” he says.
“What?”
“You asked what I do for a living,” he explains. “I own a construction company.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” I nod and drain the rest of my drink, gesturing to Van for one more. “Now, when you’re all hot and sweaty, using your big, hard hammer to pound something, are you usually shirtless, or is that only how it