Hot and Bothered - Erika Wilde Page 0,2

an outsider looking in, and being a number in the system that didn’t always work in a child’s favor. She understood what they needed emotionally and wasn’t afraid to share her own personal stories to put them at ease.

Minutes later she was lost again in the demands of the patrons. The atmosphere in the bar was casual, and she chatted with the regulars she’d developed a friendly rapport with over the months. It was especially nice that most of the customers that frequented the establishment were blue collar, and a good percentage of them worked in law enforcement, which made for a safe environment in Natalie’s way of thinking. Bobby Malone was a detective, and even Noah was a private investigator who worked at his brother’s agency, Sommers Investigative Specialists.

She placed a plate of potato skins on a table between a couple on a date and shivered at the thought of Noah uncovering all her secrets. And what about the erotic fantasies she harbored involving him? He’d either be very shocked or very pleased to discover her private thoughts with him in the starring role. Not that he’d ever find out how she truly felt about him.

After nine months of looking over her shoulder, she was just starting to feel safe and secure with her life. The last thing she needed to do was allow sexual urges to lead her astray, despite how much Noah’s flirtatious behavior beckoned her to take a chance on him, to be a bit wild, reckless, and adventurous for a change.

It couldn’t happen.

She delivered kamikaze shots to a trio of guys in a corner booth, took more orders for drinks and appetizers, refilled bowls of peanuts, cleaned tables, and collected generous tips along the way. Once she had the customers in her section of the lounge taken care of for the moment, she headed into the gaming area and stopped at Noah and Bobby’s pool table first.

“Hey, boys, I’m getting ready to clock out in about ten minutes.” She picked up their empty beer bottles and swiped peanut shells onto her tray. “Can I get either of you a refill before I go?”

Bobby smiled her way and racked up the billiard balls for a new game. “I’ll take another Miller.”

“You got it.” Jotting down his request on her pad of paper, she glanced toward Noah, who was watching her in that wholly masculine way of his that made her pulse race. “How about you?”

He gave his head a quick shake. “No refill for me. I’ve hit my limit for the night.”

Two beers was Noah’s max, and she respected that and him for knowing his limit and sticking to it. His older brother, Cole, was the same way, though it had been a while since she’d seen him in Murphy’s for an evening out with the guys.

She tipped her head, meeting Noah’s striking blue eyes. He was one of the few men who actually looked at her face instead of her chest or body, but she found his stare equally unnerving. And too damn arousing. “Would you like anything else?”

A disarming grin slid into place. “Now, Natalie,” he chided in a lazy drawl that did crazy, delightful things to her insides, “you should know better than to ask me a question like that. You know exactly what I’d like, but I don’t think a date is on the menu.”

She laughed lightly. “No, it’s not.” The man was an outrageous flirt, and because he’d never made an improper advance toward her, she let herself enjoy his charm while she worked. He made her feel feminine and desired, and while a part of her instinctively curbed those reactions, she couldn’t deny that those sensual feelings were still there beneath the surface, struggling to overpower their restraints.

Lord help her if those provocative cravings ever broke free with this man.

Noah chalked his cue stick for the opening break shot, his movements slow, sure, and way too sexy. “Then I guess there’s nothing else I want tonight.”

Which left every other night ahead wide open, she read in his gaze.

She had to admire his determination. Most men would have given up on her the first time she’d turned down a date. Noah was made of stronger stuff than most.

Noah bent over the pool table to line up his shot and cocked his hip for a better position and leverage. His stance drew her gaze to the muscles along his shoulders and down his back, which flexed with his every movement. The tips