He yanked it away from my reaching hands, probably knowing I wouldn’t push the issue and risk falling off my stool again. He swiped and went to work before continuing. “The other is that I always spill martini glasses.”
I chuckled while trying to look over his big shoulder. It was a futile effort. A moment later he pushed the button to blacken the screen and then handed it back. “Now you have my number. Use it if you need anything.”
“I probably won’t,” I mumbled as I pushed it aside.
The drinks showed up and I took a sip. My taste buds tried to backpedal and my stomach started waving in horror and screaming, “No, no, no, don’t bring that down here!”
“Oh man,” I said, grimacing. I blew out a breath that I could probably light on fire. “That is pure tequila.”
“Sip?” Brad reached for it, pushed the straw to the side, and had a taste.
“Afraid to catch my germs?”
“I’d love to catch your germs, but no. It’s impossible to look cool while drinking out of a straw.” His face contorted spectacularly. “Ooohhhh, wow. Yeah, that’s intense.”
I took the drink back and set it gently on the bar. I’d have to take another sip, because it was right in front of me, but I was dreading it a little. That thing had a mean bite to it. “How many rules do guys have regarding cocktails?”
“If I told you…”
“Dang it! I knew you were hinting that you’d try to kill me. I better call Frank.”
“No, you’d laugh. And since you’d be laughing at me, I need to keep it to myself.” He laughed, clearly joking.
“I see.” I looked away because I couldn’t stop smiling. He was so witty and fun, but so hot and strong at the same time. His every word rang with confidence, but he never shoved that confidence in my face. This was a man who didn’t have anything to prove. And at no point did it feel like he was hitting on me. It felt like we were hanging out. As friends.
I was totally digging it. And if I didn’t think I’d eventually fly off the handle and he’d need to call Frank to protect himself, I’d almost say I was crushing on him.
As it was, I was simply enjoying the view and the chatter.
“Tell me true,” I said, thinking about all his strength and confidence. “Did Frank scare the be-jeepers out of you? I won’t laugh. Be honest.”
He braced his elbows on the bar and his biceps flared. His white T-shirt pulled tight across the shoulders, stretching at the seams. For the first time, I saw a spark of something in his eyes. In a moment, it was gone. “Scare me? No. But I’ll admit that he did get me riled up. Hard to see an advance like that and not step forward to meet it.”
“Hard not to? Hell, I was ready to run.”
I noticed that flare again. Like liquid fire flash-boiling in his sea-foam gaze. It lingered this time. Yes, this was a man who did not back down from a challenge. “He was looking out for you, though. He didn’t know me from Adam. Can’t begrudge a man for doing the right thing.”
My heart squished a little, which was overshadowed by my lady bits roaring with heat. I absently fanned my face and took a gulp of my drink, forgetting about its potency.
Too late.
The fire raced down my throat and pooled in my stomach. “Holy crap is this drink strong.” I set it down and leaned back against the bar chair to get away.
“So,” he said, like there was something on his mind.
“So,” I replied, guarded.
“What was with the ew comment?”
Thrown off kilter, again, I couldn’t help the chuckles. “Ew comment?”
“Yeah. You face-dove into my crotch and said ‘ew.’ It was muffled, but I heard. And more importantly, my dick heard. That is emotional baggage in the making, right there…”
My chuckles escalated into belly laughs. “Sorry. It’s just that—ha ha ha! Just that sometimes guys don’t wash properly, and their junk smells.”
He stared at me like I had two heads. “Come again?”
“Well, right? That’s just it.” I wiped my eyes, unable to stop the guffaws. “You guys wank off and create a mess. Then you use the restroom without wiping, and sweat, and…” I fell against the bar with laughter shaking my body. I wiped another tear and then laughed harder at the expression on his face. “See what I mean? And guys aren’t known for being the cleanest gender. It’s a witch’s brew of filth. I didn’t want to smell it through your zipper.”
Heat flared in his eyes, just for a moment, before his expression melted back into feigned indignation. “I wash, thank you very much. My junk, as it were, is clean.”
“Really? When did you shower last?”
“After the beach.”
“Okay. And your last spank session?”
He stared at me for a moment, his eyes darkening. My core tightened and a strange sort of adrenaline filled my body, speeding up my pulse and forcing out a wave of perspiration.
Flight or fuck reflex.
Four