“He got the friend zone brush-off,” Ronan said, drawing a middle finger from his twin.
“That always sucks,” Astrid said, glaring at Parker as she slid an arm around Liam’s shoulders. After a quick squeeze, she motioned for a drink. “You know what I think?” she asked. “I think she just doesn’t realize what she’s passing up. Maybe we need to make a plan on how to woo this girl.”
“Woo?” Parker asked, laughing. “What are you, eighty?”
“Laugh all you want, Mr. Donnelly. But I spent the last year watching it all unfold from the sidelines. I happen to be well versed in wooing now. What do you think, Liam? Is she worth it?”
Parker felt his heart skip a beat when she bumped against Liam, making him laugh. Why couldn’t he just marry this woman and live happily ever after? Oh, that’s right, the Astrids of the world didn’t live above a bar with a guy like him.
“I think so,” Liam answered. “I can’t be sure if she won’t even go out with me. She’s pretty cool though.”
“Oh please,” Ronan piped in. “She’s freaking gorgeous. I mean she’s not you, Astrid, but she’s pretty hot.”
“Why thank you, Ro.” With a laugh, she turned toward Ronan, dipping her head in a mock curtsey. Parker laughed, seeing how red she was when she turned back around. “I see all you Donnelly men are charmers,” she said with a wink at him.
“So how about I brainstorm while I help your older brother out tonight and we’ll begin plotting tomorrow?”
“Sounds good, Astrid. Thanks. I don’t guess you’re in the market for a skinny fifteen-year-old, are you?” A growl came out of Parker before he could stop it. “Hey, bro. You don’t tap it, someone else will.”
Sliding off the stool, Liam ran for the back door. He slid outside and down the alley before Parker could catch him. Walking back inside, Parker found Astrid laughing.
“Your brothers are awesome, Parker. He’s right though, at some point I fully intend to find someone to tap this,” she said, adding an ass slap when she slid off the stool.
“That’s not funny, Astrid,” he growled at her. Shit, now he was acting jealous of some possible future man. Isn’t that what he thought she needed, someone else? Someone better?
“I don’t think it’s supposed to be funny, Parker. I think it’s supposed to be sweaty with lots of moaning,” she added with a smirk. Damn, now he wanted to smack that ass so hard for taunting him, he was starting to sweat.
“Ohhh, someone just got schooled,” he heard Ronan say from the other side of the room.
“You have two seconds to follow your brother out the back door,” he growled, not taking his eyes off Astrid. He heard one of the saltshakers Ronan had been filling hit the table before he was gone.
Narrowing his eyes at Astrid, he stalked toward her. With a squeal, she turned to run. He reached her before she could get away. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her off the floor against his chest.
“What were you saying about sweating and moaning?” he said in her ear. With his other hand, he reached around to tickle her side until she started to screech.
“Parker! Stop!” she cried between squeals. They were both laughing as she struggled to get out of his arms. She managed to pull him over somewhat so her feet finally hit the ground near one of the tables.
“Well, hello,” he heard behind him. He dropped Astrid so fast that she almost fell to the floor. “I thought it was a little early for playing slap and tickle. Is this why I almost got run over by Ronan running out the back door?” Andrea asked.
Parker felt himself grow red. Since when did he blush like a middle school boy?
“It was just tickling, we hadn’t made it to the slapping part yet. Somebody interrupted.” Astrid laughed, winking at the other waitress.
Parker could feel his face heat up even more. Growling, he stomped off toward the office in the back.
“Finish refilling the condoms–condiments. Goddammit. I’ll be back in a minute,” he barked.
Reaching his office, he kicked the door closed with his foot and leaned back against it. He painfully rearranged himself, wishing he hadn’t chosen the tightest black pants he owned tonight.
“Just stop fucking touching her, you dumbass,” he mumbled to himself with a snort. He had managed to stay away from her since he left after the movie. Three days had seemed like a lifetime to leave her in that crap apartment, but he was hell-bent on keeping his distance. That resolve had lasted a record ten seconds after she walked in tonight.
A knock at the door had him jumping a foot. At this rate, he would die of a heart attack soon and not have to worry about it anymore. Jerking the door open, he found Liam smirking back at him.
“Linen guy’s here,” Liam announced.
“Yeah, thanks,” Parker answered. He took one last deep breath before walking out. He opened the storeroom and followed the delivery man inside. By the time he had all of the clean linens inventoried and had helped carry out the used ones, it was time to open.
* * *
