Page 56 of Mistletoe Mischief

“I’ll take a Corona with a lime,” Neil said.

“A Moscow mule,” Kit said.

“Pike, do you got that? I’ll take these guys over and start introducing them.”

“I’ll help him,” Ryler said.

The trio followed Nick to the table, and Ricki set the beer and whiskey down on the bar, announcing the total.

“Hang on, Ricki, I’ve got four more drinks for you. A Shirley Temple, Moscow mule, Corona with a lime, and—”

Pike looked at Ryler expectantly, and Ryler said, “Sex on the beach.”

“I’m on it.”

Ryler set her small black purse on the bar and started to pull out her wallet, but Pike shook his head. “This round is on me. You can get the next one.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem,” he said, turning around to put his back to the bar. “So, the big guy with the dark hair next to Holly is her boyfriend, Declan. They host a TikTok together where he teaches her how to cook.”

Ryler laughed. “That’s cute. I’ll have to ask them what their handle is.”

“The blond guy is Sam. He’s sitting next to his brother, Clark, who is married to Merry. Clark is the foreman on the Winters’ tree farm, and Sam is a tattoo artist.”

“Huh, is he any good?” she asked.

“Why, you looking to get a tat?”

Ryler shook her head. “No, but I like to look at them. It takes a lot of talent to draw on human skin.”

“I suppose it does,” Pike said grudgingly, handing Ricki his card when she set the rest of the drinks on the counter.

“I’ll get you a tray when I come back with this,” she said, holding up his card.

“I could start delivering them,” Ryler said, picking up the Shirley Temple and Moscow mule. “Be right back.”

Pike watched her walk away, his gaze drifting down to where her pants hugged her curvy ass. God, she was sexy without even trying. She set down the drinks in front of Kit and Alia, and Pike’s jaw clenched when Sam held out his hand to her, saying something that made Ryler throw back her head and laugh.

Ryler came back to him, shaking her head with a smile on her face. “Whew, that Sam is a trip, huh?”

“He’s something, alright,” Pike grumbled. “What did he say to you?”

“Asked me if I had any tattoos he couldn’t see. I told him no, and he said, do you want one? All low and seductive-like. He must be a real winner with the ladies.”

“I’ve heard he gets around,” Pike said, knocking back his whiskey in one swallow.

“What about you?” Ryler asked, grabbing her drink and the Corona. “Do you get around?”

Pike scoffed. “I date. I don’t have a different girl to warm my bed every day of the week.”

“So just one for the weekends?” she joked.

“No,” he said, picking up Nick’s beer and signaling Ricki for another whiskey. “I mean, I don’t have any women to warm my bed.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Ryler said.

Pike shot her a suspicious look. “What have you heard?”