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The six-foot-five-inch ginger bouncer looked the part to aTbut was actually the sweetest, most well-read teddy bear of a man I’d ever met. He was also the owner of The Mixing House and had kind of taken me under his wing. He’d shown me the lay of the land my first days at the bar, introducing me to coworkers and regular customers while also making sure patrons didn’t get too handsy or rude. That was before he figured out I was perfectly capable of taking care of trash like this guy myself.
The first time he saw me level a dude twice my size for grabbing my ass, I swear he got misty-eyed.
Jerry ambled over, his game-face scowl fixed in place. Patrons stared openly, mouths gaping and drinks forgotten, as he snagged the would-be felon under the arms and pulled him from the bar.
“Give it about ten, then call for EMS,” I said.
“You got it, Eden.”
The last thing I needed was the guy dying in the bar. Police? Here? Questioning me? No thanks. There wasn’t enough time in the day to list all the reasons that was the worst idea.
But a bit of his own medicine? That sure seemed like justice to me.
Only after Jerry turned the corner and disappeared from sight did the bar breathe out a collective sigh. Chatter started once more. The jukebox screeched to a start again. And I resumed taking orders and pouring drinks.
The pretty brunette he’d swindled into a date returned from the restroom moments later.
“Did you see where Chad went?” she asked as I came to her seat.
It took every bit of restraint I had not to roll my eyes. Because of fucking course his name was Chad.
Curiosity etched the woman’s features. Not embarrassment or worry that Chad might have left without telling her, both things people who ask that question usually have plastered across them like a neon sign.
“I caught Chad messing with your drink.”
Her deep brown eyes bulged in disbelief.
I hadn’t, in fact, seen Chad do anything of the sort.
But I had caught that distinctly medicinal, chemical scent coming from her rocks glass shortly after I’d returned from taking orders at the other end of the bar.
The brunette shook her head. “Fucking Chads! Oooh! I should have never swiped right on him. That’s the last time I let my lady garden pick dates.”
I frowned, commiserating. “You never can tell with some people. Tell ya what though,” I offered as she gathered her keys and glared at the empty rocks glass. “From now on, bring all your first dates here and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of, okay?”
She nodded and was about to turn away before realization flashed in her eyes and she reached into her purse. “God, did he even pay for the drinks?” She pulled a few bills out and offered them to me.
“Not a chance, honey. You’re all good. You get outta here and go home. Take a bubble bath or something. Oh, even better, read a spicy book and have some wine in the bubble bath.”
She smiled at me. “A far better Friday night than Chad was going to give me.” She paused for a moment, turned to leave once more, but again she halted. “Hey, what time is your shift over? We could hang out afterward. You seem really cool and I was just thinking to myself how much I like your style.” She gave my halter crop top and high-waisted jeans a once-over. “Besides, it’s the least I can do since you just saved my life.” A mischievous smirk lifted her lips. “We could make our own fun, if you get what I mean.” Her gaze raked over me once again, this time with pure desire.
And…
Her scent changed.
I froze.
What the…?
She stared at me, her big brown eyes full of thoughts so vulgar, so carnal…
Oh shit!That little fuck boy had me so distracted, I’d stopped veiling.
I snapped my veil back up, buckling down my power harder than ever, and glanced around the bar to gauge the extent of my fuck-up. Relief washed over me when I found Miss Brunette was the only victim. I hadn’t let the veil slip fully; only the smallest fraction of power slipped through, but it was still enough that this poor woman had gone all mushy and moon-eyed for me.
She’d gone from zero to “let’s scissor” faster than I’d gotten drunk at my first frat party.
Her eyes went wide, cheeks blazing with red. “Oh my gosh, I cannot believe I just said that. I have no idea what came over me. Unfortunately, I’m strictly dickly. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re gorgeous, it’s just—”
