Page 27 of Then There Was You

“It’s fine. You don’t want to sit on your own. You can keep me company.”

I move out from behind the bar, reaching for a reserved sign as I go. I place the sign on one of the booth tables before picking up a chair from a free table and bringing it to where she’s standing.

“Thanks, Seb,” she says with a smile as she slides onto the chair. My eyes drop to her toned and tanned legs as she crosses them and her dress rides up. I know for sure if she were to sit alone in one of the booths while she waits for the others, there would be some guy hitting on her in minutes. I don’t know why the idea of that bothers me so much, but it does.

There’s a steady stream of customers, and I chat to Taylor in between serving them. There have been a few guys who have hit on her when I’ve had to serve, and I watch out of the corner of my eye, unwanted jealousy swirling in my stomach that the next guy who approaches her is one she’ll end up wanting to talk to. I’m down the other end of the bar making a cocktail and stealing glances at her when Ryder bumps his shoulder with mine.

“She looks hot, doesn’t she?” he says quietly.

“I hadn’t noticed,” I lie, pouring the fruity drink I’ve made into the cocktail glass and sliding it across the bar.

“I call bullshit! There’s no way someone as hot as Taylor is going to be single for long. You should ask her out.”

“Not going to happen.”

“You won’t mind if I go and talk to her, then.”

“Knock yourself out. She’s already warded off a couple of guys who’ve tried it on while she’s been sitting there. If you think you can do any better…” I take payment for the cocktail and turn my back on him, putting the money in the register. I know he’s fucking with me and he’s not going to hit on her. That doesn’t mean every other guy in the place won’t try.

I hear her laugh and I make my way over to them.

“Oh, God!” she says, covering her mouth with her hand. “I can’t believe people do that in a public bathroom.”

“What’s funny?” I ask with a smile, her laugh infectious.

“Ryder’s just telling me about the couple you found going at it in the bathroom last night. Does that happen often?”

“You’d be surprised.”

“What were they doing?” she asks, her eyes wide.

A smile pulls on my lips. “They were having sex, Taylor.”

She rolls her eyes. “Well, I figured that much! Were they in one of the stalls? What did they say when you asked them to leave?”

I laugh. “Yes, they were in one of the stalls. The guy asked me if he could finish first.”

Her eyes widen. “What did you say?”

“I said no!”

“Spoilsport!”

Her eyes flash with heat and I hold her gaze. “I’ll be sure to let the next couple finish before I throw them out. Surely stuff like that happens in your naughty books?”

“Naughty books?” Ryder asks, a smirk on his face.

She shakes her head, a smile on her lips. “It’s erotica.”

“You read erotica?” Ryder asks, looking from me to Taylor.

“Read it, edit it, lend it to friends.” She winks at me, and Ryder grins before punching me on the arm.

“You’rereading erotica?” His tone is laced with surprise.

“Hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.” I look at Taylor. “I never did swap the book you gave me for another one.”

She smiles. “Come up whenever you want. You can choose the next one.”

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