Page 562 of Tease Me


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Tatum groaned softly. Had thinking about him a moment ago conjured him up? She turned her head slightly and saw Charlie Murphy standing a few feet away from her with that same damned charming smile as always.

5

Renita had just put his burger basket down when he saw Tatum walk in. He knew it was her—the way she walked, her face in profile, the running shoes she wore. But he watched her just to be sure. In fact, he was so focused on her that Renita—one of the two waitresses who seemed to live there—had to nudge his shoulder to get his attention.

“Need anything else?”

He needed Tatum to join him, but he wasn’t sure Renita could help him with that. Charlie simply thanked her and grabbed a fry to show her he was good. But when Tatum slid her perfect backside onto the barstool and Greta headed back to the kitchen, he couldn’t just sit there. Either Tatum was waiting for a to-go order, or she was going to sit at the bar and eat alone.

Neither if he could help it.

Knowing his table and his food were safe for a moment, Charlie got up and approached the bar.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

Definitely Tatum because she greeted him with her usual enthusiasm. He saw the sigh, probably would have heard her groan if the TVs weren’t turned up and there wasn’t so much chatter in the place, and felt the freeze when she finally turned her gray eyes to him.

“Charlie.”

But she knew his name. This was the first time he’d ever seen her anywhere other than the coffee house, and she knew his name. If he were fifteen, he might text that to his brothers and gloat about it. Still might, depending on how the rest of this encounter went.

“What’re you doing?” he asked as he stepped closer to her. He was careful to stay out of her personal space. Just moved close enough that she could hear him.

“Getting dinner.”

He grinned and nodded. Guessed he deserved such a simple answer when he hadn’t asked if she was sticking around or taking it home.

“Join me.” He didn’t phrase it like a question. Maybe it would make her more likely to say yes.

Tatum swept her gaze over the room at large and offered him the tiniest hint of a smile when she met his eyes again.

“No, thanks. I’ve got stuff to do at home.”

“But you have to eat,” he reminded her. “And the food will be better if you eat it here. Hotter and fresher.”

She stared at him for a moment and then glanced back at the bar. She was waffling. He could tell from the way she drummed her fingers on the bar. Either that or she was wishing Greta would hurry it up and get her food out to her so she could get away from him.

Charlie chose to think positive.

“What’d you order?”

“Um.” She took a deep breath and flicked her eyes over him before looking away again. “A bacon cheeseburger.”

“Oh. Best thing on the menu.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“I’m not,” he argued. “That’s what I ordered. Go look.”

He nodded his head at his table, hoping he didn’t make an ass of himself by physically crossing his fingers. It counted it if he just did it in his head, right?

“Oh my God.” She shook her head. “Go eat. You just said it’s better hot and fresh.”

“Not until you join me.”

She glanced at the bar again, maybe looking for Greta.

“She knows me. She’ll just bring it to the table for you.”

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