AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Howdy!” I called out to them with a megawatt grin as I sauntered behind the bar.
“Howdy,” one of the men replied with a dimpled smile.
I tossed a few coasters down onto the bar. “What are you fellas having tonight?”
After I poured three pints of beer and the customers took their drinks to a corner booth, I went to bother Viper.
“Howdy? Really?” Viper asked.
“What? It’s a valid greeting, and I’m wearing cowboy boots. Plus, we’re in Texas. Seemed appropriate.”
He cracked his knuckles.
“Relax, cowboy,” I said.
“Donotcall me cowboy.”
“Whatever you want, gov’nor.”
He leaned closer and dropped his voice. “You’re a brat, you know that?”
“Oh, are you going to spank me?” I taunted. “Please say yes.”
I filled a glass of water and set it down in front of him.
“Give me a pen and a piece of paper,” he commanded.
“Why?” I asked even as I went to the cash register and took a pen and printed off a section of blank receipt paper.
“I’m keeping a tally,” he said. He took the pen and paper from me and made a line. “Every time you sass, I’m making a tally. Every tally is a spank.”
“Is this supposed to deter me?” I demanded. “Because I gotta say, I like your version of a punishment system.”
“You’ll be the death of me, woman,” he growled.
I blew him a kiss. “Ah, but what a way to go.”
He lifted the pen and made another tally.
* * *
Three hours later, I was in the zone. The bar was busy. Mia was next to me pulling pints and pouring shots.
“Don’t tell anyone this,” Mia said. “But I’ve never seen that tip jar fill up so fast.”
“It’s the daisy dukes—I’m telling ya,” I quipped.
“I’m sure it helps,” she said with a laugh. “But no. Customers love you.”
“They like my sass.”
Viper was still sitting at the corner of the bar. He’d watched for several hours as I flirted and teased, but he had somehow managed to stay calm. It was the name of the game. Anyone who’d ever been in the hospitality industry knew that a little bit of banter went a long way.
“Is it wrong that I’m kind of sad that I haven’t been able to use the water gun yet?” I asked Mia.
“It’s still early,” she drawled.
“Then I’ll keep my fingers crossed. You mind if I hit the restroom real fast?”
