AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How am I, or how would my lips taste?”
There was another strangled sound. She bit back a laugh at his endearing fumbling before he visibly gathered the courage to look her in the eye.
“How would they taste?”
She leaned forward until their faces were close, then tilted her head. “You tell me.”
She waited for the banter, one of the things she enjoyed when it came to dealing with people. Surprise glinted when West closed the gap between them without warning, about to touch his mouth to hers until a fourth drink was slammed in between them.
“Your order, Pearl,” Rex announced, much to her confusion. But his gaze was on West, a friendly warning. “Hey, West. I heard the news. Congratulations on the engagement.”
West paled, cementing Rex’s words. Pearl’s heart dropped, but her expression remained unfazed as she watched West make up excuses before nearly tripping on his way out. Feeling eyes still on her, she whirled back to Rex indignantly.
“In my defense, I just got here today and I didn’t hear the news. He didn’t mention a fiancée, either.”
“I know. He wasn’t planning to.”
The matter-of-fact tone and lack of judgment had her peering at him, then smirking.
“Aren’t you the sweetest? Perhaps I should just discard all these boys and sleep with the only man in the bar.”
“Tempting, but no, thanks.”
“Why not?”
Rex smiled. “You break hearts and I would rather have it whole. Besides, one look at my bare face and you would probably cease being my regular customer—and I need your multiple drink orders and the men you bring here for my business.”
“I’m hurt. What if I take care of your heart instead?”
“So, marriage and babies?”
Now she was sure she paled, eliciting a laugh out of him.
“You mean tied down and boring?” She mock-gasped. “Who wants that?”
“There’s your answer. The fourth drink’s on the house.”
“You’re the best, Rex.”
“I know. There’s a guy on your left who keeps checking you out. I don’t think he’s taken.”
“Ha-ha.”
Rex left. Pearl glanced subtly and found the man that Rex was referring to, but she couldn’t summon the energy to beckon him over. The bartender’s words played in her mind, reminding her that while bantering with West would have been fun, the same couldn’t be said about what came after. Oh, she still flirted around and drove men crazy—hell, even women—but the last person she had slept with was four months ago and that had been…bleh. Her mind had been everywhere while he had been trying to get her off, and when they finally climaxed, she had still felt stressed and…lonely.
It's all the task load. The responsibilities. It’s putting a damper on the sex and the fun.
A familiar figure caught her eye. She peered at Ruby and Maddox, who had just come in from the back entrance. A few patrons greeted Maddox warmly while others deliberately swerved from his path, but neither minded, a bit lost in their conversation. When the half-vampire leaned into the witch, it looked like they were in their hushed little world, one brimming with intimacy. Maddox kissed Ruby’s cheek, but Ruby wouldn’t settle and turned her head until they were mouth-to-mouth. Caught, Maddox had no choice but to surrender to the gentle, playful kiss—not that he seemed to mind, body language signaling that he was as into it as Ruby was.
“That’s my girl,” Pearl murmured, chuckling. She watched Maddox tug Ruby to the back and realized there was only one thing on their minds. She did that often, too, but the difference was that Maddox and Ruby would return to each other again and again, secure and happy in what they had.
Longing clenched her stomach. Then horror cruised in that she even felt that emotion. She dismissed it to her unsatisfying sex life and tried not to think about it anymore. Banking on Maddox and her sister not returning, she finished her drinks, slapped her payment under the glasses, and slunk away before Rex could question why she was going home early—another new thing that she didn’t want anyone scrutinizing.
“Excuse me, Miss Sutton? Pearl, right?”
Pearl cursed under her breath, unprepared for the man who had been checking her out to suddenly be beside her. She issued her standard playful smile as she took in his hungry—and drunk—gaze and felt no tingling sensation in her gut. There wasn’t even the urge to fuck just for the hell of it, which irritated her.
“Pearl. Hey, Michael.”
