AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The guy at the end of the bar hands her a twenty-dollar bill that she tucks between her beautiful breasts.
Her smile is brilliant, full red lips designed to bring a man to his knees. She turns my way and my heart stutters. She is fierce in the way she approaches me—trouble is written all over that shimmering smile, but I don’t flinch, I got the call sign Hawk because I’m a predator, not prey.
“What’s it going to be?” She leans forward giving me a birds-eye view of her recently acquired Andrew Jackson. I pull my gaze from her breasts, letting my eyes rake ove
r her body. Up close she is perfection. Her curves are candy to my simple male mind. She is pretty enough to paint on the side of my plane if that was still allowed.
I push my mug toward her. “I’ll start with another beer.” I could throw down the gauntlet right away and ask for her number, but I’m not interested in a quick crash and burn. My money and my reputation are at stake, so I add, “and your name.”
She points to the nametag pinned below her breast. “Betty.”
“No way.”
“You’re right, but it’s who I am tonight. Regular beer or light?” My mug disappears under the counter. A frosted one appears in its place.
“Do I look like a light man to you?”
She lifts her eyes and purses her lips.
“No, you look rather regular.” With a tilt of the tap she pulls the perfect beer. I love a woman who knows exactly how much head a man needs.
“Betty,” my voice drips with sex appeal, “I’m anything but regular.”
She gives me a non-committal shrug and walks away.
“Any luck?” Blake stands beside me with an empty pitcher.
“Leave me alone. You can’t rush these things.”
“You’ve got until closing time.” He raises the pitcher and nods toward lovely Betty. She cuts her conversation short with Alana, who is also pin-up pretty, but not really my type. Blake obsesses over the girl while she pretends he doesn’t exist. However, when he isn’t looking, Alana’s eyes devour him. It is a game of cat and mouse. Blake is the mouse and obviously, Alana likes to play with her food.
I can’t blame her. The chase is half the fun—but only half. I enjoy a challenge.
“Same thing?” she asks Blake.
“Up to the top, sweets.” He pulls a wad of twenties from his pocket and pays for the beer. “Can you set my friend straight? He thinks he can pick you up, but I can see that you’re the discerning type, so he hasn’t got a chance. Can you let him down quick and easy so he can come back and lose a bunch of money to me at the pool table?”
She licks her shiny red lips with a slow swipe of her tongue. “You want to pick me up?” She smooths the front of her dress and bends toward me.
“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting to know you better.”
Blake leans against the bar and watches as “Betty” and I negotiate my attempted flirtation.
“What’s your name?”
“Cade.”
“Well, Cade, I’m Betty,” She points to her nametag, “but my friends call me, Erica. Are we going to be friends, Cade?”
“I’d like that.” I pick up my mug and sip at the foam. “I’d also like a shot of Jack, please.”
“Statistics say that a better impression is made when you’re sober. Unless of course you’re the shy type and then having a shot of courage is helpful. Tell me, Cade. What type are you?” She flips a shot glass in the air and catches it before it hits the scarred top of the bar. She upturns the bottle of whiskey, fills the glass to the top and hands me my drink.
“I’m the determined type.” I wrap my fingers around the shot glass and pull it to my mouth. This isn’t a sipping whiskey, it’s an all-in, burn all the way down drink.
“I like your courage, but I have to let you know a bit about me.” She props herself against the back bar and relaxes. Blake stays beside me like any good wingman should, except in this case, he’s standing by to douse the flames in case I go up in a blaze of flaming failure.
“I’m listening.” There isn’t much she can say to dissuade me from my intentions. I’m not looking to marry her. I’m looking for a good time. That doesn’t require a lot of backstory, but I listen because the one thing I know about women is they want to be heard.
