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“Do you have Strawberry Grove? From Cherry Lane Brewing?” My sentences are still whole and making sense, so that’s positive. I’ve got room for more alcohol and I’m gonna drink until I don’t. It’s probably not ideal, but I’ve managed to get through the entire week without doing any major structural damage at home or work, I haven’t cried again, and I’ve ignored every single attempt at communication from Aaron. So, that calls for a celebration, which I’m doing. Clearly.
The bartender gives me an approving once-over. “A sour hop? I’m impressed. A girl after my own heart.”
Charlee’s chin hits my shoulder. “Claire works at Cherry Lane. She’s, like, in charge. Well, second in charge.”
“Is that right, Claire?” He says my name slowly, like he’s testing it out, seeing how it rolls off his tongue. It rolls well. He fills a pint glass and leans over the bar, propped up on his elbows. He’s a little close. I’m not sure if I mind or not. He smells good and he’s got great hair and nice forearms. They’re all flex-y and partially covered in ink.
His eyes travel slowly down my body and my cheeks flush with heat. Fuck, I don’t remember how to flirt. I think that’s clear, because I haven’t given him a single word yet, aside from my beer order, and he’s still smiling at me.
“What are you ladies celebrating tonight?” he asks. He slides my beer into my hands and closes my fingers over my money, pushing it back to me.
“Claire dumped her piece of shit boyfriend!” Charlee yells in my ear and wraps her arms around me from behind. She’s drunker than me. It’s going to be a disaster of a night.
I drag a palm down my face and groan. This isn’t the first guy she’s told tonight that I’m newly single, and we’ve been here all of ten minutes.
“Atta girl, Claire! Single just in time for summer!” His eyes sparkle as he leans closer. “You’re gorgeous, so he must have really fucked up to let you go. That, or you just realized you were way too good for him.”
My mouth curves up on one side. This guy’s good. Maybe I can do this casual sex thing. Just once. I mean, Aaron did it while we were together, so why can’t I do it now? Ugh, but my stomach does this weird little flip thing, like it’s warning me that I’m not cut out for this.
“You don’t say much, do you?” the bartender remarks.
“Just observing,” I respond slowly, drumming my fingers on my glass. I make a point of letting my eyes roam the bar before settling my gaze back on his. “Is that okay?”
Grinning, he flattens his hands on the bar. “More than okay.” He tips his chin toward the dancefloor. “You gonna be out there tonight?”
“Oh, absolutely. Just gotta get this into me first.” I raise my glass to my lips and take a long drink, tongue dragging across my top lip to lick up the drops of beer. “You’ll have to watch me and let me know how I do.” Okay, maybe I do remember how to flirt.
His light eyes storm over, flickering. “Trust me, gorgeous, I’ll be watching.”
“Thanks for the beer,” I murmur as Charlee leads me across the floor. I throw a glance over my shoulder at the bartender who’s still staring after me, a delicious smile on his face.
But he’s not the only one staring at me.
The bar is rammed, packed with people hanging over all three sides of the sparkly black marble. And there, tucked around the edge of one corner, is a pair of impossibly dark brown eyes, which just so happen to be glued to me.
I thought the bartender had nice hair, but man—this guy. Cropped shorter on the sides, his thick, dark waves are a tousled mess up top. It looks like he spent thirty minutes styling it to look like he just rolled out of bed, or just had sex, but something tells me that it’s entirely natural. I have an urge to plow my fingers through those ruffled waves. His mouth tilts with a deliriously sexy smirk and he raises his glass to me before lifting it to his perfect, full lips.
Sweet Lord, he’s one fine specimen.
Charlee tugs me hard and I fly forward, crashing into her. She giggles and spins me, stuffing me into a booth. When I raise my gaze, the dark-haired man is laughing. He quirks one brow at me before turning back to his friends.
What was that Charlee said a few days ago about letting someone bend me over their car and fuck me until I scream? Looking at this man has me seriously considering it. My eyes drift over his broad chest, his thick arms. He looks like he could do me well.
I mean, it well. I mean, I guess that’s the same thing, isn’t it?
Charlee’s rambling on about something I’m definitely not hearing. I’m not paying a bit of attention. I can’t look away from this guy, and it’s so bad. He’s listening to his friends talk and swirling his glass. His gaze lifts once more to me, an unmistakably mischievous glint hiding in plain sight, and I watch as his tongue flicks over his top lip, licking up a drop of liquid. His mouth is perfect and I think he knows it.
A swift slap to my shoulder has my gazes swinging, glaring at Charlee. “Ow! What was that for?” I rub my shoulder before reaching forward and hitting her back.
“You weren’t paying attention to me! I was talking about the bartender. You should hook up with him tonight. Just have some fun, Claire. One night.”
Totally forgot about the bartender. I glance up to find him watching me from behind the bar. He smiles and throws me a wink, but I can’t even consider hooking up with him now.
And my eyes slide back to the reason why.
Charlee’s chins lands on my shoulder, lips against my ear. “Unless you’ve found someone you like better.”
I watch the dark-haired man’s eyes flicker between me and Charlee and for a fleeting moment, I’m jealous of my best friend. She’s got the kind of legs that go straight to heaven, and these amazing dirty blond locks, all soft and fluffy, paired with enormous brown eyes. It’s maybe not all that fleeting of a moment, because rather than watch him realize that Charlee’s incredible to look at, I decide to look away.
