I grin and wink at her.
“Also, the fact that the kid doesn’t have you running in the other direction has my interest piqued.” She steps to me and presses her hand against my forehead. “Are you sick? Have you caught a bug?”
“No.” I laugh and duck out of her reach. “I don’t know for sure what it is, but it makes me happy.”
“Then I’m happy too,” Callie says with a grin. “But if you break their hearts, I will cut your dick off and throw it in the blender.”
“Ouch.”
“Exactly.”
* * * *
“Hi, handsome,” Sarah says as she sits at the bar and tosses me a sexy-as-fuck smile.
“Well hello there, gorgeous.” I look her up and down and have to resist the urge to pull her into my office, strip her naked, and fuck her hard and fast.
Her curvy body is hugged in the most revealing black top I’ve seen her in, and I’m happy to assume she’s wearing it to make me crazy.
Because it’s working.
She’s always dressed with style, but I notice that lately she’s been buying clothes that hug her curves. It’s sexy as hell that her confidence is growing.
“I thought I’d come in and see you in action,” she says with a wink. “And I could sure use a dirty martini.”
“Coming up,” I reply and see the tired lines around her eyes. “Rough day?”
“Rough day,” she replies with a sigh. “But I won’t bore you with the details.”
“Well, that’s what I’m here for.”
“Because you’re sleeping with me?” she asks bluntly and raises her chin.
“We’re not sleeping right now,” I remind her and then take her hand in mine and raise it over the bar so I can kiss her fingers, needing the contact with her. “Besides, I’m a bartender. People spill their guts to bartenders.”
She smiles softly and tucks her hair behind her ear. “True. Remember the client you met a few weeks ago, the day I met you?”
“Sure.”
“Her husband is out of jail and he’s been harassing her, despite the restraining order, and me and everyone else he thinks he can terrorize.”
“Wait.” I hold up a hand, suddenly livid. “He’s been harassing you?”
“It’s typical,” she replies with a shrug and sips her drink. “I’m the enemy because I’m the one helping his wife leave him.”
“Does he know how to get to you?”
“He only knows where I work. We’re safe at home.” She looks down at her hands.
“Look at me,” I demand calmly, and she complies. “You’re sure you’re safe?”
“Perfectly safe, Adam. He doesn’t know where I live, and I’m armed at all times.”
I feel my jaw drop. “Seriously?”
“Absolutely. This can be a dangerous job, especially in the inner city. I have a concealed carry license, remember?”
Just when I thought I couldn’t be more impressed by her any more, she throws me a curve ball.
“Are you carrying now?”
She smirks. “You’ll never know.”
I crook my finger at her and lean over the bar, meeting her halfway, and press my lips to her ear. “Oh, I’ll know, sweetheart. I’ll know when I take you in my office and fuck you senseless on my desk.”
I pull away, and instead of the wide-eyed look that I’m expecting, she’s grinning from ear to ear.
“Promises, promises.”
I laugh despite the raging hard-on I already have and shake my head at her. “What am I going to do with you?”
“You’re going to leave her alone so she can talk to me,” Callie says as she joins us. “If this guy’s bugging you, I can have security boot him out.”
Sarah laughs and shakes her head. “It would be a shame to kick him out when he makes such a delicious martini.”
“Hmm, good point.” Callie winks at her and smiles at me. “Are you going to stand here and listen?”
“Yep.”
Callie rolls her eyes. “We’ll pretend the possessive, alpha guy isn’t here.”
“I kind of like the alpha side of him,” Sarah says thoughtfully, and the innuendo in her voice just makes me harder.
“You’ll get over it,” Callie says with a laugh. “Where are you from, Sarah?”
“Miami. Lived there all my life. I just moved to New Orleans with my daughter.”
“Well, welcome. I’ve never been to Miami. I hear it’s a fun city.”
“It can be,” Sarah says with a nod. “But it was time for a change. So, I took a job here.”
“What do you think of it so far?”
Sarah glances at me and smiles at Callie. “It’s…friendly.”
“I’m pretty sure she meant to say sexy,” I add, making them both laugh.
“Add cocky to alpha,” Callie says. “But he’s also good people. I wouldn’t have him in my life if he weren’t.”
“I can see that,” Sarah says. “And I wouldn’t have him in mine if he weren’t.”
Callie nods. “I’d better go pay attention to the other end of the bar, since Adam’s being stubborn.”
“It’s part of my cocky charm,” I reply as she saunters off. “Sorry about the third degree.”
“It wasn’t the third degree, it’s what people do when they’re getting to know each other, remember? They ask questions.”