And holy hell, the pheromones coming off of him are ridiculous.
“Kat?”
“Hmm?” Did he say something? I’m too busy staring at his naked chest.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine.” I blink and shake my head, making myself come out of this embarrassing fog. “I’m fine. I’m just a little late.”
“It’s not even two,” he replies, checking his phone for the time.
“I like to get there early. We’ll be busy.”
“What’s wrong with your neck?”
I look up in surprise. “My neck?”
“Yes.”
“Slept wrong,” I reply, and rub the sore muscle on the right side of my neck. But suddenly he brushes my hand out of the way and begins to massage my neck, right here, in the lobby, for all of the world to see. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind,” he says, and I almost purr in relief.
“It’s a bitch of a knot,” I reply, and lean into his touch. “I tried heat, arnica, you name it. Won’t go away.”
“Ibuprofen?” he asks.
“That too.” I sigh when he stops and turn to offer him a smile. “Thanks.”
But don’t touch me again, because if you do, I’ll drag you back up to my place.
Or his place.
Anyplace, really.
He nods. “You’re welcome. Are we still on for dinner tomorrow?”
“Yes,” I reply with a smile. “Six thirty. Be there.”
“Oh, I’ll be there.”
“Maybe wear a shirt,” I say, not embarrassed in the least.
“You don’t like me without my shirt?”
I take a moment to examine him from head to toe, then shrug my good shoulder. “You’re not bad.”
He cocks a brow. “Not bad?”
I can’t hold my smile back any longer. “I don’t want dinner to burn because all I can do is stare at you.”
“I’m not a fan of burned food,” he says, nodding as if this is a grave problem. “Shirt it is, then.”
“Great.” I give him a big smile. “See you tomorrow.”
He waves and watches me as I leave the building, walking faster than usual. I need to get to work, and I need to get away from him.
He oozes sex.
It’s seriously not fair.
“I like him,” Addie says.
“He’s fine,” I reply, making sure my kegs are all full and ready for this evening. My expertise is in wine, but we serve a lot of beer as well, and I prefer local brews.
“I can’t believe I keep missing him,” Cami says with a frown.
“He was only here twice,” I remind her.
“In one day,” she says, and then smiles. “He likes you.”
“Of course he does.” I smirk and look around to make sure no customers are within earshot. “I give one hell of a blow job.”
“Atta girl,” Addie says, raising her glass of lemonade in salute.
“Not just that,” Cami says, rolling her eyes. “When do you see him again?”
“Tomorrow. I’m making dinner.”
I try to ignore the look that passes between my friends.
“Kat?” Addie says at last.
“That’s me,” I reply.
“Honey, you don’t cook.”
I glare at her. “That doesn’t mean that I can’t cook.”
“Can you?” Cami asks with sincere interest.
“Of course.”
Addie smirks. “Right.”
“I don’t because we have Mia, and no one cooks like Mia.” I set out some fresh Seduction coasters, trying to keep busy. “I will not kill the man.”
“What are you making?” Cami asks.
“I don’t know.” I sigh and hold my head in my hands. “Maybe I should have taken him up on his offer to take me out to dinner. But I panicked and offered to cook for him. And I can cook, but I haven’t in a long time because I’m always here.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Addie says, reaching for a maraschino cherry. I slap her hand out of the way.
“Those are not for you.”
“You can’t come between a pregnant woman and food,” she says, malice glinting in her eyes. “If I want that cherry, I’ll have that cherry.”
“That’s what he said,” Riley says as she joins us. “What’s up? Why can’t Addie have a cherry?”
“She’s had sixteen already,” I reply, sliding the cherries out of Addie’s reach. “It’ll make you sick.”
“They would be better on a sundae,” Addie says. “I’m going to go see what Mia baked this morning.”
She slips off her stool and waddles into the kitchen.
“Is it me, or did she get bigger overnight?” Cami asks, watching the door Addie just went through thoughtfully.
“She gets bigger by the hour,” I reply with a smile. “It’s pretty great.”
“It’s pretty great that it’s not me,” Riley says, then slaps her hand over her mouth and turns to Cami. “I’m so sorry. I would never say something to hurt your feelings.”
Cami shakes her head and pats Riley on the shoulder. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”
Cami lost her and Landon’s baby earlier this year, just before they got married.