Page 3 of Just A Kiss

He doesn’t answer this time, just stares at me and my legs tighten. “What can I get you?” I ask, looking away from him because I’m unable to keep his stare. We have a past. A very recent past that I’ve tried to forget. But it’s been harder to do than I care to admit.

I don’t have time for a man. Especially a guy like Asher Kyle. I’ll have to get a third job to pay my mother’s bills, and I have a feeling that Asher is high maintenance. I know men like him. I very rarely get to see my best friend anymore thanks to his twin, Aiden Kyle.

He opens his mouth to say something when a guy comes up behind him and taps him on the shoulder. He spins around and shakes the man’s hand. He’s dressed like all the other bastards who come in here and looks as though they haven’t showered in days. Then Asher taps the bar with his knuckles. “Have a waitress bring us two glasses of whiskey,” he says before disappearing into the crowd.

* * *

I nod and pretend as though I give a fuck about what my client is saying to me. Honestly, once you’ve heard one lie, you’ve heard them all, right? Of course, he’s not innocent, but my job as a defense attorney isn’t to judge. It’s to fool everyone else into believing his fabricated truth.

Instead of paying attention to the man, my eyes stray to the woman behind the bar. The tall blonde who has had my mind in a daze and my cock hard for the past two weeks. Over the past two years, we haven’t spent much time around one another. But I’ve always known when she’s in a room. She brings Hadley lunch to the office sometimes, and I watch her every move. She always catching my staring. I’ve never been one to keep my desires to myself, and I sure as hell am not going to cut her any slack. And I see how she watches me over her shoulder. Or licks her lips while her eyes run over my body. When we finally had our chance on the beach, I was done for. In the worst way. Now here I am, sitting in her bar filled with cigarette smoke and BO drinking shit whiskey and thinking of all the ways she can make it up to me.

“I can have witnesses …”

“Can they be trusted?” I ask him.

He frowns. “Yes. They would never turn on me.”

I pick up my glass and sit back in my seat. “Don’t be so sure.” He swallows and takes a quick gulp of his drink. “I’ve seen people flip for many reasons. And every time, the convicted swore they had their alliance.”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

My eyes look over his shoulder to Andrea, and she’s leaning over the bar talking to a waitress. My eyes trail over her tank top and what little breasts she has. I’ve always been a boob guy. The bigger, the better, but every time I try to tell myself she’s not my type, I ignore it. That’s why I’m here tonight instead of anywhere else in Chicago. I could have met him at my office as she had suggested. I have after-hour meetings all the time, but I wanted to see her. Two weeks ago, we had an entire night full of passion. I had waited two years to get her in my bed, and now she wants to pretend it never happened. Yeah, that’s not gonna work for me. I expected her to call me once we returned to Chicago, but she never did. All she would have to do is get my number from Hadley, her best friend and my sister-in-law. I quickly realized I need to take the next step. She stands up straight and throws her head back, letting out a laugh, and it reminds me of the last time I saw her. Two weeks ago on the beach.

I walk out of my hut and see a blonde sitting on the beach. It’s Andrea. I recognize the yellow bridesmaid dress that she wore for my brother’s wedding just hours ago.

I take steps to close the space. “May I have a seat?”

She looks up from her phone and gives me a drunken smile. “Sure.” Then she sets the phone down next to her.

I remove my black vest and sit down. “Ever been here before?” I ask her. Aiden, Hadley, and I have been in Tahiti for two weeks now, but she just arrived yesterday. And I heard her tell Hadley earlier that she is leaving tomorrow.

She shakes her head. “No. But you can bet your ass I’ll be back.” She laughs as though she’s told a joke, and I like the way it makes her face light up. “It’s absolutely breathtaking.”

“I agree.” But I’m not talking about the island. Instead, I’m referring to the way the gentle breeze blows her hair around. Her lips are pulled back in a smile that I don’t even think she knows she’s wearing. The left strap of her dress has fallen off her sun-tanned shoulder. She’s just as beautiful as the ocean before us but in her own way.

“How many times have you been here?” she asks, looking over at me.

“Too many to count.”

She nods and chuckles at my answer. “Not surprised. You guys must travel a lot?”

I pull my knees up and wrap my arms around them, focusing on the waves rolling in. “We did when we were younger.”

“What happened?”

I look back over at her. “Life. School and then career.” I shrug. “Things just get in the way.”

“Is that why Aiden and Hadley picked this place to get married?”

“I suppose.”

She looks down at her hands in the sand. “I never asked her why here. I just figured it was because she was running from her mother and stepdad.”

“I’m sure that played a part in it.” I agree with her even though I don’t really know much about Hadley’s personal life. I stay pretty clear of that.

She picks up the bottle of champagne she has in the sand next to her and takes a big swig. Not much is left. “How many women have you brought here?” she asks, looking over at me.

“Uh … well …”

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