He returned to his work, and she tucked into her salad, which was simple but still delicious. Once finished, she placed her utensils atop the plate and pushed it forward to return her full attention to her cocktail, which was nearing the bottom of the coupe glass.
Nick noticed and headed over, removing the plate and placing it behind the bar. “Another gimlet?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
“How was your salad?”
“It was exactly what I needed,” she said. “It’s funny, though. I hate bleu cheese. But it’s so satisfying on a wedge salad.”
He poured the gin into the cocktail shaker, looking absurdly sexy while doing so. “Same here. I feel like bleu cheese only works in a wedge salad or with chicken wings. Other than that, you can keep it.”
“Agreed.” After a pause, she rubbed her eyes. “What a weird thing to bring up. Can you tell I’m jet-lagged?”
Laughing, he shook her cocktail vigorously, the slamming of the ice adding to the cacophony of the lounge. His biceps bulged against the white shirtsleeves, which made her mouth ridiculously parched.
“I’m a bartender. There’s no such thing as a weird conversation when you’re in this line of work.”
“Fair enough.”
“Where you visiting from?” he asked.
“New York.”
“No wonder you’re jet-lagged. Business or pleasure?”
Her libido jumped at that question—both, please!
“Technically business,” she admitted. “I have a conference starting tomorrow. But I added an extra day to the trip so I can do some touristy things.”
He strained the drink into a new glass and set it atop the cocktail napkin. “Let me guess. Space Needle?”
She smiled sheepishly. “I may have already purchased a ticket.”
He grinned back and maintained her gaze. His eyes were the dark gray-blue color of a storm cloud. April had often heard the sentiment that some people looked at others so raptly that you’d believe there was no one else in the room. She’d never experienced the phenomenon before. Not until this moment.
But as quickly as it began, the intoxicating episode ended. Nick detected another patron raising their chin toward him to signal that they needed either their bill or another round. “Enjoy your gimlet,” he said before walking over to the other side of the bar.
And enjoy she did, even though the alcohol added to her fatigue. The easy conversation with Nick, coupled with his undeniable good looks, had given her a shot of adrenaline, but any energy she’d possessed waned as she sipped away at her second drink. She glanced at her watch. It was nine thirty. If she could push through until ten, she’d have a good chance of getting a decent night’s sleep.
Despite the encroaching exhaustion, electricity ripped through her moments later when she noticed Nick staring from the other end of the bar. Her attention darted to his rugged hands as he used a cloth to thoroughly polish a wine glass, his movements methodical and self-possessed. An onslaught of dirty fantasies inundated her brain, and she suddenly found herself jealous of a mere wine glass.
A wine glass, of all things.
The right corner of his lips kicked into an alluring smirk, one deep dimple on display, as he strode back and refilled her water glass. “You said you’re here for a conference. What do you do?” he asked.
Lust-addled thoughts rendered her tongue-tied for a few seconds. “Uh, I work in business development for a pharmaceutical company.”
“You like it?”
She shrugged. “It pays the bills.”
He dipped his head in understanding. “I know how that is.”
There were a few sips left in her gimlet, and she wasn’t sure she could continue this conversation without making a fool of herself in front of him. “I’m going to crash after I finish this. Can I settle up?”
“Of course.” He walked over to the POS system and printed out her bill, placing it down in front of her. “Take your time.”
April quickly reviewed the charges and slipped her corporate credit card into the pocket at the top of the folio. Nick was wiping down the bar, but when he saw she was ready, he returned and ran her card.