Page 24 of Resisting my Roommate

I open the door to the walk-in cooler, unhooking the lines from the spent keg before replacing it with a new one. Once everything’s connected, I step back into the break room.

But as I do, I stop dead in my tracks. Abbey’s mere feet away, clad only in her jeans and a white bra.

The same white bra I bought her this morning.

While I certainly imagined how it would look on her, I didn’t think I’d get the chance to see her in it.

I was wrong.

And she looks even better than I imagined, her skin smooth and curves addicting.

As she yanks the fitted t-shirt with my brewery’s logo over her head, I avert my gaze, pretending I didn’t see anything I wasn’t supposed to. Then she faces me.

“Follow me,” I order, trying to sound composed despite the spike of desire surging through me.

“Aye aye, captain.”

I hurry through the taproom that seems to have gotten even busier in the last couple of minutes, leading Abbey behind the bar. I pull the handle on the IPA and allow the beer to run into a pitcher for a minute.

“It’s pretty straightforward. All we serve is beer and it’s all on tap. And it’s only my beer.”

She does a double take. “Yourbeer?”

“This is my taproom. I own the Wicked Hop.”

“Oh. I… I thought you just worked here or something.” Her eyes scan the row of taps before shifting to the brewhouse that’s visible through the windows separating it from the taproom. “I didn’t realize you brewed all of it.”

“I do.” I can’t ignore the hint of pride that fills me from the amazement in her voice. But I don’t have time to linger on that right now. “Hey, Lindsey,” I call out to the tall blonde as she fills her tray with nearly a dozen glasses of beer.

“Yeah?”

“This is Abbey. She’s going to help.”

Lindsey gives her a nod. “The runaway bride. I heard about you. Welcome aboard.”

“Thanks.”

“If you can take the patio, Abbey and I will work the inside together.”

“You got it.”

She carefully lifts her tray off the bar and heads to the doors leading outside.

“Sound good with you? Just do the best you can.” I find a paper menu and hand it to her. “All the descriptions are on here. If you have any questions, just interrupt me no matter what I’m doing, okay?”

“Relax, Jude,” she says, placing her hand on my arm.

It’s supposed to be a soothing, innocent gesture, but the simple feel of her skin against mine ignites something inside me.

“This isn’t my first rodeo. I can handle it.”

“Okay. Good luck.”

She grabs a tray and slips out from behind the bar, flashing me a wink. “Thanks, boss.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ABBEY

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