Page 4 of One Big Little Secret

“I know, but you have boobs. Use them.”

“My boobs arenotaggressive,” I hiss.

Man, I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.

“Well, not if you aren’t using them right!” She pulls the front of my dress to show more cleavage. “There, look at that. One little adjustment and you’re on fire.”

She’s shifted the dress so low it’s a miracle my breasts are defying gravity. “Definitely more aggressive. Do I need to start howling?”

“Kayla, no!”

“And hey, even if you don’t get the guy in the corner, you can still do better than the old nerds who haven’t stopped eye-fucking us ever since we walked in.” She nods at a group of older men on the other side of the bar. “I don’t even know who they are—dudes my dad works with, I think. Daddy paid for casino night, so of course a few of his buds are here too.”

That explains the odd mix of people scattered around this boat.

“Just find yourself anactualseven. Please,” she advises, pushing a fresh shot toward me.

Watching her drink is a little mesmerizing, the odd way she licks the salt and tosses the drink back like it’s water. Her expression only changes when she sucks on the lime.

“Will do,” I say sarcastically, snapping off a salute.

“Okay, sweet. I’m gonna play roulette. You interested?” She slides off her seat.

“Nah, you go on. I’ve got this.” I motion to the next shot. She raises her eyebrows, rightly assuming there’s no way I’ll keep standing if I finish this next shot. But then she shrugs.

“Okay, Lemmykins. Enjoy yourself!”

Do I really look that miserable?

I glance back to catch the cute bartender’s eye, but he’s busy serving someone else. An old guy with creases in his neck below his ears.

It only takes a second to regret looking that way. Old Guy glances over at me, moving his head like a hungry bird.

Oof. I jerk my head away before he thinks I’m interested.

Right, I can do this.

So maybe this isn’t how I planned to spend a sticky summer night off, but I’m here. Icanmake my own fun, whatever Kayla thinks.

I order a cocktail as I wait for the buzz to kick me in the face, scanning the large room. It’s basically a giant bar with tables and corner booths flanking table games. Optimal for getting drunk and losing a metric ton of money.

Not my kind of fun. I wonder if I can find a man without spending a fortune—

“Hey, gorgeous.” A loud, drunken voice interrupts my thoughts.

Oh, boy, here we go.

I turn around to find a guy in his forties sliding onto the stool beside me. There’s a bead of liquid on his collar and I look at it, preferring not to pay too much attention to his greying hair or the way he flashes his gold watch. Three times, like I’m part magpie, drawn to shiny things.

He wields it like a secret swipe card that opens my legs.

Come on, dude.

“Hello,” I say coldly.

“What’s a pretty young thing like you doing at the bar like this?”

“Um.” Is this what it’s like to be chatted up? I already want to pass. “Drinking, I guess. Nothing like enjoying your own company.”

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