Page 64 of Challenged by the Single Dad

“Be respectful, don’t fuck up, and don’t do drugs.”

“Pretty easy rules to follow, if you ask me.”

“Very easy compared to back home.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, so, um … you said there’s another bartender here who works nights or something?”

“Oh … uh, yeah. Chloe. She’s … she’s great. You’ll meet her later when she comes for her shift at four. I might get you to shadow her tomorrow night so you can learn the closing routine and get a taste of a busier time.”

“Cool. I look forward to meeting her.”

“I’m just going to go grab more ice. You keep slicing up garnishes. I’ll be right back.”

Uh-oh.

That meant Dom was coming into the kitchen.

She needed to hide.

Now was absolutely not the time to talk to him. Not if he was training a new bartender. One who was family. And who had such a sad, traumatic story.

Like a mouse searching for cover from the hungry cat, she scanned the kitchen, but there wasn’t anywhere. The door swung open andthunk,hit her right in the forehead.

Oh. My. God.

“Oh shit!” Dom exclaimed.

Little birds and stars floated around Chloe’s head as she held her hand to her forehead and backed up.

“Oh crap. Oh fuck. Chloe, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s … it’s okay,” she said, blinking a bunch to banish the birds and stars. “Just payback from when I did it to you, right?” She tried to laugh it off, but even the birds around her head knew she was faking it.

“What are you doing here? You don’t start for hours.”

“I, uh …” She squeezed her eyes shut for a second and swallowed. “I, uh … I came to—”

Now is NOT the time.

“I, uh … I came to just tell you that I’m all settled into Cabin Four. So if you want to duck out earlier and go spend more time with Silas, I am happy to start my shift sooner.” She blinked open her eyes and studied him.

Crap.In the less than twenty-four hours since she’d had her legs wrapped around his waist, did he somehow get hotter? She wanted to say that was impossible, but that just simply wasn’t the case.

Maybe it was because she knew he was really good at sex that made him all the hotter.

And maybe she was entirely projecting her own lack of belief in her blatant lie, but he didn’t seem to be believing her either. His blue-hazel gaze narrowed on her and she squirmed, her belly heating in a very pleasant way.

“Actually,” he said, “could we talk for a sec? In private?”

Was that a good idea?

No, it sure as hell was not.

She couldn’t guarantee she’d keep her hands to herself, or her pants on.

What is wrong with you? Are you ovulating or something?

“Sure,” she chirped like one of those stupid birds circling her head. Most of them were gone now, but there was one little persistent feathered fucker that seemed to almost be laughing at her. “Wh-where?”

“Uh …” he glanced around, “how about in here?” He grabbed her by the elbow, his hand on her skin sending sharp jolts of longing straight between her legs.

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