Page 5 of Must Love Alligators

“Um, no.”Chase realized sometimes his asshole side could be of use.He spent a lot of time with other assholes—his brothers, his friends back in Virginia—and he could recognize when one was thinking he was the biggest dick, or had the biggest dick, in the room.

“Listen, Chase, I don’t know what—”

Chase pushed him back again.“You don’t need to know anything except the way to the door.”

Justin looked over at Bailey.“You gonna say something here?”

Chase watched Justin but waited for Bailey’s answer.

“No, I don’t think I am,” she said.She sounded amused.

“Door’s to your left,” Chase said, tipping his head toward the exit.

Justin looked like he wanted to say something more, but instead he smoothed the front of his shirt, gave Chase another good scowl, then said to Bailey, “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Chase frowned.“Dude, fucking take a hint.No.Not tonight.Not tomorrow.Leave her the hell alone.”

Justin shook his head.“It’s not quite that straightforward.”

Okay, enough was enough.Chase pulled his arm back, his fist balled.

But before he could swing, he felt small hands wrap around his biceps.“Chase.No.It’s okay.”

Honestly, her words might not have been enough, but Bailey Wilcox’s tiny, covered-by-baggy-clothes body was now pressed against his back and Chase suddenly couldn’t remember how to punch someone.Not that he’d done a lot of punching.But he’d done a lot more pressing up against women and his brain automatically switched into that mode.

Clearly, he was still part caveman.

He dropped his arm.“Get the hell out of here,” he said shortly to Justin.

Justin gave him a smirk and then did, actually, move off.But he didn’t leave.He found a stool halfway down the bar and ordered a beer.

What a prick.

“Son of a—”

“Come here.”Bailey still had her hands on his arm and she started tugging him in the direction of the hallway that led to the bathrooms and a back exit.

Chase followed.Because he wanted to smell her neck again.

Yep, super creepy.He was going to keep that totally to himself.

2

Bailey stoppedat the end of the hallway where there was a small alcove full of brooms and mops.

She dropped her hold on him and crossed her arms.“What was that?”

“I could tell you didn’t want to talk to him and I was helping you get out of an awkward situation.”Chase shrugged.“You were obviously busy and he obviously couldn’t take a hint.Or an outright refusal.”

She tipped her head.“That was…nice.I guess.”

He grinned.“It was.No guessing.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

Was he?He supposed he was.She was definitely not his type.But there was a little hint of challenge here.Could he make her smile?Could he make her flirt back?Could he figure out just what that scent on her skin was?

He moved in a little closer.“If I was flirting, what would you do?”he asked.

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