Page 27 of Overeager
And then the bartender popped up, wiping his arm across his forehead.
Noah.
Noah, looking sinfully good in a tight black tee and worn jeans. He was covered in a faint sheen of sweat, clearly working hard, and his pheromones hit Eli like a ton of forbidden, delicious-smelling bricks.
At the sight of Eli in front of him, Noah’s wide mouth turned up into an impossibly broad grin. “Eli.”
He looked happy to see him.Whydid he look happy to see him? Shouldn’t he be mad at Eli? Upset and disappointed at the very least, given their last interaction.
But Noah looked like seeing Eli on the other side of the bar was the best thing to happen to him in ages.
“Noah,” Eli managed to say somewhat normally. Maybe.
Noah leaned over the bar, his biceps flexing in a very distracting way. “You stalking me, professor?”
“I— Uh— What?”
Noah sniffed, not even attempting subtlety, and a dark look crossed his face, his brow furrowing and his smile faltering. “You smell like an alpha.”
“I— Who—” Eli was a professor, for fuck’s sake. Why was he suddenly incapable of stringing more than two words together? “Sister!” he squawked, grateful the hum of the bar was loud enough to keep this conversation private. “I’m here with my sister!”
Noah’s brow smoothed, and he looked behind Eli, presumably trying to scope out Faith, who Eli prayed to all that was holy was not watching this interaction, or he’d never live it down.
Whatever he found had Noah grinning again, his dimples flashing. “And you just happened to come to my bar? Must be fate.”
That was … that was a good line.
Eli frowned at him. “You’re a flirt,” he accused.
Noah winked. Hewinked.“Only with you.”
That wasalsoa good line.
Eli hummed doubtfully before he remembered he didn’t have a right to care who Noah did or didn’t flirt with. He tried to redirect his righteous indignation. “Are you old enough to be behind that bar?”
Noah didn’t exactly roll his eyes, but the urge was clearly there. “I’m twenty-one, Eli,” he said, exasperation covering up his flirty tone. “And I’m only a barback, anyway. But I can pass your order on to Jolene over there.” He tilted his head toward the closest bartender, a gorgeous beta woman Eli suddenly found himself wanting to growl at. What right did she have to work alongside Noah, looking like that? She should cover up. And hide her face. And also switch careers to modeling and leave innocent collegiate alphas alone to barback in peace.
He turned back to find Noah grinning at him, like he was delighted by something Eli had done. “Hey, Eli,” Noah crooned, his pheromones blossoming into something rich and salty.
Eli’s heart was suddenly beating faster than it should be. “Yes?”
“I have a break coming up in an hour. Spend it with me?”
“Um. I really shouldn’t …”
“I just want to talk.” Noah’s lips pursed into something akin to a pout, even as his eyes danced. “I think you owe me that much. A real conversation?”
Eli had the vague sense that he was being played. But nothing Noah was saying waswrong, exactly. Elididowe Noah a conversation. He’d been too caught off guard earlier in the week, and he hadn’t been as kind as he should have been. He’d taken Noah’s virginity, for heaven’s sake. He should take responsibility.
“Of course.” He nodded, hoping the gesture hid the fact that he was surreptitiously trying to inhale more of Noah’s heavenly scent. “A conversation.”
The grin Noah gave him was blinding. “Perfect. Now what can we get you, Professor? Whatever it is, it’s on the house.”
8
Noah
Noah could hardly keep himself from literally skipping out from behind the bar when his break came around.
