Page 5 of A Taste of Trouble

“Who are we talking about?” Patti played with a napkin, folding it into a triangle.

“Bud Man.” Austin gestured to the object of Liv's inappropriate—however, exciting—distraction.

Patti lifted her eyebrow. “Bud Man?”

“The sexy beast drinking the bottle of Budweiser.” Austin pointed to the pool table. Liv tensed. She refused to look over, but she only hoped Jake wasn't watching her friends gawk and point. She'd embarrassed herself enough.

“Holy Marc Jacobs, look at him take a swig.” Austin fidgeted in his seat. “I need to readjust my pants!”

Liv joined her friends in their game of staring and locked eyes with the sexy stranger. Immediately, his eyes penetrated right through her nervous facade.

She backed away, in the hopes of diffusing her desire, and dropped off her drinks to Meg, one of the waitresses. When Liv turned to Patti and Austin, they were huddled together, whispering between sips of beer. “Can we please stop ogling the customers?”

But she un

derstood quite well their fascination. There was some strange pull that made her want to park herself in front of the man. She would be content to sit there all night admiring his broad shoulders, his straight, white teeth, that smile, and his eyes—eyes that stared right through her. In the short time he had been in the bar, Jake had stolen her concentration and lit a fire deep within. He had her primed and ready to surrender. But Liv would not surrender. Ever.

“Liv, you need to take that man home with you.” Jake obviously had Austin's stamp of approval.

“Seriously? You both have active love lives. Do you really have to live vicariously through mine?”

“Hell yes!” Austin was always in for sex talk.

Patti, on the other hand, was more reserved. Or as Austin liked to call her—a prude. Liv knew she could count on Patti to deflect the conversation. “Brett and I are over the whole honeymoon period. I could use a little excitement.”

Traitor.

“Bakery? Dream come true?” Liv reminded her friends of her priorities.

“We're not saying you have to marry him. Just have some fun.” Patti suggesting Liv “have some fun” could only be a direct result of Patti's relationship with Brett Daniels. He used to be their sexy next-door neighbor, but now he was Brett, her tatted-up, live-in artist, and the man who loved her best friend.

“He looks like he'd be a lot of fun.” Patti sighed and leaned on the bar, placing her fist under her chin. Liv was positive a shimmer of drool sat at the crease of Patti's mouth.

“Not to mention,” Austin said. “That man looks like he knows his way around a woman's body.”

Liv followed Austin's gaze to Jake. Luckily he was too preoccupied with taking a shot to notice their stare fest. “I like sex just as much as the next girl, but really, it's just sex.” Liv turned to rip the tiny slip of paper from the printer and read the drink order.

“Just sex?” Austin threw his hands in the air. “You must be doing it wrong.”

“I think I know how to do it.”

“Honey, don't you get that spark?” Austin placed his hand on his chest. “That feeling? When you know just by a look or a simple touch that you just have to have that person? That when you do, it will be a mind blowing, religious experience?”

Never. Not until today. As soon as Bud Man walked through the door. She scoffed and grabbed a few bottles of beer from the fridge and pulled another chit from the printer.

“Religious experience? Please.”

“If you question me, you haven't had it.”

Austin was right. She'd never had a religious sexual experience.

“Liv?” A customer called her name from the corner of the bar.

She held up a finger, letting him know she'd only be a minute.

“You're getting busy. We'll get out of your hair.” Austin slipped on his coat. “Let's go, Pats. I'll give you a ride.” He kissed his fingers and pressed them to Liv's cheek. “See ya, honey.”

“Don't work too hard.” Patti danced her way to the door, her small hand waving behind her. “Make sure to stop and enjoy the scenery.”

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