Page 7 of A Taste of Trouble

A grin curved her lips. She'd definitely heard. And she definitely thought he was a joke. “How are we doing, boys? Another round?”

“I'll get this one.” Tony took out his wallet and handed Liv two twenties. “What's your name, sweetheart?”

Liv grabbed the money. “The name's Liv…sweetheart.”

Jake chuckled. Liv Crawford—bartender, baker, and the next big thing?

“No laughing. I'm trying to concentrate,” Miles scolded from the table.

“I'm Tony. That's Brian, Jake, and the one bent over the table there is Miles.”

“Nice to meet you.” Liv caught Jake's stare before she hustled away to get their drinks. It hit him like a fist to the gut.

Jake had to tamp down his attraction. He'd never accomplish his mission if he let sex get in the way. He only wished he'd known she was smokin' hot before he'd agreed to the proposition.

Miles had missed his shot and it was now Jake's turn. He surveyed the table to pick his best shot. He didn't have a best shot.

“If you're stripes, you're going to want to hit the six and force it into the middle pocket.” Liv's voice broke his concentration. He may not be the best pool player in the world, but even Jake knew that shot was impossible.

“There's no way he can make that.” Brian crept closer to the table. “There's nothing to bank off of.”

Jake agreed. She was totally wrong.

She waved her hands, motioning him to lean over. “I'll show you.”

She approached and the heat of her body surrounded him. She laid her hand on his back and pressed down. He followed through and bent to a right angle, threading the cue between his fingers. She grabbed his left shoulder and leaned in closer, her breath a soft whisper against his neck.

“Now, you're in the right spot.” She shuffled closer and kicked out his foot to widen his stance. She mirrored his body, her knees and hips and stomach molded to him. “Focus on the farthest spot on the six ball from the center of the pocket.”

How was he supposed to focus when she was this close? When he'd just promised himself sex was out of the question?

“Form a line with your eye from the farthest point to the very middle of the cue.” Her voice settled over him, lulling him into a trance. He followed her direction and focused his gaze. “Pull back and follow through with that line.”

Jake took a deep breath, glanced at Brian, then took his shot. The balls cracked on impact and his ball banked off the six and found its home.

“Holy shit!” Brian shouted.

“I'll be damned.” Tony's voice was softer but still audible.

Miles smacked his hand on the edge of the table. “She's a shark.”

“You're a quick study,” Liv said before she backed away and returned to her post at the bar.

Jake made no other move than to follow her back to the bar with his gaze. Was his mouth open? It felt like his mouth was open.

Tony twirled his pool cue between his fingers. “I think this is the first time I've ever seen a woman shock Jake into speechlessness.”

Jake barely recognized his friends laughing in the background, his attention more focused on Liv's sweet scent that still lingered, like chocolate and vanilla. Familiar. Intoxicating. It took all his willpower not to jump over the bar and take her right there in front of his friends, in front of a room full of people.

They finished their game, and one after the other, his friends left, but Jake returned to his original position at the bar. Business had been steady all night, which didn't make it very easy for him to talk to Liv, but finally, only a few customers remained at the bar and he wouldn't waste the opportunity.

“Can I get you another Bud?”

She rested her elbow on the bar in front of him and leaned in. Close enough that he could feel her heat, but far enough away to let him know he had to work if he wanted her.

“I'm good.” He raised his beer, letting her know he still had some left. “Where did you learn to shoot like that?”

“I've worked here for almost ten years.” She wiped at the bar with a wet cloth. “You learn a thing or two.”

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