Page 38 of One Unexpected Gift

“Okay then.” One thing his father had taught him about the complexities of women was knowing when to say when. He wouldn’t push Skylar into telling him what had her freaked out and why she all of a sudden needed to bolt from him. “Sweet dreams, Skylar.”

He kissed her, this time not as sweet as the kiss she’d given him. Keeping their hands locked between them, he spent more time getting to know her lips than she’d taken a moment before. Skylar moaned and leaned her chest into him, then jumped back as if she’d stepped on a snake.

“I...” she covered her lips with her fingers and then placed her hand on her chest. “I have to go. Thank you, Nick. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She turned and jogged the rest of the way up the path and went inside leaving him in the dark.

Literally and figuratively.

CHAPTER NINE

“Thank you for multi-tasking with me.” Nick gave Skylar a quick peck on the cheek before going back behind the bar. “Give me a few minutes and then we can play. Can I get you a drink?” He tossed the bar towel over his shoulder and rang up table four’s bill.

“Nick. It’s okay that you’re busy. We can do this another night.”

“Now that I have you here, I’m not letting you walk away so easily.” He swiped table eight’s credit card through the machine and tossed Skylar a wink.

It figured he’d have a rush on a Tuesday when Skylar had said she’d stop by. With Colby back on and Ashley waiting tables, he’d thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to slip away and bowl a game or two.

He thought wrong.

“I got it, boss. You and your lady go enjoy yourselves.” Colby took the receipts from him. “She’s hot. Don’t keep her waiting or someone else will offer to entertain her for the night.”

“Don’t even think about it or I’ll fire your ass.” Nick handed him the receipts and card. He knew Colby was kidding. He was a good guy. Too young for Skylar by a decade.

Nick washed his hands and took down a glass pitcher. “Do you drink beer?” he asked Skylar.

She studied the pitcher and the taps while doing that sexy thing with her lips in between her teeth. “I do but I’ve been... cutting back.”

If she was a recovering alcoholic he’d kick his own ass to the curb. Not once had he seen her with a drink in her hand. Not since last year when she’d been sipping on a lemon drop martini at his bar. He’d tasted it on her lips ten minutes later. Nick shoveled a scoop of ice in the pitcher and filled it with ice water.

“Water’s good too.”

“No, I’ll have a beer. Just one though.”

Nick rested his elbows on the bar and leaned across it, speaking low so the guy at the stool next to her couldn’t hear.

“If you’ve quit drinking, I’m going to support you one hundred and ten percent.”

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