“Blue,” I said quietly, keeping my voice low. “Can I see you in the office really quick?”
She raised an eyebrow and gestured around her. “How about you step into my office?” She motioned at the bar with one hand, the shelves of liquor with the other.
I smiled the sweetest, fakest smile I could manage and crooked my finger, beckoning her toward me. She moved with exaggerated sway, hips rolling just enough to draw the attention of every guy sitting at the bar. She knew exactly what she was doing.
“Yes, sir?” she teased, her voice playful and low, and my pulse kicked up.
I didn’t respond. Just grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her toward the hallway. Once we were inside the office, I slammed the door behind us and backed her against it. I didn’t touch her, I didn’t have to. My body did all the talking, and the tension crackling between us was louder than anything I could’ve said.
“I told you that shirt wasn’t cutting it for me,” I growled.
Then I stepped back and shrugged off my jacket, tossing it onto the couch. She didn’t move, just watched with narrowed eyes as I undid the cuffs of my dress shirt. When I reached for the top button, our eyes locked.
Something flared.
I should’ve stopped. Should’ve turned around and walked out. But I didn’t.
I was caught up in her attention, the heat, the game we weren’t supposed to be playing.
As I slid the shirt from my body, I saw her eyes follow every movement. I knew she saw my broad shoulders, lean muscle, and the strength I’d built from discipline. My body was just another layer of armor, another weapon in my collection. It kept people from looking too closely at the parts of me that were soft, or broken.
Her lips parted.
I reached forward, hooking a finger through the belt loop of her jeans, pulling her closer. She stumbled forward slightly, breath catching. A small sound escaped her throat, so soft I might’ve missed it if I hadn’t been listening for it.
“Remember what I said, dear?” I murmured, my voice teasing. “No wife of mine needs to be showing skin for tips. You’re a wealthy woman now.”
Then I wrapped my shirt around her, holding it closed for a beat, nodding for her to slide her arms in. She didn’t fight me. Just rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath asI buttoned it over her stomach and tied the bottom to make it fit better. Then I took my time rolling the sleeves up to her elbows.
“There,” I said, stepping back. “Now you can get back to work.”
“You’re ridiculous,” she laughed, totally unbothered by the fact that I’d just redressed her like a damn doll. “But now you don’t have a shirt, dear husband. And no man of mine is going to bartend shirtless. Although I imagine the ladies would tip you enough to buy another suit.”
I grabbed the shirt Marcus had given me and slid it on while she watched, her expression twisting in confusion.
“Can I ask you something?” she said, circling around me like she was sizing me up. “Why didn’t you just give me that shirt?”
I rolled up the sleeves and raised an eyebrow. “Because this one isn’t mine. And if you were going to wear a shirt, it sure as hell wasn’t going to belong to anyone but me.”
“You sure are possessive and surly for a man who didn’t even say ‘I do.’”
I couldn’t help but grin. She was impossible. And I was somehow enjoying the hell out of it.
“Just making sure everyone knows you’re mine.”
“Oh, right. Just for the ruse,” she laughed, turning toward the door. “Get your ass behind the bar. I’ll teach you how to throw bottles around. And, um…” She paused, hand on the doorknob. “Tuffy saw the ring. I told her we got a little crazy and decided to see where it goes. But if she doesn’t pick her jaw up off the floor soon, you might have to buy her a car.”
“That reminds me,” I said, pulling something from my pocket.
Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t actually buy a car, did you? Because I already hate that driver and?—”
“I didn’t buy a car.” I held up my hand, sliding a matching wedding band onto my finger. “I bought this.”
“And then just put it on yourself,” she said, clicking her tongue. “Romance is so dead.”
She opened the door and walked out, leaving me standing there laughing.
Laughing.
