Bailee’s heart picked up speed, the thumping vibrating in her ears and drowning out that little voice that reminded her not to get to close to this man. Electricity surged between them. Her body swayed slightly, pulled toward him of its volition.
One moment she was wishing for more light to see if he was affected by their proximity as she was. The next his head lowered, his breath caressing her face, his lips brushing against hers. Once, then twice. The slightest touch teased her senses, making her wish for more.
His lips sealed over hers, his tongue nudging her mouth open. As her lips parted, he deepened the kiss. A thrill caused her belly to flutter, and she gripped his biceps to steady herself. She memorized the soft pressure of his lips, the masculine feel and taste of his mouth, the warmth of his body against hers.
All too soon, he pulled back. His face hovered above her for several moments before he dropped his hands and stepped back.
Bailee’s lips tingled, and her mind was blank. No words came to her, and the silence stretched between them. Roxy stood andpressed against her legs, and Bailee lowered her head, breaking the spell she was under.
“I should probably call it a night.”
He took another step back, and she had a wild thought that maybe he regretted kissing her. She should be the one with regrets, not him. He’d been flirting with her from the first time their paths crossed. She was the one who couldn’t afford any distractions, especially in the form of sexy bartenders.
“Tell Darby Anne good night for me? And thank her for the meal. It was excellent as always.”
“Of course.” She hated how tight her voice sounded and hoped he didn’t notice.
His palm caressed her cheek, his thumb tracing the outline of her mouth. “Remember, I have your six, Bailee. You can count on me. All you have to do is ask.”
Her annoyance with him melted away, and she leaned into his touch. “I’ll remember. Thank you.”
“Goodnight, Bailee.” His hand dropped to pet Roxy’s head. “Goodnight, Roxy. Watch after the ladies of the house, okay?”
Roxy barked once as if answering his question. With a light chuckle, Easton turned and walked over to his house. Bailee watched him until he stepped inside, and then she released a long breath. Roxy nudged her hand, and Bailee scratched behind the animal’s ears.
“Oh, Rox. I think I may be in more trouble from that man than the people back in Louisville.”
Chapter Ten
Easton lifted the crate from the back of the delivery truck and walked it through the side door of the bar into the storage room. He slid the crate onto a shelf to rest until he needed the supplies inside. His phone vibrated in his jeans pocket, but he refrained from pulling it out until he and the deliveryman finished unloading the truck.
“That’s the last of it.” Bart Conrad brushed debris from his hands before extending one to Easton. “Appreciate the business, man.”
Easton gripped the man’s hand with a brief shake. “Yeah, no problem. Want some lunch? We can fire up the grill and have you a burger ready in no time.”
Bart shook his head. “I wished, but I need to get back on the road. Running behind.”
“I understand. Next time then. Be safe and tell Gina we said hello.”
The man’s face split with a smile that appeared anytime his wife’s name was mentioned. “Will do. She’s after me to bring her for a visit. She wants to see Jackson’s boy again now that he’s not a baby anymore. Not sure why that matters, but you know women.”
Easton chuckled. “You two are welcome anytime. Stay safe, man.”
Easton waved the man off before heading back inside. Though he offered to prepare Bart some food, he had no interest in preparing himself anything. His phone beckoned for him to read the text that had come through, but his growling stomach prompted him to wait. He was alone at the bar, so he didn’t have to alert anybody when he left and drove to a favorite eating spot for him and his brothers.
Jed’s was referred to as a “hole in the wall” place, meaning simply that it didn’t look like it would be fit to serve delicious food when it actually served some of the best. The original Jed left the place to his fraternal twins, Jed Jr. and Thea, who expressed their love for each other through loud arguments and good-natured disagreements.
The sign that greeted Easton when he stepped inside requested that he wait to be seated. Since no one ever waited, he strode purposely to a back table and slid onto the padded bench to wait for Thea. The restaurant had no set menu, so he had to wait for the waitress to come around and tell him what Jed had chosen to prepare for lunch that day.
The tall woman emerged from the kitchen area carrying two plates over to an occupied table on the other side of the dining area. After placing them in front of the customers and chatting with them for a couple of minutes, she turned to scan the area for new arrivals. Her dark eyes settled on him, and her hand absently smoothed her unnaturally red hair before she walked over.
“Well, well, well, it’s been a while.” She placed a hand on her curvy hip and smiled at him with a mixture of friendship and interest.
“It’s good to see you, Thea. You look well.”
Her lid dropped in a wink. “I am well, other than putting up with Jed all day. How about you?”
“If I were any better, it’d be illegal.”
