“Believe it or not, I know you’re not. I’m a pretty good judge of character and I have no doubts you’re not that girl.”
Her brow wrinkles. “Then why are you flirting with me?”
She’s serious. She’s not smiling or teasing, but she’s not judging me either. She’s just curious.
I’m fascinated and, for one second, completely honest with her.
“I can’t seem to help myself.”
CHAPTER SEVEN - Olivia
How in the world did I let him talk me into this?
I’m standing in front of the main door of Dual. I look long and hard at the sign. I have to smile. Dual. Double. Two. Twins. It appears Cash is cheeky in every aspect of his life. And clever.
Dammit.
It’s broad daylight and the parking lot is empty. I’m having serious reservations about what I’m getting ready to do. Nash has pestered me about letting him get me a job at the club since Sunday night when my dad dropped me back at the apartment.
Even though it seems that Cash and Nash don’t get along very well at all, Nash offered to bring me by and officially introduce me to his brother. Stubborn idiot that I am, I refused to even consider the job. But now that the weekend approaches and I’m dreading going all the way back to Salt Springs to work at Tad’s, I’m feeling more optimistic about working for Cash. Unfortunately, Nash had to leave to go out of town again, so now I’m stuck going in alone. And I’m having second thoughts. Especially since the reason I’m most anxious to stick around town on the weekends is to see more of Nash, who is strictly off limits.
You’re such a dumb ass! Talk about flirting with disaster!
I sigh and shift my weight from foot to foot, debating what to do. I look longingly back at my car, the car that Nash had a mechanic come look at and fix before I even got back home on Sunday. Turns out it was something simple with a spark plug, I think he said. But still… He had it fixed.
I sigh.
It’s the possibility of seeing more of Nash, of him casually dropping by to check on me, that pushes me in the direction of the door.
I open it and walk into the dark interior. Even in the middle of the day, very little light shines in through the small, high windows.
The bar looks totally different without the wild lights and the wall-to-wall crush of bodies. The high tables are clean and empty, the black floors are polished to a shine, there is some kind of instrumental music pouring softly from the speakers and the only illumination in the whole room is the backlit liquor display cases behind the bar.
Nash said Cash would be here all day, but I’m beginning to think I should’ve had him set a specific time. I have no idea where to look for him.
My flip flops make a hushed flapping sound against my heels as I make my way across the room. I walk to the bar and pull out a stool to sit on, hoping Cash is keeping an eye on the place since the door was open.
I nearly swallow my tongue when Cash pops up from behind the bar. “You must be Olivia.”
“Holy mother of hell!” I say, grabbing my chest to still my racing heart.
He laughs. “With a mouth like that, you’ll fit right in here.”
If I weren’t so surprised, I’d probably take exception to that comment. Instead, I laugh.
“You bring out the worst in me. What can I say?”
Cash is wearing a black tank top that perfectly showcases his muscular arms and the interesting tattoo that adorns the left side of his chest. I try not to think of him as mouthwatering, but that’s the word that keeps going through my head.
Dammit!
He puts his elbows on the bar and leans in closer to me. “That’s because you haven’t given me the chance to bring out the best in you.”
His voice is deep and quiet. His brow is arched, much like it was that first night—in a suggestively challenging way. I feel my pulse pick up.
Good God, he’s even hotter than I remember!
Somehow, I’d managed to convince myself that he wasn’t as appealing as Nash, that because he’s the bad boy of the two, he’s less attractive. Sweet Lord, was I wrong!
I try desperately to hang onto my brain and make a better impression this time. I know I’ll only get this one chance to redeem myself.
I smile politely and respond. “Well, that won’t be a problem if I start working for you, right?”
He leans back and smiles crookedly. “Already threatening a sexual harassment suit?”
“No, I… of course not! I... I didn’t mean…what I actually meant was…” In my head, I hear the sound of an airplane falling from the sky at terminal velocity then crashing into the side of a mountain with a loud explosion.
Shut up, Olivia! Please, just shut up!
“Don’t back down now! This was just getting interesting.”
I exhale. I’m both relieved and a little irritated.
He’s teasing me!
“Are you always this evil?”
“Evil?” he asks, his expression innocent. “Me? Nooooo.”
With a grin, he plants his hands flat on the bar and lifts himself onto it, throwing his legs over and hopping down right beside me. I actually squeeze my eyes shut for a second in hopes that the vision of his biceps and triceps straining against his smooth skin won’t be permanently etched onto my mind. I think I’m too late, though, because it’s all I can see on the backdrop of my lids.
Dammit!
“Nash says you bartend, right?”
My eyes open to his. He’s staring down at me, so close I can see the vague line where black pupil stops and nearly-black iris begins. Those eyes are amazing!
I see his eyebrows rise, prompting me.
“Pardon?” I ask.
“Nothing. I don’t even think it matters. If you’re this adorably sexy all the time, no one will care how fast you get them their drinks.”
I flush a little at his words. They shouldn’t please me. But they do. Quite a bit.
“That won’t be a problem.”
“What? You being adorably sexy? No, I can see that.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’ve been working at one of the busiest sports clubs in Salt Springs for the last two years. I can hold my own behind your bar.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and smirks at me. “You think so?”
I feel my spine straightening. “I know so.”
“The people that come here want to be served as well as entertained. Think you can handle that, too?”