Page 33 of A Taste of Whiskey
Sasha looked at them incredulously.
“Get that shocked look off your face,” Quinn said. “It’s time to get your flirt on. Flame’s making a beeline for you.”
“Holy shit. I need another drink.”
“I’ve got it!” Birdie leaned over the bar. “Hey, Kellan! We need another round,stat!”
“Coming right up!” Kellan winked at Sasha as he refilled their glasses. “I don’t know how I feel about you turning all that hotness on strangers when I’m right here in front of you.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but a large hand landed on her lower back. Hope soared inside her. She looked over her shoulder, deflating as she realized it was Flame’s hand, not Ezra’s.Hewas standing beside Flame, jaw tight, eyes locked on her.
“We’re hardly strangers,” Flame said. “Right, Sasha?”
Quinn and Birdie were looking at her with hopeful expectance, silently urging her to flirt her heart out. With a gulp of courage, she met Flame’s steady gaze. “We’re definitelynotstrangers.”
A slow grin slid across Flame’s face. Ezra’s jaw clenched so tight, it had to hurt.
Good. You should be jealous. You had your chance, and you sent me away.He’d drawn his line in the sand, and he was right, so she needed to rip off the Band-Aid once and for all and see if she’d friend-zoned every other man, or she’d never move on.
“I see where I stand,” Kellan teased. “What can I get you guys? A couple of beers?”
“Yeah,” Ezra gritted out.
“Sure, sounds good,” Flame said, oblivious to the tension mounting between Sasha and Ezra.
Sasha went all in, trying to act normal with Ezra and maybe a little extra flirty with Flame because Ezra’s refusal still stung. “Hey, Ez. I guess Tina showed up for Gus tonight?”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly.
“That means Daddy came out to play,” Birdie chimed in.
“We all have needs to fill, and this seems to be the place to do it,” Sasha said, trying to ignore the green-eyed monster clawing at her.
Ezra’s expression didn’t change. “I came for adrink.”
She wanted to grab hold of that comment for all it was worth, but that wouldn’t help either of them move on. She had to stick to the plan. “A drink, a sexy dance. A little…” She waggled her brows, turning a seductive smile on Flame. “You’d better save me a dance tonight, big guy.”
Flame’s gaze smoldered. “Baby, I’ll save all my dances for you. Does this mean you’re going to finally let me take you out sometime?”
“I guess we’ll see how the dance goes,” she teased.
He put his hands on her hips, and she felt Ezra’s stare burning into her as Flame said, “I guarantee I’ve got all the right moves.”
“I bet you do.” She felt guilty leading him on, but she needed to figure out if she’d unknowingly friend-zoned herself out of butterflies or not.
“What’s going on overhere?” Taz asked as he and Hyde joined them.
Sasha didn’t miss the curious—approving?—glances they shot Flame.
“We’re doing shots,” Birdie announced. “And they’re flirting.”
Ohmygod.
“I can see that,” Hyde said.
“Uh-oh, double trouble is here,” Bobbie said as she walked past and went around the bar.
“You should try us out sometime, beautiful.” Hyde lifted his chin. “We’re not double trouble. We’re double your pleasure, double your fun.”
