Page 19 of Body Shot

“I want your number so I can get your new panties to you.”

“Oh.” She swallows. “Right. But you really don’t have to.”

I laugh softly and pull my cell phone out of a pocket. “What is it?”

She hesitates, but then recites the number and I enter it and save it. “There. Come on, sexy girl.” I take her hand and lead her out of the office and back into the bar.

The world hasn’t ended. In fact, the bar is hopping. Christ, Marco and Cade are going to be pissed that I abandoned them for that long. Hayden’s friend Carrie is surrounded by guys, laughing at something someone has said.

Hayden slides back onto her stool and Carrie spins around. “Hayden! Where were you?”

“We were sampling more tequila,” I answer from behind the bar. “What did you think, Hayden?”

“It was amazing.” She meets my eyes shyly.

“I thought so too.” I give her a warm smile, then move away to get back to work.

“Dude.” Down at the other end of the bar, Marco punches my shoulder. “What the hell? You’re not supposed to give the tequila away. The idea is to make money from this.”

I grin. “Yeah, yeah.” I reach for some glasses.

“Uh . . . what’s hanging out of your pocket?”

Fuck. “Why are you looking at my ass?” I shove my hand into the pocket to push the panties in deeper.

“Jesus. Seriously? You were fucking back there?”

I pause. Normally I would wink and laugh about that. Not that I take a lot of girls back to the office for sex. Usually, that happens away from the bar. But it feels weird to make light of what happened. Hayden was so . . . innocent . . . it feels crude and insulting to say we were fucking back there, no matter that it’s the truth.

So I shrug and set about making margaritas.

6

HAYDEN

“Where did you disappear to?”

I swallow and avoid Carrie’s eyes. “Um, Beck let me taste a special tequila they keep in the back.”

When Carrie says nothing, I sneak a glance at my friend. Carrie’s eyes are bright from the alcohol and the fun of flirting, but also shrewd. Finally she leans in closer and says, “You have whisker burn on your face.”

My eyes fly open and I slap a hand to my jaw. “I do not.”

“You sure do, honey.” Carrie grins. “Was it good?”

I sink my teeth into my lower lip. “Oh my God, yes.”

Carrie tilts her head and nods knowingly. “Wow. Good for you!”

“I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?”

“Er . . .”

“Sweet Jesus . . . Did you have . . .” Carrie slams her mouth shut and glances around. Then she takes my arm and marches me away from the crowded bar. “What happened back there?”

I give Carrie a guilty look. “I’m not sure.”

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