Page 43 of Tempting Me

“Hi, there. What can I do for you?” I ask, moving around to the employee side of the bar top.

The man with dark hair grins as I speak, not answering my question, but he does stop at the bar on the other side of me. He leans on his forearms, his eyes on me the entire time.

Okay, creeper.

I glance at his buddy, who just chuckles and heads for the ice cooler. He pulls out two small bags. Since guy number one isn’t going to speak, I ring them up.

“Is that all?”

Guy number one takes a five from his back pocket and hands it to me. I reach for it, but he doesn’t let go.

“And your phone number,” he says with a wink.

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Can’t a girl just go to work and that be that?

“Sorry, not today.”

“So if I come back tomorrow?”

I hand him back his change.

“It’ll be a no then, too. Have a good day, and come back if you need anything else.”

I move as if I'm busier than ever and have other places to be, but this one is relentless.

“Oh, come on. What does a guy gotta do to get your number?”

Shit.

I thought I’d be able to walk out of the room before we got to this point, but it seems I wasn’t fast enough.

The Marina has been through a lot over the years, and one might think I have a long list of things that bother or annoy me, but despite the troubles in the past, the only thing I can’t stand about this place is the number of men who come in here and think a small conversation ends with them getting my number.

It’s as if they don’t understand that this is my job—it helps me to be kind to all customers.

It by no means should be interpreted that I’m flirting.

Alas, here we are.

I turn slowly to find guy number one’s eyes on my ass.

He looks up and licks his lip, then nods.

“You gonna give it to me or what?”

Oh, hell no.

“Dude”—his friend swats his shoulder—“Let’s go. This place is like half finished, and I feel like I’m breathing in sawdust just standing here.”

Oh, sure, add salt to the wound of already being insulted by the fact that this man in front of me thinks he stands a chance. Now I have to be reminded that Luca didn’t show up last night.

“Let me get this hottie's number first.”

There is no way in hell I’m giving this man my number. “You know,” I start, but then the main door opens and Luca strides in as if being here in broad daylight is the most normal thing in the world.

This day just keeps getting better and better.

How dare he show up here right now.

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