Page 3 of Hopeless Romantic
“Are you intimidated by a pretty cock?” was all he asked, but his voice was pitched low and sexy, making Beckett’s heart race frantically.
“Not much intimidates me,” she said as casual as can be.
Looking unconvinced, he rested his elbows on the bar, his biceps flexing under the weight as he moved in until their cheeks were nearly touching and his breath teased her earlobe. It teased a whole lot of other places, too. Places that the Bruces of the world could only locate with the help of a hand-drawn map and satellite-powered GPS tracking. Levi did it with a single look. “Noted for next time.”
She laughed. “You’re awful cocky.”
“It’s called confidence, Beck,” he said, and she ignored how much she liked it when he called her that. “Something you wear well.”
A little thrown by his compliment, she let her gaze drift down to study the bar top. Levi flirted with everyone, but he never flirted with her. “Last time, you said I was stubborn.”
“Did I mention I happen to like stubborn?”
No, but her heart was never going to forget it. Neither was her head, because stubborn was one of those qualities, like smart, that men always found sexy until it was focused on someone other than them.
Levi was a born charmer, with a laid-back and easygoing way about him, not to mention he was pretty easy on the eyes. But while he was busy getting to know everyone, she noticed he never gave away anything of himself.
Beckett recognized his particular form of evasiveness. She saw it in the mirror every day when she brushed her teeth.
“No. You also didn’t mention the drink specials,” she said.
“I don’t serve anything in a trough or sipper bottle. But if you want to take your friend home and come back alone, I’ll serve you anything your little heart desires.”
Too bad her little heart always desired things that were not good for her. Like flirting with Levi.
“Sorry, no can do. I’m picking up a to-go order for the Harpers.” Which she would deliver on her way to the movies with Bruce. He was easy that way.
“The Crow’s Nest doesn’t do to-go orders anymore.”
“Sure you do.” She stretched her arm across the bar, hand inches from his face, and pointed to the ink scribbles on her palm. “Crab cakes. Two bowls of chowder. Salmon burger.” She mimicked the bouncing ball over the words as she read. “To go. It’s all right there.”
A tiny grin played at the side of his mouth.
“Oh, and Mrs. Harper says to go heavy on the fries. I guess last time the portions were a little stingy.”
“Gus shouldn’t be taking to-go orders,” Levi said, referring to his chef. “We are an in-dining establishment only.”
“Gus and I have an arrangement.” She winked.
“How did you manage that?”
“A month or so back, Annie was working a double at the hospital. Emmitt was in New York and wanted to make sure she had a hot meal, so he called me.” Annie was not only Emmitt’s new fiancée; she was alsoBeckett’sbest friend. “It became a thing. Whenever he was out of town, he’d place an order; I’d deliver it to the hospital. What can I say—love makes people do crazy things.”
“Yeah, like completely ignore bro code,” he mumbled. “And Gus went along with this?”
“Gus is an excellent head chef. Accommodating and pleasant, which is why I decided to offer the service to all my clients. Gus thought it was a great idea and we formed a system. Customer calls me, I call Gus, Dean meets me at the back door.”
He ran a hand down his face. “You have my waitstaff in on this?”
“Just Dean.”
“Why am I not surprised?” He groaned.
“He thinks I should make an app. You know, really streamline the process. I’m considering it.”
“An app,” he repeated, but he didn’t sound angry. Oh no, the laid-back bartender grinned as if he found this entire thing amusing. “What am I going to do with you?”
Beckett could think of one million and one delicious things he could do to her. Since all but one landed in the “inside thoughts only” category, she said, “How about some crab cakes, two bowls of chowder, and a salmon burger to go? Pretty please.”
