Page 28 of Love That Sass

“Great!” she said too brightly as she spun around to face him.

Weylin Scott. Sexy, confident, growly, redheaded alpha male. Great, there she went, waxing poetic on the guy again. The man had been taking up way too much headspace lately.

“Awesome, Gwen. So, what do you think?”

Did he have to be so damn cute? She wrang out a rag over the sink, and shrugged, determined to keep things light. Maybe if she hadn’t been such a hardass about that promise she’d made, she wouldn’t feel this way.

Ugh.

It was one thing to vow to save yourself for marriage because you believed in love. Quite another to hold on to that vow because you were betrayed by a boy you had no business dating, anyway. If only she could go back in time and warn her college self that bitterness was a joy killer. Holding on to one thing because a bad thing had happened was probably not a good idea.

But that was what she’d done. Held on to her virginity, like it was some prize. Now she was a thirty year old virgin with a crush on a playboy bartender who would likely laugh at her ignorance of the most basic bedroom shenanigans. What a mess!

And telling him she wouldn’t sleep with him? Why had she done that? He probably thought she was just playing hard to get and saw the whole thing as some game! This was so messed up.

“Um, you were right,” she said, realizing she had to reply. “The bar is really crowded, and I can see why. The band is fantastic. The food is even better.”

“And the drinks are flowing from the fingers of a pretty and expert mixologist at the back bar,” he added with a grin.

“What?” Gwen asked, shock making her eyebrows arch.

“Seriously, some of your customers are complimenting your skills.”

“Yeah, right?” she snorted but couldn’t hide her pleasure at the unexpected compliment.

“Why shouldn’t they? There’s nothing like getting a good cold drink from the hands of a pretty professional bartender.”

“Compliments will get you nowhere,” she mumbled.

Good thing the music was loud and bar full, otherwise he might have heard the catch in her breath when she spoke. It was just so unfair. If only she knew more about the opposite sex. Maybe then she could have just casually flirted back with him, and ignored all the butterflies and fighter jets flapping against her insides.

“Don’t I know it, Gwen,” he replied, but his eyes were all glittery and his gaze direct.

Shivers.

The man gave her chills. Gwendolyn had worked in some pretty popular places when she was in school in Manhattan, and in her opinion, Serious Moonlight could rival any of the bars and restaurants in the big city.

It was just that good. Of course, there was also the eye candy. She had never seen so many gorgeous people in one place. Of course, no one could hold a candle to Weylin. Not that she cared.

Liar.

Whatever. Gwen knew she wasn’t in his league, and she even understood him kissing her meant nothing to him. It couldn’t. She rolled her eyes and went back to stocking the coolers, but he took the case of beer from her and went to work as another customer called for her attention.

She smiled at the young man, nodding as he ordered a round of tequila shots, and went about setting them up. She fully expected Weylin to leave, but he didn’t. Her skin tingled with nerves every time she brushed her arm against his. It was close quarters, but it wasn’t like she could order him to leave. He was her boss, after all.

Every cell seemed aware of him, and it was wreaking havoc with her nervous system. Maybe it was the atmosphere, but every time she got a look at the big sexy redhead, Gwendolyn had the naughtiest visions of him trapping her in his arms and nibbling on her skin.

Yes, please.

No. Down, girl.

Lord, this was so not good for her. She knew better than to be tempted by sins of the flesh, but holy crap was he gorgeous. Yes, he flirted, and she appreciated she was just one of many females following him around with her eyes like a lost puppy. But a girl could dream, right?

“Tips good?” he asked, coming behind the bar and lifting the case of beer easily for her.

“Uh, yeah. Better than I expected,” she told him.

Truthfully, they were awesome. If she made this much on one Saturday, then she’d have the next payment for Hope Springs sooner than she thought. That was good. After all, that was why she was there. To pay for Pop’s care. Not drool over a man.

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