Christ, she’s definitely young enough to be my kid. She has to be at least half my own age if I’m guessing correctly. Her eyes move from me to her drink as she picks it up and downs the entire thing in one go. I barely put any liquor in it, not wanting her to sit here and get drunk over the asshole in the corner.
I don’t let myself think it’s because I want her sober for what I want to do to her once I get to kick everyone out of here in an hour. It’s definitely not because I’m considering asking her to stay…with me.
Fuck.
I watched the way the kid had handled the situation, first denying anything, and then I saw his body language change as he admitted it. Everything happened in front of his entire friend group, and if the way they responded was anything to go off, they had very clearly known or at least suspected.
“So, Nick,” she says, pushing the glass back toward me and gesturing that she’d like another. She seems to have recovered from the embarrassment for the time being. I start thinking about other ways I can get that reaction. “Do you always do this? Is this, like, your thing?”
“Is what my thing?” I ask, refilling her drink. I chuckle at her, unable to help myself when her inner brat comes out to play.
“You know,” she says, gesturing toward my body. “The whole sexy stranger, come with me and I’ll kiss you silly thing.” She’s impersonating my voice, and I just stare at her and smile.
God, the things I want to do to her.
“You think I’m sexy?” She blushes and narrows her eyes on me. “Not normally,” I tell her, moving on and putting her out of her misery. “But I thought I’d make an exception for Mrs. Claus, seeing as it’s Christmas.”
“Spirit of giving.”
“Exactly.” I lean my arms on the bar and watch the way her throat bobs as she swallows the drink I put in front of her.
My eyes trail down her body, loving the way her skin flushes every time she catches me staring. Her breasts are pushed up and together, thanks to the stiff corset top she’s wearing, and with each deep breath, it’s like they’re begging to spill out. I want to reach across the bar and set them free, palming them and tweaking the perfect nipples I know she’s hiding under there.
When was the last time I had a one-night stand? I’m far too old for that shit now, but I let my imagination wander to spending the night with her. An image of her sweet face looking up at me while she kneels at my feet flashes in my mind. My cock throbs painfully against the zipper of my jeans.
“You’re staring,” she says, bringing my eyes back up to her face that is burning red.
“Am I?”
“You are. See something you like?” she asks, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“I see a lot of things I like,” I tell her, enjoying the way her eyes widen in surprise. I lean in closer to her, watching her pupils dilate and her breathing pick up. I hope the kid in the corner is watching. I wonder if he was able to make her feel like this. Is she wet? What I wouldn’t fucking give to taste her.
“How about some water?” I ask her, my eyes gesturing to her drink. There may not be a lot of alcohol in there, but it’s hard to turn off my dominant instincts in a situation like this.
Her hand trembles as she lifts the glass back to her lips and finishes it off before answering me.
“Okay.”
When I hand her the glass of water, I catch movement in the corner of my eye. I look up and spot him walking over toward us. Without even thinking, I’m around the bar and between him and her before he can reach her.
“What…？” I hear her ask as she realizes what’s happening. “Oh, fuck off, Josh,” she says, trying to push me out of the way. Funny that she thinks she can. I’m an ex-Marine, and there’s no way in Hell either of them is getting past me. But the way her hands warm my skin through my flannel is distracting. I give her a look over my shoulder, and she rolls her eyes, going back to nursing her water.
“Who the fuck are you?” Josh asks me, trying to get in my face but falling half a foot too short.
“Not someone you want to fuck with, kid. Leave the young lady alone.” I hear Holly snort behind me.
“I’d listen to him, Joshua!” she sings over my shoulder. “He’s the owner of the bar, and he’ll kick you and your lying, cheating ass out!”
Okay, she’s a lightweight.
“Drink your water,” I say over my shoulder.
“Don’t tell her what to do, man.”