dash

“You are such a cheating bastard!” she hisses, her eyes narrowed into angry slits as she sets her tray down roughly on the back counter beside me. “You’re flirting way worse than you were before.”

“It’s a competition, baby,” I smirk, focusing on the screen in front of me. “You didn’t think I was gonna go easy on you, did you?”

When she says nothing for a second, I glance down at her and can’t hold back the laugh sitting in my chest.

She is absolutely fuming.

“I don’t care about your stupid competition, Dash,” she spits. “If you don’t stop acting like a whore, I swear to God I won’t fuck you for the rest of the week.”

The booming laughter that slips through my lips is more than even I expect. A sharp smack of the tray against my arm pulls my eyes back to hers, still narrowed in annoyance.

“I don’t believe that for a minute,” I admit, making her even madder. “Babe, I’m not trying to be a dick. I’m just sayin’… Look how pissy you’re getting over a couple of drunk girls trying to cop a feel. The second you realize I’m not the adulterous manwhore you thought I was three months ago and I’m still takin’ your mean little ass back to my apartment, you’re gonna be all over me.”

Her nostrils flare in fury as she holds my gaze, her chest heaving with a combination of desire and annoyance. She takes a step closer, her hot breath falling coming out in a low pant.

“You’re an arrogant asshole and I hate you,” she insists as she slaps the order from her notebook down onto the counter beside me. “And it hasn’t been three months, it’s been four, you jackass!”

“Son of a bitch, you’re hot when you’re angry. You’ve got my cock fuckin’ throbbing right now, baby,” I admit in a husk, brushing a strand of hair behind her shoulder, my thumb grazing her collarbone as I lock on the outline of her nipples growing hard under the tight t-shirt she’s wearing. “That list of disgusting favors is growing by the minute, princess.”

“I’m gonna make you eat that list, Dash.”

“Oh, I’ll be eatin’ somethin’ alright. Don’t you worry about me,” I wink, pulling a groan I can’t quite decide is made up of desire or rage as she reaches for her tray. “That’s right, baby,” I discreetly smack her ass as she leaves to stomp back out onto the floor. “Go make daddy some money.”

evie

“This is the last time I agree to play a game with anyone,” I grumble under my breath as I feel inside the pocket of my apron for the small stack of tips I managed to collect.

I hadn’t counted them yet, but after looking at the two full jars on the bar I know he emptied at least once earlier tonight, my chances for victory flew out the window the minute I made a deal with him.

I tried everything, but it was no use.

Dash absolutely kicked my ass.

I should have known better. Not only is he a decent bartender, he’s drop dead gorgeous. Despite our years of mutual hatred, over the last few months I’d called him mine, I’d come to learn just how charming Dash Hunter could be. As much as I hate to admit defeat, I’m just glad there’s no one else here to witness my epic failure.

“Alright, baby. How’d ya make out?” he asks as he makes his way back from locking the front door, raking his hand through his hair with a yawn. “I’ve got about two-eighty, but you started late, so to make it fair, I’ll split it in half.”

“I don’t know,” I shrug as I spin around to face him from my stool, leaning against the bar. “But I know I didn’t make half of two-eighty. You definitely won.”

“You may have done better than you think,” he offers, walking behind the bar to hit a few switches, effectively dimming the lights and coming back to me. He comes to a stop in front of me, handing me one of the two beers he’s holding and staring down at me. “Those aprons can be deceiving.”

“I doubt they’re that deceiving,” I argue, tossing what little money I’d made onto the bar, unable to stop the smirk at the apologetic expression he’s wearing when the laughter begins to slip from his chest. “Oh, this is yours, too,” I admit, pulling a twenty from my bra and tossing it on the bar behind me with the rest. “I got desperate there at the end when I saw how badly I was getting my ass handed to me and took it when you weren’t looking.”

“You stole from me?” he asks, his eyes wide in surprise as he sips from his beer.

“Hell yes, I stole from you! I cheated, too,” I confess, pulling another loud laugh from him. “That last table of guys sitting over there in the corner all got fake numbered. I only made like seventy-four bucks and half of it was from that table,” I rail. “How do you think I got these tens?”

“Your charming personality?” he teases, smirking when I deadpan. “Witty humor?”

“Well, you’ve met me. What do you think?” I arch my brow, making him chuckle. “Thank God I’ve got good boobs. I’d never get anywhere in life.”

“That’s bullshit,” he shakes his head, his lips still turned up at the corners as he presses them to my forehead and pulls away to meet my gaze. “I had fun with you tonight,” he admits quietly as he rests his forearms on the bar behind me, caging me in. “Secrets can be fun, but it was nice not having to keep one for once.”

“Yeah, it was weird feeling like a normal couple,” I nod, searching his features as I brush my fingertips over his jaw, tugging affectionately on his beard as I release a long sigh. “So, are you done with everything back there?”

“Pretty much. I’ve already locked up and counted down the register, I just need to wipe everything down and we can head out.”

“Okay,” I release a low sigh. “How do you want to do this?”

“What?”

“A deal’s a deal. Time to pay the piper,” I say nervously. “What’s demand number three? You said you’d tell me at the end of the night.”

“Yeah,” he says quietly, giving me a soft smile as he traces my jaw with his fingertips, using his knee to push my legs apart and move closer. “I haven’t forgotten.”

Before I can reply, he takes my mouth, slipping his tongue inside slowly, but forcefully. He lifts his palm from the bar behind me, gripping the back of my neck and commanding my lips, taking complete control as his fingers wind into my hair.

He closes what little distance remains between us, my legs spreading wider effectively pushing my skirt higher up my thighs and pulling a gasp from me.

“Wasn’t there something you wanted to tell me if I won?” he asks, his lips quirking up as he brushes the pad of his thumb over my chin, holding my eyes.

“I’ll tell you that you’ve got horrible timing,” I pant, making him chuckle.

“Come on, baby,” he teases my lower lip with his teeth as his palm covers the side of my neck. “You were right before, a deal’s a deal. You only have to say it once and then you’ll find out what my third demand is.”

I hold his eyes, fighting the urge to roll my own as he moves his free hand to brush over my waist, teasing against the seam of my top.

“Fine,” I swallow hard. “I hate it when you flirt with other women. It makes me crazy jealous.”

“Hmm…” he smirks against my lips as my cheeks flare. “Good girl.”

“Don’t be a jerk about it,” I warn in a low voice. “Intentional or not, you made me feel like shit.”

“I’m not being a jerk, Evie. Despite our history, things are different now. I’d never want to make you feel bad,” he says genuinely before his lips begin to quirk up on either side. “But I’m also not gonna lie and tell you that the girl who’s way too good for me acting possessive and staking her claim doesn’t do something to me.”

“So, me getting jealous is a turn-on for you?” I scoff. “Seriously?”

“Don’t twist my words,” he smirks, resting his finger over my lips when I start to argue. “I know it’s not easy for you, but you’re going to have to learn to trust me. I told you there was nothing to worry about and I meant it, didn’t I?”

“Yeah,” I nod.

“See? You got yourself all worked up for nothing. Those girls never meant shit to me.”

“I heard some of the things they were saying to you,” I whisper, my head starting to swim as he teases my lips with his tongue. “And some of them were really hot.”

“I’m not sure why that matters. They’re all gone now,” he husks, holding my eyes. “And you’re the one who’s about to get fucked on a barstool.”