I was officially going to fail at the vote gathering so drastically that my brother would never allow me near his beer again. Which should have me giddy instead of feeling guilt wash over me. My brother might be a jackass sometimes, but he was my brother and this beer was the epitome of everything he’d worked so hard for.

I needed to step it up.

I forced myself to stop wringing my hands together in my lap. If that didn’t show lack of confidence, nothing did. Three deep breaths later, I forced myself to stand just as the hottest man I’d ever seen appeared to be stalking in my direction. And he was definitely stalking. His powerful struts, the muscles of his chest showing as the fabric of his t-shirt clung to him with each step, the stubble on his face that I just knew would feel magical against my own—my boner decided to show up just as he stood in front of me with nothing blocking the view. Freaking brilliant.

“Have you tried our brew, uh, Tapped?” I pointed to the samples, hoping his eyes would miss my tightening pants.

They did not.

His gaze lingered there as he bit his lip, quickly snapping his head up when someone pushed past him and grabbing a beer sample as they did. I was so happy to have a table buffering me from the crowd.

“Beer? I have plenty of beer.” He smirked in that sexy I-have-everything-you-want way. At least, that’s how his confidence came off and not like a cocky asshole, which was usually the case when hot men decided I was theirs for the night.

Not that it happened often.

I was far from a sexy omega catch, but I was well groomed and had a decent ass, so offers did spring up from time to time. But never with someone as hot as this. And of freaking course, I was working and not able to act on it.

“It’s a blend of...” I started in on my spiel, the one I’d memorized on my brother’s request. I had no understanding of what it all meant nor did I care. I was just happy to keep the alpha’s attention on me for a few more minutes before I had to politely decline his advances.

Damn adulting and familial responsibilities sucked ass.

I watched as he brought the brew up to his lips, not caring whether he enjoyed it as much as imagining all the places I’d rather his lips be. It wasn’t helping that he was now close enough for his scent to tickle my nose. He was all cardamom and nutmeg—my two favorites wrapped into one sexy package.

He took a sip. “Not too bad.” It wasn’t a compliment, but his smile made me not care at all about that. Then he reached in his pocket and dropped his token into my box, giving the beer his vote. Looked like not too bad was pretty darn good.

“You find the beer favored to win, Mitch?” Some guy I hadn’t noticed heading our way slapped the object of my desire on the back. Friends? Lovers? Please let them be friends. Or brothers. Brothers would work, but my cock already had its intentions set on Mitch the hottie as I began to call him in my head, and I didn’t do threesomes. Too many body parts to keep track of to keep safe, or at least that’s what my buddy Hal’s black eye last week from a rogue foot seemed to indicate.

“It’s not bad.” He shrugged.

“High praise coming from you, dude.” The man grabbed a sample and took it down with one gulp. “Holy shit. This is fucking amazing. What is that? Chocolate? Please tell me that’s chocolate.”

“It’s chocolate.” I answered as if the huge bar of chocolate on the display at my table had left any room for confusion.

“Guys—you totally need to try this.” He climbed on a chair and bellowed his orders again... And wouldn’t you know it, the people did. I could barely keep up with pouring samples as token after token after token fell into my box.

As great as it was to have the entire room swarming around the table, making my brother’s dream come true, I felt the loss of the sexy man walking away as I swore I heard his friend mumble, “You’re welcome, dude.”

Because, of course, having an awkward non-beer guy leering at him was something he needed saving from. It couldn’t be that he was as interested as I was. Except he voted for the beer that he thought was “not too bad.”

Didn’t matter.

I had to focus on the beer. Yeah, that was it. Pour and smile. Pour and smile.

“Chocolate Beer guy, wanna break?” The man from earlier winked.

“Thanks, but I have to work.” I wasn’t interested in him, even if he was what many considered sex on a stick, and even if he helped propel my brother’s beer to a possible win instead of its eminent demise.

“Mitch pays me decently, but he doesn’t pay me enough to clean up piss.”

I sensed I was missing a joke by his comment.

“I’m Knox.” He held out his hand. “I work here, so go. Take a break. It’s my fault your table is so bustling.”

“Ohhh.” The pieces finally fell into place. “Yeah, thanks. That...thanks.” I stumbled around the corner and toward the bathrooms. A break would be nice. Too many people coming at me at once was very much not my thing.

“I know what you mean.” Mitch’s voice filled my ears, and I turned to find him only half a foot away.

“What?”

“Too many people. I get it.” He shrugged.

“I said that aloud?” Of course I did because awkward seemed to be my middle name for the night.

“You did.” He grinned at my lameness. “Knox giving you a break?”

I nodded like an idiot.

“Excellent. Wanna see my office?” He winked, and my cock filled. Suddenly, the invitation took on its full meaning.

“Oh yes.” I sexily winked or attempted to sexily wink. I probably looked like I had a bug in my eye. “I love office furniture.”

I was officially the least sexy talker in the history of hook-ups.

“Let me show you my desk.” He leaned in close, his breath brushing against my neck.

He gave my ass a squeeze before gesturing in the direction of his office with his hand.

“Yes, please.” I panted as I took his other hand and inhaled deeply. Cardamom and nutmeg. Dessert time.

“Dessert in deed.” He chuckled.

I needed to stop spewing my thoughts aloud.