I chuckle. “Well, I’ll always have that.”

  “See?” He holds up his hands. “Things are looking up already.”

  I stare into my glass. “She wouldn’t even have gone out with the guy if it weren’t for me. That’s the big difference between us. My sister plays it safe. She doesn’t break the rules. She doesn’t take risks.” I laugh. “And then the first time she steps out of bounds…”

  “Happily ever after.”

  My smile fades. “I’ve been on this planet for the same amount of time she has… but I feel like I’m a thousand years behind. Where did I go wrong? What did she do that I didn’t? What does she know that I don’t?”

  “She’s got a three-minute head start on you,” he says. “A lot can change in three minutes.”

  “Maybe.” I pause, letting it sink in. “I just wish that I could skip to the end, you know?”

  “End of what?”

  “Relationships. I hate the beginning. It’s awkward and weird and no one says what they’re really thinking and then you just end up having to get to know them all over again six months in and I…” I shake my head. “It’s just not worth the effort anymore.”

  He flexes his jaw. “Well, if you skip to the end, you’re either single again or one of you is dead.”

  I squint. “I’m clearly not great at planning, either.”

  “Clearly.” He nods. “But I get what you mean.”

  “You do?”

  “It’s rough taking the time to get to know someone only to look back and realize you wasted all that time — time you could have spent getting to know someone else.”

  “It’s disappointing. But then again, you never know if that someone will turn out to be the one.”

  He scoffs. “If that even exists.”

  “Well…” I finish my drink. “It’d be super nice if the universe would smack me in the head if that happens because I will sure as hell fuck that up, too.”

  He stares at me for a long time, barely blinking. A rush of nerves rattles my gut, forcing me to look into my empty glass again.

  “You’re excellent at the keep them talking and drinking thing,” I say, clearing my throat.

  “I’ve been told that.”

  I say nothing else. Not that I could say anything more with his jade eyes carving a hole into my skull like this.

  “Look…” He leans in closer and lowers his voice to a soft murmur. “I don’t normally do this…”

  I raise a brow, recognizing the seductive tone. “Oh, sure you do.”

  He licks his lips. “I’m celebrating tonight.”

  “What are you celebrating?” I ask.

  “This is my last shift of the year.”

  “Oh?” I ask. “Moving on to bigger, better things?”

  “Just finals.”

  “Congratulations to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Why the fuck should I care?”

  He chuckles. “My shift ends in ten minutes. On my way out, I’d planned on swiping a bottle of the good stuff from the back.”

  I gasp. “That’s naughty.”

  “That’s justified.” He grins. “Trust me.”

  “So, you’re sticking it to the big boss man.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “So, I ask again.” I lean forward until he’s only a few inches away. “Why the fuck should I care?”

  “I thought maybe you’d like to join me in my celebration,” he says.

  “Whatever gave you that impression?”

  “You seem like you could use the night off.”

  “From what?”

  “From you.”

  “If only it were that simple.”

  “Let’s make it that simple.”

  “So, you snatch up some expensive hooch, we hop on back to your place, and then… what?” I ask.

  He looks at my lips. “We skip to the end.”

  I point a sly finger at him, narrowing my eyes as my pulse quickens. “Not bad, bar guy. Not bad at all.”

  “Thank you,” he says.

  I sit back and look him up and down. “Spin.”

  “What?”

  “Give me a spin!”

  He exhales a laugh and turns around in a circle. My eyes instantly drop to his rear. Firm. Tight. He wears his jeans well.

  “Okay,” I say. “Lift your shirt.”

  He gawks at me. “Seriously?”

  “I’m sampling the merchandise!”

  “What am I? An object?”

  “Yes!” I shake my head. “Man, the service in this place sucks.”

  He fixes his eyes on me and raises his shirt, revealing enough taut abs that I actually lose count. “Well?” he asks, letting the shirt fall.

  I shrug. “Meh.”

  “Meh?”

  “Wait.” I point. “Lift it again.”

  “Why?”

  “Just do it.”

  He raises his shirt again. I double-check the skin of his abs. No tattoos.

  “Good,” I say, letting him release it.

  “What was that?” he asks.

  “Just checking to make sure you haven’t been branded by some douchebag fraternity,” I say.

  “Not really my crowd.”

  “Lone wolf?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Good to know.”

  “Okay, then.” He chuckles. “Now, lift your shirt.”

  I scoff. “Rude much?”

  “I’m the rude one here?”

  “I’m doing you a favor, bar guy,” I say. “Without me, your night of celebration would include you getting blasted alone while you Netflix and chill with your non-dominate hand.”

  “Hey, we could forget all about it,” he says, smirking. “I’ll even pay your tab and your cab. You can head on back home and watch your sister make googly eyes at her honey while you die a little more inside.”

  I blink. “Ouch.” I empty the rest of my drink down my throat while I slide off my stool. “Okay, fine. But just one boob.”

  “Wait…” He twirls a finger. “Spin.”

  I raise a crooked brow and turn, slowly moving so he gets a good look. His eyes burn into me, crawling down my body like a laser, and I can’t help but blush a little.

  He nods, his gaze flicking upward from my ass. “Okay. Go ahead.”

  I look at the old man again, but he’s either completely oblivious or great at pretending to be. I grip the bottom of my shirt and raise it, being careful to only let half of my bra get exposed.

  The bar guy looks at me. The edges of his lips curl with delight. Luckily, I sprung for my lacy, black undergarments tonight and the sudden dilation of his pupils shows me he agrees with that decision.

  “Well?” I ask, dropping it back down.

  He shrugs. “Meh.”

  “Fuck off, bar guy.”

  “What’s your name?” he asks, chuckling.

  I bite my lip and say the first name that comes to mind. “It’s Jenny.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Jenny.” He turns toward the back room. “I’m going to go clock out.”

  “And what’s your name?” I ask, watching him go.

  He pauses in the doorway. “It’s Joey.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Joey.”

  I’m not sure why I lied to him, but I don’t really regret it.

  Leaving Daisy Hawthorne behind for the night sounds like a good idea.

  CHAPTER 2

  HUNTER

  My name isn’t Joey.

  Hers isn’t Jenny, either.

  But I’ll let her be Jenny tonight if that’s who she wants to be.

  She follows me into my apartment and hums to herself as she sees the cardboard boxes stacked in the entryway. “You moving out?” I ask.

  “They’re my roommate’s,” I say.

  “Aw,” she quips with sympathy. “You two break up?”

  I chuckle. “He moved in with his girlfriend, actually.”

  “I see.” She runs a finger along the top of a box. “Is he there now?”

  “Let’s see.” I clear my throat. “Yo, Adam! You here?”

  Silence.

  I smile on my way toward the kitchen. “He’s not here.”

  She hums again, just as pleased. “And you’re staying?” she asks. “All by your lonesome?”

  “Good location,” I say, setting my bottle of liberated whiskey on the counter. “Rent’s fair.”

  She leans against the kitchen doorway, seemingly satisfied with the reply. Either she’s respecting my boundaries or she doesn’t actually care. Neither of which would surprise me. This obviously isn’t her first rodeo.

  It’s not mine, either.

  I snatch two glasses from the cupboard and open the freezer for some ice, feeling her eyes on me the entire time. “So, what brought you to the bar tonight?” I ask.

  “I needed a drink.”

  “Well, I know that.” I fill the glasses. “But why Bruno’s? I’ve never seen you in there before.”

  “Oh.” She sighs and pops off the doorframe, her shoes gently clacking along the linoleum floor toward the counter. “It was within walking distance of my sister’s place.”

  “Not yours?”

  “No, I don’t live here. Anymore. I grew up in the area, but I moved out east first chance I could. I’m just visiting now.”

  “Out east where?”

  “Boston.”

  “Living the dream.”

  She chortles. “If only. I’m usually a drink at home alone kind of girl, but her place felt awfully crowded tonight, so…”

  I nod with understanding as she takes a slow sip from her glass.

  “Mmm.” She smiles. “Joey the bar guy knows his booze.”

  “It’s a job requirement,” I say, taking a sip of my own.

  “Makes sense.”

  We lock eyes for a moment. Then another. And another. Clearly, we’re both wondering how long we can delay the inevitable here. I think to lean in and kiss her just to get it over with, but she spins away from the counter and walks off to explore the rest of my apartment.

  I let her wander, watching her as her hips sway in those tight jeans. My cock twitches in mine. Jenny isn’t quite like anyone I’ve encountered before, which is ironic, considering there’s another version of her out there on campus. She’s confident, that much is obvious, but there’s a sharp vulnerability beneath it she probably doesn’t let out very often. Her confidence stems from her looks alone. I can’t argue with that, though. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off her since she walked into the bar.

  “Oh, A-dam!” she sings as she knocks on the first wide open door in the hallway. His bedroom is empty, so her voice echoes a little before vanishing. She pokes her head into the bathroom, too. Also empty. “Not here…”

  I follow her, taking my drink and the bottle with me.

  She halts in my bedroom doorway and turns to look at me. “You’re left-handed,” she says.

  I blink. “How did you know?”

  She smiles and takes another slow drink, filling the time with as much silence as possible. “Just a wild guess,” she says.

  “How?”

  “You stack your dishes on the left side of your sink.” She gestures toward the bathroom. “Your toothbrush is hanging on the left side, too. At the bar, you stirred my drink with your left. Also, you’re currently holding your drink in your left, which more or less confirms my suspicions and — come to think — you waved me into the bar with your left arm, too.”

  I step closer to her. “Impressive. You have a good eye for details.”

  “I’ve been told that.”

  “I bet that comes in handy in your line of work.”

  “More or less.”

  “I’m going to kiss you now.”

  “Joey, I’ve wanted you to kiss me since you flashed me at the bar.”

  I lean in, taking what she so clearly wants to give. Our eyes stay open until the last possible moment before our lips touch. There’s no hesitation in her kiss, no moment of doubt. My pulse races, firing blood throughout my limbs as I press her little body against the doorframe.

  She chuckles softly and looks up at the ceiling, exposing her neck. I take a soft nibble out of her skin. My nose twitches, the scent of her hair overwhelming. I pull her a little closer to me as she empties the last of her drink down her throat. I taste the whiskey on her lips. It mixes with the sweetness of her. My cock grows harder, if that’s even possible.

  Another chuckle escapes her throat, and she purposefully grinds her hips against me, firing sparks throughout my groin.

  “Get on the bed,” I say.

  She moves with a wide smile, setting her empty glass on my desk as she passes by it. I follow her, watching the curve of her hip and the slouch of her shoulders as she sits. She settles by my pillows and leans back on her hands, staring at me with expectant eyes in the dark.

  I set the bottle down on the bedside table, but she picks it back up. She takes a swig, letting her lips purse hard against the bottle’s neck before she licks the rim.

  My cock bounces. “Lie back.”

  Her eyes never leave mine as she obeys, lying down with a firm grip on the bottle. “Just so you know,” she says, “if you’ve got a dirty mouth, I don’t mind.”

  I raise a brow. “Good.”

  She hums with amusement. “I knew it.”

  “Knew what?”

  “You spend your time listening to other people talk, talk, talk.” She smiles. “The quiet ones always have the best dirty mouths.”

  “Is that so?” I ask, leaning over her.

  “Show me what you got, Joey.”

  I lay my nose against her neck to inhale a little more of her. “I will. But first,” I say, kissing her collarbone, “my tongue is about to get a little too busy to talk.”

  I raise her shirt, exposing her navel. My ears ring with that delightful laugh of hers as I make my way down.

  I snatch the whiskey from her limp fingers and take a drink, letting a bit of it gather on my tongue. It spills onto her skin. I lick it off her as she combs her finger through my hair. A quiet shiver runs through her body, making her tremble. I slip her shirt over her head before I bury my face in her cleavage, taking what I’ve wanted since she exposed herself to me at the bar.

  Her taste blends with the alcohol on my tongue. I cup her breasts, pulling the straps down to find a hard nipple. She lets out a soft moan as I dig my teeth into it, sending a wave of heat through my groin.

  “Just so you know,” I say, sliding off the bed onto my knees, “if you’re a screamer, I don’t mind.”

  She laughs hard as she throws her bra to the floor. “Good.”

  I pull her jeans down to her ankles. She points her toes, helping me remove them and I toss them aside. “Well, my neighbors might,” I add.

  “I don’t mind an audience.”

  “I do,” I say, holding her eyes. “When you’re here, you’re mine.”

  It’s a ballsy line, I admit. But I get the feeling this girl will like it.

  Without a word, she spreads her thighs. She reaches for me, pulling me in for a hard kiss.

  Jackpot.

  I lay my hands on her. Smooth skin against calloused fingers. Her tongue massages mine. I linger between her knees, wanting to throw them over my shoulders and take her.

  Finally, she lets go of me and takes hold of the whiskey instead, bringing it to her lips to tease me with yet another image of her suckling the tip. I bite my lip, curbing the throbbing in my jeans in favor of serving her first.

  I hook her panties and pull them down. She lies back, completely naked on my bed. I take a moment to admire her perfect body. Pale skin, perky breasts. A roller-coaster ride of curves from head-to-toe. I salivate for her. I yearn for just one taste, but it’s hard to decide where to go first.

  I lick her inner thighs. Her body quivers with anticipation, wanting it as badly as I do. I take it slow, painfully slow.

  She runs her fingers through my hair, clawing at the back of my neck. “Joey,” she mewls, her breath full of lust.

  I can barely make out her face in the dark, but I can tell she’s smiling. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. What did I do to deserve this beautiful creature in my bed tonight?

  Don’t know. Don’t care.

  Whatever the answer, I plan on making this last all night long.

  CHAPTER 3

  DAISY

  One-night stands are easy. Simple. You tell me what you like. I’ll tell you what I like. As long as we’re both cool, we’ll both win in the end.

  And I can already tell that Joey the bartender will be very, very cool.

  Five minutes in and his head is already between my thighs. His lips caress my skin, sparking heat throughout my core. He moves with closed eyes in the dark, knowing when to kiss and where to lick. How to tease. It’s almost too much, but not nearly enough. By the time he hovers over my clit, I’m throbbing. Aching. Dying to be touched and taken or straight-up fucking destroyed.

  He chuckles, his voice deep. “You need it bad, don’t you, Jenny?” he asks.

  I shudder. “Been a minute since the last time,” I say.

  “How long?” He kisses my inner thigh, his nose practically bumping my mound, and I twitch. “How long since you’ve been fucked?”

  “Oh, that’s not too long,” I say. “I mean, it’s been a while since someone’s…”

  “Oh,” he says, understanding.

  “Yeah.”

  “Those selfish fucks.”

  “That’s what I've always thought.”

  He plants another long kiss, his tongue poking out as he shifts to the other thigh. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that with me,” he whispers. “Because this is my favorite part…”

  Pleasure surges through me the instant his tongue touches my clit. I twitch with laughter, spreading my knees wider. He licks slowly at first, a cruel tease that spreads up my spine. I moan, my back arching. He places a hand on my belly to hold me down as his tongue flicks faster. I squeeze his hair, unable to do anything else but breathe.

  “Damn, Joey,” I say, his name a mix of laughter and passion on my tongue.

  He doesn’t reply. He merely sucks on my clit and sticks his tongue deep inside of me.