Slade checks to make sure he didn’t miss the trash in the kitchen. As rough around the edges as ol’ Rob may be, he is a stickler for empty waste bins. Grabbing a rag off the back counter, Slade leans over to wipe up the last of the water rings left from the evening’s pub hoppers that left just a few minutes ago.
The chairs are all stacked on the tables and the floors have been mopped. The scent of cleaning solution always makes his eyes water. That’s why he hates the closing shift. Not to mention the fact that he usually ends up missing the last train and is forced to pay through the nose for a cab back home. He can hear shouting on the street outside and looks up to see a cabbie paused just out front, leaning out his window.
It was easier getting to work when he could crash at his mate’s flat a few streets over, but now that Sean’s been shagging his new girl, Slade hasn’t been welcome.
He can feel the stretch in his back as he leans over to wipe the far end of the counter, going with the grain of the wood. Not that it really matters because of the sheen of gloss covering it. Almost done, he reminds himself as he glances behind him a the clock. 2:03 a.m. He’s missed his train.
He turns when he hears the bell over the front door ring. “Oy. Didn’t you see the sign? We’re closed.”
“I’m quite aware of that.”
Slade sinks into an overconfident grin as he eyes up the brunette standing before him. A narrow waist flares out into appealing hips and legs that just won’t stop. Shiny black heels help accentuate the woman’s sculpted calves. As he draws his gaze higher, he notes each curve until he reaches the firm frown on her otherwise attractive face.
“Are you done drooling yet?” she snaps, planting her hands firmly on her narrow hips.
“Almost.” He leans back against the bar to take in the full view.
The open collar of her buttoned blouse dips low enough to be tempting but reveals only a hint of flesh. Her straight black skirt falls just above her knees. It reminds him of a teacher he used to fantasize about back in secondary school… a very hot teacher.
She clears her throat and adjusts her black-rimmed glasses. They sit low on her nose and her brilliant blue eyes peer over the top at him. “I’m starting to think this might have been a mistake. You are obviously not who I was looking for.”
He struggles to comprehend this cryptic statement as she turns and heads back to the door. What the heck is she going on about? I’ve never seen her before in my life!
“Wait!” He rushes around the end of the bar. He has to at least find out what this is all about. He slows as she turns back to face him. “Were you looking for someone?”
“I was looking for Ender James. What I found is some pub ragamuffin who thinks he’s the world’s gift to women.” She wrinkles her nose with obvious disgust. “From a distance, you have the right look, but you obviously don’t know how to use it.”
“Now hang on a second.” His jaw sets in a hard, distinctive line as he approaches her. “You can’t just come in here and start tearing a bloke to pieces without even telling him your name.”
She forces a laugh before settling into a hard smile. He can see that she is debating whether to turn and walk right out the door or give him another chance. Judging by her closed-off posture, he has little shot of this going in his favor.
“Please,” he says. “I probably shouldn’t have been so obvious about checking you out.”
“Probably?” Her tight smile loosens just a fraction, so Slade takes that as a good sign.
“I’m really not a total prick,” he says, taking another step toward her. “Usually only about fifty percent on a good day.”
An inner glow appears in the woman’s eyes as some of the tension eases from her shoulders. “Well, I’ll give you one thing. You do know how to smooth talk a gal.”
Slade offers what he hopes to be an innocent shrug. “A guy’s gotta eat,
The chairs are all stacked on the tables and the floors have been mopped. The scent of cleaning solution always makes his eyes water. That’s why he hates the closing shift. Not to mention the fact that he usually ends up missing the last train and is forced to pay through the nose for a cab back home. He can hear shouting on the street outside and looks up to see a cabbie paused just out front, leaning out his window.
It was easier getting to work when he could crash at his mate’s flat a few streets over, but now that Sean’s been shagging his new girl, Slade hasn’t been welcome.
He can feel the stretch in his back as he leans over to wipe the far end of the counter, going with the grain of the wood. Not that it really matters because of the sheen of gloss covering it. Almost done, he reminds himself as he glances behind him a the clock. 2:03 a.m. He’s missed his train.
He turns when he hears the bell over the front door ring. “Oy. Didn’t you see the sign? We’re closed.”
“I’m quite aware of that.”
Slade sinks into an overconfident grin as he eyes up the brunette standing before him. A narrow waist flares out into appealing hips and legs that just won’t stop. Shiny black heels help accentuate the woman’s sculpted calves. As he draws his gaze higher, he notes each curve until he reaches the firm frown on her otherwise attractive face.
“Are you done drooling yet?” she snaps, planting her hands firmly on her narrow hips.
“Almost.” He leans back against the bar to take in the full view.
The open collar of her buttoned blouse dips low enough to be tempting but reveals only a hint of flesh. Her straight black skirt falls just above her knees. It reminds him of a teacher he used to fantasize about back in secondary school… a very hot teacher.
She clears her throat and adjusts her black-rimmed glasses. They sit low on her nose and her brilliant blue eyes peer over the top at him. “I’m starting to think this might have been a mistake. You are obviously not who I was looking for.”
He struggles to comprehend this cryptic statement as she turns and heads back to the door. What the heck is she going on about? I’ve never seen her before in my life!
“Wait!” He rushes around the end of the bar. He has to at least find out what this is all about. He slows as she turns back to face him. “Were you looking for someone?”
“I was looking for Ender James. What I found is some pub ragamuffin who thinks he’s the world’s gift to women.” She wrinkles her nose with obvious disgust. “From a distance, you have the right look, but you obviously don’t know how to use it.”
“Now hang on a second.” His jaw sets in a hard, distinctive line as he approaches her. “You can’t just come in here and start tearing a bloke to pieces without even telling him your name.”
She forces a laugh before settling into a hard smile. He can see that she is debating whether to turn and walk right out the door or give him another chance. Judging by her closed-off posture, he has little shot of this going in his favor.
“Please,” he says. “I probably shouldn’t have been so obvious about checking you out.”
“Probably?” Her tight smile loosens just a fraction, so Slade takes that as a good sign.
“I’m really not a total prick,” he says, taking another step toward her. “Usually only about fifty percent on a good day.”
An inner glow appears in the woman’s eyes as some of the tension eases from her shoulders. “Well, I’ll give you one thing. You do know how to smooth talk a gal.”
Slade offers what he hopes to be an innocent shrug. “A guy’s gotta eat,
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