“I-I-we still have the interview. I can’t do shots.”
“Sure you can. I insist.” He placed the glass in front of me, brimming with tequila. “One round.”
“Only one.” I held up my finger.
He laughed at the face I made when I swallowed the shot.
“That’s good stuff. What a face. It’s not like I made you drink vegetable oil.”
The tequila warmed me from the inside out. I was hot enough already after trying to stay out of the sun, chasing Mason Lachlan around, and now in dangerous territory with a professional flirt.
I tossed the lime on a napkin. I wasn’t sure if it made the tequila better or worse.
“Ahh, this is nice, isn’t it?” His eyes were focused on the horizon. Sailboats glided past us. Their lights brighter now that the sun had dipped below Port Isabel.
“It is. Do you spend a lot of time here?”
“I split my time between all of my assets. I’m based out of Dallas though.”
“And what do you do when you’re in South Padre?” I was certain the tequila had reached all the way down to my toes. Everything felt tingly.
“A little bit of this. A little business.”
“And which do you prefer?” The stubble along his chin darkened under the sunset shadow. It gave him a rough and athletic look. A twist after seeing him polished and professional all day.
“It sounds like you’re trying to interview me.” His gaze moved from the sailboat to me, and my breath caught in the back of my throat.
“I’m only trying to have a conversation. How do I do that without asking questions?”
“How about I ask the questions?” When he smiled like that I could see the straight lines of his teeth.
I laughed. “You want to interview me?”
He shrugged. “Until it’s your turn.”
The way my cheeks flushed was involuntary. I didn’t know how he did that. Everything he said was dripping with sex, without even mentioning it. I pressed my knees together.
“Ok. Let’s test your reporter skills. What would you like to know?”
He ordered another round, and I waited for his first question.
“Why would a pretty girl from Longmire drive all the way to this island for a job at an online business journal?”
It was the way he said pretty that made me smile. It was the second time he had mentioned it today. “That’s an easy one. I already told you. I needed a job.”
“Hmm. I think there must be more to it than that, Miss Paige. How about this one? Was there a guy involved?”
I tipped back the second shot of tequila. This one went down smoothly and I knew why Mason liked it. “You think I moved here for a guy?”
“It would make sense. What’s down here for someone like you?”
I didn’t know whether to be insulted or complimented. “I told you I moved for the job. It’s not really the time to be picky in the job market, especially for someone who just graduated. And no, there was no guy.”
“Was there a guy in Virginia?”
I shook my head. “Not for awhile. We broke up before the holidays.”
“Was it serious?” His eyes gazed heavily on my lips, and I couldn’t resist drawing my lower lip against my teeth.