“Good afternoon,” she chirps, over pronouncing ther. “I’m Thalia. Can I get you anything to drink?” She whirls her dark curls over one shoulder, eyeing my brothers before she turns to me with a tight-lipped smile that reaches her happy eyes. They’re darker than mine, like roasted hazelnuts.
“You’re new here, babe,” Shawn drawls, moving toward her slowly. “I’ll give you a quick rundown before the vultures surround you. I’m Shawn. These are my brothers: Logan, Theo, and Nico. We play eighteen holes every Sunday at noon and go through beer fast, so try to find us every half an hour.”
My gaze drops from her face to her luscious rack bunched up in a tight, beige polo shirt and lower to those alluring round hips, thick thighs, and long, smooth legs. The crop top she wore last night, flaunting her olive skin, flickers on the edge of my mind. I couldn’t stop staring at her all night.
Looks like I’m not doing any better today.
Eye candyis what Jared calls the cart girls. He only hires young, pretty babes as those keep the members happy. He sure scored big time with Thalia. She’s exotic. Her unconventional beauty shines like the goddamn lighthouse of Alexandria.
“I’ll keep you well hydrated,” she says, rounding the cart to open a cooler at the back. “What can I get you?”
“Water, two Bud Lights, and a Corona.”
She turns around, giving me the perfect opportunity to admire her ass. Round, bouncy... I bet she’d squeal if I’d bite her. It’s not like I unnoticed the perfect, upside-down heart after I saw it jiggle when she showed me what running in heels looks like. I’m a guy, and the brain-melting curve of her hips draws my eyes. My whole fucking body is drawn to her.
“You’re awfully fresh for someone who drank four caipirinhas last night,” I say, ever so casual.
“Have you ever tried Ouzo?” she asks, huffing out a shallow, soft burst of laughter, a hint of delight in her voice as she continues, “Greeks usually drink that neat, and we drink a lot. Four caipirinhas won’t make me tipsy, let alone unwell.”
“How are you finding Newport so far?” Nico asks, taking the Corona she holds out to him, her arm arrow-straight as if she doesn’t want him invading her personal space. “I bet you enjoy working here. European chicks always make a killing in tips.”
“I love Newport, and the tips are great,” she admits, her tone reserved, hinting she’s uncomfortable around Nico.
Most people are.
Shawn picks up on her hesitation too. “I guess Cassidy fed you a few horror stories about us.”
Thalia shakes her head, cheeks blushing a faint shade of pink. “No. She hasn’t said much. Only that you four will be the best-behaved ones today.”
Bullshit. But I got to give it to her; she lies like a pro—maintains eye contact, keeps a steady tone to her voice and her body language intact. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe her.
Cassidy’s stories are gore. They’re mostly made up, but it doesn’t matter. She hates our guts. She jumped in my bed an hour after we met at one of the many bars in the city, then tried her luck with Logan a week later.
Wrong order...
She would’ve gotten much more out of Logan than she did out of me. He was really into her, and not in a hit-it and quit-it kind of way. They went out a few times, and he took her to dinner, which had never happened before. Too bad he only admitted he was interested in Cass outside the bedroomafterI told him I’d already fucked her. If he told me sooner, I would’ve kept my mouth shut so they could work shit out themselves.
Knowing your brother fucked the girl you like puts a damper on thelike.
Needless to say, it didn’t work out between them.
“Aww, babe, don’t do that,” Shawn tsks. “I know Cass too well to believe that, however truthful it rang. Strike one. Make sure you don’t reach three. It’d be a shame if you were demoted, babe. Tips ain’t that good during the week.”
Thalia draws her thick eyebrows together, lips falling apart a bit. She looks ready to bite Shawn’s head off, but she changes her mind at the last second, rolling her shoulders and standing taller. The annoyed grimace softens, transforming into what looks like a well-practiced, neutral expression, and she flashes us a cute smile that makes me want to fucking sing.
Great acting skills.
The fire burning in her eyes betrays she has a snarky remark up her sleeve, but she knows mouthing off to a member is not a wise idea. “I’ll do my best.” She hops behind the wheel, tugging the short skirt down. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”
“Make it twenty,” Nico says, already halfway through his Corona. “It’s way too hot today.”
He’s usually the first one to hit on tall, dark-haired beauties. Lucky for me, he told me last night that Thalia doesn’t strike the right chord, and he doesn’t fuck them unless they pique his interest.
We resume the game andnew topic.
“Dibs,” Logan says in an urgent, clipped tone. “I call dibs.”
Derisive laughter bubbles in my throat. Cheeky fucker. He loves blondes, so I’ve no idea what he’s playing at right now. Besides, too little too late. I was here first. “She’s not your type, Logan. And house rules—no dibs on chicks.”