“You caught someone’s eye, girl. Good luck!”
Wait. No. I can’t do this. The bar in the VIP room is smaller than in the main area, where I saw at least two other bartenders working.
Right when I’m about to start hyperventilating, a solid body drops into one of the barstools, drawing my attention. The golden gorgeousness of my blonde Irishman is seated before me in all his glory. His eyes land on me, burning into my face.
A blush spreads across my cheeks as I carefully pour him the same whiskey I did this afternoon. When I place the glass on the bar in front of him, and he takes it, our fingers brush, making me feel like flames are licking over my face.
I’m wicked sure I owe getting this job to him. I was so confident about getting work as a stripper, but since they aren’t hiring new strippers, I wouldn’t have even made it through the Manager’s door without his interceding with Daryl.
Sipping his drink, he remains seated at the bar, watching me. I wonder if he’s in charge of assessing me for my review period.
I smile at him, but he doesn’t smile back, watching me with a serious expression in his emerald green eyes. I’m not entirely sure what it is about him, but I can feel his eyes in my panties when he watches me.
By the end of my shift, I’m convinced that women can get blue balls because, having experienced the heat of his gaze all night, I need him to throw me down and fuck me. Wicked hard.
“Great job tonight.” Arthur smiles at me, handing me a bottle of water after I finish wiping down the bar. “You’ll need to come in at two tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll run through stocking the bar and doing inventory.”
I still have a job tomorrow. Thank goodness for that!
“Thanks.” I beam at him. Today couldn’t have worked out better. A job right where I wanted one. I’m untouchable.
“I’ll walk ye out,” my gorgeous Irishman rumbles, a fluttering in my panties. Um. Yes, please. I flash an appreciative smile, trailing him out to the parking lot.
“I wanted to say thanks.”
He looks at me in surprise, reaching over and helping me into my coat, his hands smoothing the thick fabric at my shoulders. Oh god. More of that, please.
“Thanks for what, lass?”
Uh, everything?
“You know…because I’m pretty sure I only have this job because of you, so…thanks.”
He nods, lifting his hands off my shoulders and looking at the small number of parked cars in the staff-only parking lot.
“Which one is yers?” He gestures at the vehicles. I wish I had a car, but that’s a little out of my price range. Plus, there’s terrible parking near my apartment.
“I got the bus.” I shrug, pointing a finger at the bus stop across the road. “Have a good night.”
Throwing a smile over my shoulder, I glance at the road, but no cars are coming – it’s late, I wouldn’t expect it to be busy –and step off the curb.
His hand shoots out, grasping my upper arm and jerking me back to him. Shit. My breath hitches at the contact, especially since his eyes have been driving me crazy all night.
He notices my change in breathing, his emerald eyes darkening to jade as his eyes dip to my lips for the briefest moment.
“I’ll give ye a lift home, lass,” he rumbles. I shiver at the undercurrent of authority in his voice. “Ye’ll not be getting the bus at this time of night. Where d’ye live?”
“Southie.”
He doesn’t even blink, nodding and steering me into the staff parking lot to a dark SUV. He hits a key in his pocket, and the lights flash as it unlocks. I can’t believe he’s going to drive me to Southie. It’s so far.
Before I can ask him if he’s sure, he holds the passenger door open for me. Blushing, I grasp the door handle to climb in, swallowing a needy gasp as his fingers close around my elbow, helping me inside.
He waits until I clip the belt before he closes the door. It’s silent in the SUV as my eyes track his movement around the hood and watch him climb in.
“Where in Southie, lass?”
I’m sure I’m not supposed to give out my address to random men – Dad’s voice is quietly fluttering somewhere in the back of my mind – but it’s easy to ignore as I tell him what he wants to know.