“Yeah.”
She handed over the glass carefully, watching as he sniffed it before tasting it. He tipped his head as he passed it back over. “You’re right. It’s not too bad.”
“Can I ask you a question?” she said, moving her drink back in front of her.
“Can I stop you?” Otto asked philosophically.
She smiled. “You could leave.”
“True.” He looked her in the eye. “Ask me your question.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him out, but she decided to start on a more innocuous topic. “What drives a soccer player forward?”
“The goal line,” he said immediately, taking a drink of his beer.
“The goal line.” She sat up, a sudden idea percolating. Could it be that simple?
In her experience, it always was.
The most important thing was she knew exactly how to help Danny.
“That was just what I needed.” She tipped her glass back and took a big gulp of her martini, leaving the rest behind. Easing off the barstool, she reached for her coat. She grinned at Otto, who looked at her like she’d just sprouted horns. Laughing, she grabbed his face and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips.
He stiffened in his seat.
She rolled her eyes at his expression to cover up her hurt. No girl wanted the guy she’d just kissed to look likethat. “Relax. I was just—”
Before she could finish her thought, he cupped her jaw and kissed her back—slower, exploring as if she were as exotic and tasty as a new martini.
Oh my. Lottie put her hand on his chest, which was surprisingly firm and warm. She hadn’t felt a man’s body like this in longer than she carried to admit, so that was as much a shock to her system as the lovely way he was kissing her.
He broke off the kiss, his eyes filling her vision. “A man likes to make the first move, Lottie.”
“Noted,” she said faintly.
He nodded.
“I, uh, I’m going home to do some work,” she said, wincing at how lame that sounded.
But Otto just nodded again.
She began to button up her coat. “So, just to be clear, if a man wanted to ask me on a date, I would be thrilled.”
“Noted,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Hmm.” Frowning at him, she picked up her purse. Did that mean he was going to? “Okay then.” She set some money on the counter for Chris and then headed to the door.
“Lottie,” Otto called.
She looked over her shoulder.
“I like your dress.”
She felt her face heat up, blushing like a schoolgirl. She acknowledged his compliment with a tip of her head, hoping she looked regal, and strode out of the bar. She hurried home, partly because she wanted to start planning her next session with Danny and partly because she wanted to give a triumphant yelp.
Otto Waring had kissed her.
Grinning, she hugged her arms around herself and practically skipped the rest of the way home.