6. Offside #2
Following her easy shrug, that wicked corner of her mouth quirked up. “Guess we’ll find out. Break it down.”
He ran her through the basics, the rhythm, the principles she may not have realized went on behind the scenes. “Because you don’t have a food handler’s card, I’ll bring out all the food, but you can handle the rest?”
She mock saluted. “Absolutely.”
Leading the way back into the restaurant, she headed out first. Exhaling as he watched those hips sway with each step, his name stamped on her back… maybe Tara was right. He needed a fling.
Haley had mentioned divorce. A nasty one at that. Sucked, but good chance she wasn’t looking for anything serious either.
Halseth’s was hopping, and Haley brightened the place with that fearless manner and wholehearted laugh.
She made it look easy and, well, fun. Nothing seemed to get under that porcelain skin of hers.
Stereotypes painted porcelain as flawless and easily shattered, but Haley proved that meant she was tough as steel.
By six o’clock, when families with kids under twenty-one could still come in, Haley handled picky eaters and messy tables with ease.
As one toddler threw his milk at his mom, testing the mother’s patience more than most would be able to handle, Haley appeared behind the little guy with a distracting peek-a-boo.
Popping in front of him, then disappearing behind him again, she had his stuffed animal—and source of the outburst—playing a goofy game before returning it to his sticky arms. With her other hand, she delivered a fresh Halseth’s shirt and a handful of wet napkins to the equally sticky, milk-soaked mom.
The dad immediately pulled out his wallet to pay for the shirt, but Haley shook her head. “That one’s on me.”
Breezing from table to table, Haley never ran out of energy. Or patience. If she did, she refused to let it show.
By eight o’clock, as she closed out a group of inebriated hikers, a sloppy brute grabbed her ass.
A pissed-off growl rumbling deep in his chest, Finn tossed down his towel and headed their way.
Before he reached them, he watched as she slipped out of the asshole’s reach and growled a good one of her own, “Dude, really? Has that ever worked? Ever, in the history of come-ons?”
Blushing, the drunkard shook his head, the others at the table glaring at him, frowning in frank disappointment.
Haley finished her set-down. “Next time try to use your words and tell a woman you like her. Trust me, you’ll fare much better.” She waved at the rest of the table. “You guys have a great night. If it’s not already on your agenda, check out Sundown Trailhead. The incline is steep but worth it.”
Backing up, Finn tried to get back behind the bar before she realized he’d been coming to the rescue. Too late, she turned and ran right into him. Slamming into his chest, she caught herself, her hands pressed against his abdomen.
Inhaling sharply, he tried to say something, but exhaled with a laugh. “Sorry. Thought you might need some back-up, but you got it.”
She looked up, those cobalt eyes locking onto his and that adorable lopsided grin about knocked him on his ass. “Thanks for the assist, but not my first foul.” Biting her lip, she added, “What’s the penalty for roughing the passer?”
Chuckling, he stood as still as possible, fearing she’d move her hands when she realized she was still touching him.
“Really, I think you just have to know if you’re offsides or not.
” He wanted to holler to the asshole that had grabbed her ass at the difference.
Or knock him upside the head. Or make his knee bend the wrong direction.
Taunting him, her hands lingered on his waist as she brushed past.
The pace was steady right up until closing.
Zoe had shut down the kitchen an hour before.
Drying off her hands and tossing the towel at Finn before heading out, Zoe nodded.
“Thanks again, Haley. Let me know if you need any help moving furniture; there are four of us Halseths and we know how to work. Like you. We owe you big-time.”
When had they had time to talk? Zoe flashed him a wink as she escorted the last of the customers out the door, flipping the sign to closed and locking up on her way out.
While he wiped down the bar and sealed everything up for the night, Haley disappeared to the supply room and reappeared with the mop.
“I can get that,” he said with a nod. “You’ve already done so much. Really. I can’t thank you enough.”
She grinned back. “If there’s one thing I do know how to do after the last few weeks of my life, it’s clean.”
“Well, when you’re done there, I have to share a bathroom with Zoe, and she leaves her crap everywhere…
” Shit, he almost invited her to come over tonight.
That would have been the world’s worst pick-up line of all time.
Come on over and clean my bathroom, and I’ll clean your…
Nope, there’s nothing sexy about any of that.
Haley seemed to catch the terrible line and laughed, sweeping the mop side to side as she glided across the floor. “Sorry, bub. You’re on your own there. I used to hire a cleaning service. Times have changed.”
Ducking into the kitchen for a moment, he muttered on his way out. “Same here.”
When he reappeared, she stood in the corner, wet floor all around. Looking around at her predicament, she threw her head back and laughed out loud. “Rookie mistake. Mopped myself into a corner.”
“Need a rescue?” Not that she’d needed one before, and he suspected she preferred to claw her own way out of about any predicament.
“Nah, I got this.” She shifted the bucket ahead and tiptoed out, mopping her way out of the corner and over to the edge of the bar. Pleased with herself, she leaned the mop handle against the wall and stood with her hands on her hips like a superhero.
Chuckling, he stepped closer. She grinned up at him as he approached.
Damn, when was the last time a woman had looked at him like that?
Like he was a juicy steak. Not in a creepy piece of meat way, but that he was done exactly right, exactly the way she wanted.
Okay, he’d spent too much time helping his dad and Evan smoking meats lately.
He stopped inches away, needing her to make the next move.
Shifting from superhero pose, her hands moved to his waist, her fingers trailing along his abdomen. Inhaling sharply, he stilled. Through the jersey fabric, her touch left a blazing fire in their wake.
Looking up at him, the corner of her mouth quirked into a flirty smile.
Leaning in, he splayed his hand over her low back and hauled her against him. Her hand reached up and gripped the back of his neck, enticing him down until their lips met.
Detonating on impact, the supple spice of her lips, the velvet of her tongue melted away his hesitation. Angling his mouth with hers, he intensified the kiss. Hands encircling her waist, her hips, their mouths never parting, he scooped her up and set her on the bar.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and tugged him against her. Hands embedded in his short hair, she gasped as he kissed along the line of her jaw, nipping her ear before moving onto her neck. Tasting her skin, trailing his tongue down the pulse of her neck, he stalled when he met t-shirt.
Damn, he might have tugged it right off her if he hadn’t remembered where they were. Hell, anyone walking by could see exactly what they were up to. And neither of them needed that kind of attention right now.
Both breathless, he scooped her down from the bar. She tossed her bangs out of her face and grinned up at him. The easiness, the lightness of her demeanor broke down the last of his barriers.
He laughed out loud. “Sorry, I, uh… you know.”
“Yeah, wow,” she laughed. “I’m sorry. As previously mentioned, I’m in the middle of a nasty divorce and apparently needed a little release, and not just of the rock-throwing variety.”
“I know the feeling. Last six months of my life have been, well, weird as fuck. Not in a good way. And, not even close to the worst of it, my girlfriend just dumped me. So, yeah, I’m with you. Pent up.”
“My friend says I need a rebound. Honestly, not something I’d considered, or would ever ask of someone as that’s awfully pressuring—”
“Yes please,” he blurted out. Stepping back, he leaned against the counter behind him.
“That came out wrong. I mean, I’m not looking for anything either, but I really like it when you come in here and visit with me, distract me from everything else.
So if you’re asking me to be your rebound, I’m open.
I mean, shit, this is why Zoe and Tara are telling me I need a fling; I don’t even remember how to talk to a woman. ”
She grinned. “I like the way you talk to me. And kiss me.”
“That too.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Nice work tonight. My head was about to explode when you appeared.”
“You were right, it was hard, but exactly what I needed. I am officially in a good mood.” As if startled, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a stack of neatly folded bills. “I’m not sure how this is done, but I am aware splitting our tips is a thing.”
“Keep it, you earned it.”
“I’m not keeping it all. That would be weird.”
“As you’re not on the payroll, why don’t we call it even? Whatever it is, it’s not even half of what you deserve, saving my ass like that.”
“Seriously, this is a huge wad of cash I wasn’t looking for. Let me take you out to dinner sometime? Like a rebound thing, nothing serious, as I’m telling you up front, I’m still recovering from unsportsmanlike conduct.”
“God yes. You let me know if I make any false starts.” Damn, she was exactly what he needed. Hot, honest, and full of football references. He stepped forward and hooked his hand into her belt, tugging her closer.
Tracing his thumb along her jawline, he brushed his lips over hers.
Kissing him back, she trailed her hands over his shoulders, teasing her fingers along his skin under his sleeves. Pulling back, her eyes were as clouded as his. “’Night,” she whispered, disappearing to the back to grab her purse.
He let her out the front door, watching her strut across the street and climb safely into her car.