Chapter 6 Greer
Chapter six
Greer
I’m starting to wonder if I’ve died and I’m in some unique version of heaven that has a bunch of hot men everywhere.
I’ll admit, that would be a great heaven.
Or maybe it’s not heaven, and I’m in one of those cheesy Christmas movies where I think this is real but I actually got in a car accident and I’m in a coma in a hospital somewhere.
Morbid.
I take a sip of the espresso martini the bartender, Kai, made for me.
It’s incredibly delicious, and I find myself taking another few sips before I set it down on the bar.
The alcohol mixed with sugar and caffeine sends a jolt through my veins.
Not that I need it—I’m already feeling wide-eyed and alert after whatever that interaction was between Kai and the broody attractive man with eyes like the midnight sky.
When I watched them together and felt the intensity between them, the void in my stomach that had been growling for food growled for something completely different.
A flash of them together, with me between them, entered my mind like a vivid memory.
And maybe because he was also otherworldly attractive and made me feel things, but that man from earlier at the restaurant, the one with the evergreen eyes, was there, too.
He was watching us from a chair, his gaze ravenous and palm resting over the bulge in his lap.
I clear my throat and reach for my phone that I placed on the bar top.
I don’t need to be thinking about that. I’m only here until I can go home; the last thing that’s going to happen is an orgy, much less an orgy that feels directly out of the pages of the eroticas I read.
And definitely not in this small town right before Christmas.
I unlock my phone, shifting on the stool. There’s still no reception. Fucking great. I let out a dramatic sigh just as Kai walks over and places my food in front of me.
“You good?” he asks as I inhale the smell of truffle and garlic.
My stomach grumbles, and I nod, attempting not to think of him naked. “Fine, thanks.” I hold my phone up. “Do you have Wi-Fi in here? I can’t get a signal, and I’ve got some important work documents I need to get ahold of.” And I need to call that inn. I should have done that already.
“Sorry, no Wi-Fi available to the public.”
I frown, but unluckily for him, I’m not one who gives up easily. I transform my frown into a sultry smile. “Can you make an exception?” I lean forward a bit so he can see down the V of my shirt.
His eyes fall to the exposed skin, and he places his hands on the edge of the bar, leaning in as well so we’re not too far apart. “Sorry, Princess, no exceptions.”
My brow pinches. “I’m not a princess.”
He chuckles and stands up straight, his soulful brown eyes lit by the neon light of a sign behind me. “If you say so.”
I puff out a breath and attempt to keep a cool head. I may be particular about things and want what I want, but I’m not a princess.
I stare at him for a beat, and the corner of his lips tips up into a smirk.
He’s a bartender; he’s got to be used to people flirting to get what they want.
Free drinks, a night with him. I’m sure I can’t be the first to try to get the Wi-Fi password.
I decide it’s in my best interest to attempt a different tactic.
I turn my lips into a gentle pout, thinking of something sad.
Not a lot brings tears to my eyes, especially since I hate crying and emotions in general, so it takes me a second, but then I remember that commercial about animal cruelty that uses “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan.
I may not like being an emotional person, but I’m not a psychopath.
My eyes turn glossy, and Kai shifts awkwardly on his feet at my change in energy.
“Please, Kai.” My plea is soft and watery.
Maybe I missed my calling as an actress.
“If I don’t see those work documents, I could lose my job.
” That’s a lie. A complete lie. But he doesn’t know that.
“I also need to call the inn and see if they have any rooms. I don’t want to be left out in the storm tonight. ”
He runs a hand through his hair, and I track the movement. What I wouldn’t give to see if it feels as silky as it looks. I bet it smells nice, too.
No, Greer. Fucking focus.
“Your boss would really fire you at Christmas?” he asks.
What is it with everyone being so hung up on doing things like that around Christmastime? First Avery, then Holly, then Avery again, now him. I know it’s a holiday, but truly, it’s just another day on the calendar. And not everyone celebrates it.
“No,” I answer. My back straightens when I realize what I’ve said. My brain told me to lie, to say yes, but my mouth spoke the truth. What the hell?
Kai wets his lips. “You don’t need to call the inn. There are rooms available.”
I cock a brow at him. “How do you know that?”
“Because I live there. My friend owns it, and it’s close enough to the bar that I can walk to and from.”
I guess that makes sense, but that’s got to be expensive. Not that it’s any of my business.
“You really won’t let me use your Wi-Fi?” My question comes out high-pitched, and my lower lip juts out. Great, now I’m whining. I don’t whine.
Kai stares, arms still folded over his chest. “Are your work documents really that important to you? You haven’t even touched your food yet, and your fries are getting cold.”
Is he…concerned for me? By the wrinkles on his forehead and the lack of playfulness in his eyes, I’d say yes. God, this place is odd. I think I need to head to that inn and get some sleep even though it’s not that late yet.
“Yes, they’re important to me.”
He drops his arms and runs a hand through his hair again, blowing air through his lips. “Okay, I’ll give you the Wi-Fi password. But on one condition.”
I tap my fingers on the bar. “What is that?”
“You play a little game with me.”
“A game?
He nods, that playful smirk reappearing on his lips.
“What kind of game?”
“Truth or Dare.”
I laugh loudly, and the sound shocks me. When was the last time I’ve laughed like that, even if it was just at something ridiculous? I have no idea.
“Truth or Dare? Aren’t we a little old for that game?”
He chuckles, the sound warm like a cup of hot cocoa. “Never too old to play a game.”
“And why do you want to play Truth or Dare with me? Don’t you have work to do?”
He gestures around the bar, and I follow the motion. The place is empty now, including Mr. Broody. Only an empty whiskey glass is left behind.
“I’m all yours,” Kai says, voice low and rich.
Our eyes lock, and the attraction I felt before comes back. Or should I say makes itself known again. My heart picks up speed, and my hands become clammy with the unresolved sexual tension brewing. “I’m sure you have something better to do than play with me.”
“Nope.” He pops the P.
Heat rises over my neck, and I think over my options. Am I really going to play a game of Truth or Dare with a man I just met?
“Maybe I’ll just go to the inn and use their Wi-Fi,” I say.
He smirks. “Their internet is out.”
“You’re not serious.” I feel as if cold water has been dumped on my head. No internet? What the hell am I supposed to do?
“I am. The owner, Remi, has been meaning to get it fixed, but it’s not yet.”
I search his eyes and don’t detect a lie in them. I think of my email, of the documents I wanted to look through. I really do want the bar’s Wi-Fi password, more like need it.
I smile back at him with hooded eyes. Flirting a bit more could help my case along with the game. Plus, it’s fun. And when was the last time I had any of that?
“Okay, I’ll play.”
Kai raps his knuckles on the counter before he takes a clean glass and fills it with whiskey. He sips the amber liquid, the color of it matching his mischievous eyes. The column of his throat works as he swallows it down, and goddammit that should not be so hot, but it is.
I shift on the barstool from the arousal that zips straight to my core. When he takes extra care to swipe his tongue over his lips before setting his glass down, I know he did it on purpose, flirting back with me.
“What’ll it be, Greer, truth or dare?”
The sexy lilt in his tone makes my skin buzz as if there are a million fireflies attempting to break free from beneath the surface.
“Truth.”
He doesn’t twitch or blink. Instead, he smiles as if he knew that’s what I’d choose.
“What brought you to Elysian Pines?”
I nearly exhale a sigh of relief. Glad he didn’t go for some hard-hitting question. “I needed to take care of some work in Garland. Somehow, I got turned around in the storm and ended up here. Speaking of, I’ve never heard of this place, let alone seen it on my GPS before in my trips to Garland.”
“We’re off the beaten path.”
I think of how I never turned off the main road I came in on, that this place seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
But in the end, it doesn’t matter. I got out of the storm, and according to Kai, the inn has rooms open.
Maybe tomorrow, I can take a look around and see if Northlight could look into purchasing some buildings.
We could turn this town into the next charming ski town like Garland.
“That you are,” I answer him, picking up a couple of fries. I bite into them, the flavor of truffle and garlic exploding on my tastebuds. I moan at the earthy, sharp taste, and Kai shifts on his feet.
“Sorry, these are really good.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you like them.”
“Give your chef my compliments,” I say before stuffing a few more in my mouth, pretty ungracefully, I might add. Princess, my ass.
I eat another fry; those first few bites reminded me how hungry I am. After I clear a few more and take a couple bites of Caesar salad while Kai silently sips his whiskey, I realize it’s my turn to ask the question.
“Truth or dare?”
He sets his glass down. “Truth.”