“Yeah, you said you’re some kind of scientist, right?”
“Biochemistry is my background.”
The waitress set drinks in front of them, and Hayden grabbed hers and took a greedy gulp. “Very nice,” she said.
“What’s in that?”
She had no idea. She picked up the menu again. “Rum. Lime juice. And mint.”
Will nodded.
A tingling at the back of her neck had her lifting her head and staring at the wall. No…there was no possible scientific explanation for feeling like someone was looking at you…specifically, Beck.
She had to prove this to herself, so she turned her head to look at the bar. Her gaze slammed into Beck’s dark eyes. He had both hands on the bar, planted wide apart, and was frowning at her.
Her insides went shivery and tight at seeing him. Goddamn, he was beautiful. That dark hair pulled back emphasized his sculpted cheekbones and deep-set eyes. Her belly did a couple of backflips.
Well, she couldn’t ignore him. So she attempted a smile and a casual wave of her fingers that probably looked awkward as fuck.
Chapter 10
Beck stared at Hayden sitting at a table with that guy. Beck didn’t know his name but he recognized him from the tasting last weekend. He and his friend had been chatting up Hayden’s friend Carrie, and then she’d joined them. He’d watched her laugh and flirt with them, after he’d just had explosive, mind-blowing sex with her, and it had pissed him off.
It pissed him off even more to see her with him again.
What the fuck? How had this happened?
Without thinking, he rounded the end of the bar and stalked over to their table. Hayden had just opened her mouth to say something when he came to a halt beside their table. “Well, hi,” he said, trying for a smile but knowing it probably looked like a snarl. “Good to see you back at Conquistadors.”
Will leaned back in his chair and smiled at Beck. “Hey, Beck.”
Asshole.
“I’m disappointed you aren’t drinking tequila.” Beck’s gaze swept over the table.
“We may have to do that,” Will said. “I really enjoyed the Sauza.” He looked at Hayden. “Which one was your favorite?”
“The, uh, Don Julio…” Beck had asked her that exact question. And then he’d taken her back to the office to let her taste something even better…and oh yeah, tequila too. Her cheeks went red and he knew she was thinking the exact same thing.
Her eyes met Beck’s and he felt the jolt of heat in his groin. She quickly looked away. His smile grew tighter. “Well, enjoy your drinks.” He narrowed his eyes at them both and turned back to the bar.
Jesus.
He tried not to watch them as he looked after customers, pouring beers and tequila shots, mixing drinks, wiping glasses, but it was hard to keep his gaze from returning to them. She looked so goddamn pretty, her hair loose tonight, long and silky straight down her back, wearing a top that left her slender arms and shoulders bare. He wanted to run his hands over her skin and lick her everywhere.
His insides got tighter and a feeling of pressure rose inside him. As he wiped off the counter, he watched Hayden laugh at something the douchebag had said.
Then she got up from the table, picking up her purse. Were they leaving? No. She was heading toward the bathrooms.
Perfect.
She passed by the end of the bar and he marched after her, oblivious to customers. Just as she reached the ladies’ room, he caught up and curved his fingers around her upper arm. She started and jerked around to see Beck right behind her. “Oh!” Her eyes went wide.
“Come with me.” He accompanied his terse command with a firm grip on her arm as he led her down the hall. She didn’t try to fight it, tripping along with him into the office. He shut the door behind them and turned to face her, setting his hands on her hips. “What are you doing here with him?”
She stared at him. “I’m babysitting him. What does it look like I’m doing?”
His eyebrows lowered even more. “It looks like you’re on a date with him.”
“I guess you could call it that. He invited me out for a drink.”
“Fuck that.”
“What? What? You have no say in who I date.”
His back teeth ground together. “I don’t like it.”
“Why?”
A muscle twitched in his cheek. Yeah, why didn’t he like it? That was a good question. “I don’t know. But I don’t like it.”
She had to laugh. “It seems like you’re jealous.”
“I don’t get jealous.”
“Then you’re just being a dick.”
He glared at her. Ah hell. She was right. His lips twitched. “Yeah, I am, aren’t I? Shit.”