Her earlier fatigue had vanished with a surge of adrenaline that had her alert and edgy. She served the players their drinks.
“What was the drink special tonight?” Hugh asked her, holding a menu card.
“Uh. Depressed Goalie.”
Brent Stoyko roared with laughter and punched Jared’s shoulder. “Asshole.”
Jared grinned.
“Tuesday’s drink special is named for me,” Hugh said with a smirk.
Amber’s brows drew together.
Hugh pointed at the menu card. “The Big Stick.” He winked.
Amber had to laugh. The other guys all made jeering noises. “As if,” Brent scoffed. “If anyone has a big stick it’s me.”
“That’s not the ‘stick’ I was talking about.” Hugh’s eyebrows waggled.
She rolled her lips in to keep from smiling at their inappropriate jokes. “Can I get you anything else?”
For some reason her eyes once again met Duncan’s as the words left her mouth. Heat flared, and she felt glued to the floor.
The rest of the guys answered, “Nothing for me,” “Good for now,” but Duncan said nothing, just watched her with those hot, interested eyes.
Then why the hell had he sprinted out of her apartment yesterday? And why did he keep scowling at her? What was this weird push and pull between them?
She stopped by the table of guys she’d first waited on. The man who’d ordered the Depressed Goalie cocktail had now consumed several of them and had been flirting with her mildly all evening. She wasn’t creeped out by him like she’d been by the guy last week. This dude hadn’t laid a hand on her, had just complimented her and chatted her up a little. He seemed like a nice guy, clean cut, wearing a good suit, though he’d ditched the tie. Some kind of businessman, she guessed.
“So, beautiful, how long have you worked here?” he asked now.
“Almost three whole weeks.” She flashed a smile as she picked up his empty. “Another drink?”
“Nah. I’ve had enough. We have to head out soon.”
She nodded. “I’ll get your check.”
“Thanks.”
She was at the computer at the end of the bar, printing out their tab, when the man approached her. “Hey. It’s been fun tonight, and you’re really sweet. Would you like to go out sometime?”
She bit her lip. If she turned him down, was that going to mean no tip? She’d been looking after them well all evening.
How awful was it for her to lead him on and make him think she might go out with him, at least until after he settled up the bill?
Her gut twisted a little. She didn’t like shit like this.
Then someone pushed the man aside.
Duncan.
“She can’t go out with you.” He lifted his square chin at the other man. “She’s taken.”
“Ah.” The customer nodded and held up two hands. “Sorry, man. No idea.” He cast her a regretful look as he walked back to the table.
Amber glared at Duncan. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Saving you. Again.”
“Bullshit, you’re saving me! You don’t know I needed saving! What if I wanted to go out with that guy?”
“Did you?”
They were nose to nose, almost the same height with her in heels, eyes flashing.
“Maybe I did. He seemed nice.”
“Fuck that.”
“You are unbelievable!” She curled her fingers into her palms and resisted the urge to scream. “Not only that, now you’ve probably wrecked any chance of getting a good tip from him.”
“You turned me down, but you’d go out with him?”
“I offered you coffee. You turned me down.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Well, maybe I have too.”
They stared at each other. Amber’s heart was racing, her breathing fast. She saw Duncan’s chest rise and fall rapidly too. His green eyes had darkened and his gaze dropped to her mouth.
Molten heat gathered between her thighs. Her lips parted.
“What does that mean?” His words sounded like a groan.
She blinked. “What does what mean?”
“You changed your mind. About going out with me? Or about offering me coffee?”
She moved her head slowly from side to side, mesmerized by his mouth moving and the husky, low tone of his voice. The way his eyelids now lowered. Goddamn he was sexy. “I don’t even remember,” she whispered.
“Good.” To her utter shock, he lifted a big hand, slid it around the side of her neck, and cupped her head, his thumb brushing just in front of her ear. “What time are you off?”
Chapter 8
Duncan felt Amber tremble against his hand. His thumb brushed over the softest skin and he watched a pulse flutter in her throat.