“It sounds like I underestimated you.” The bartender’s eyes filled with masculine approval before he turned to get my shot.
In the short time it took for him to grab the shot glass and bottle, Mr. Dangerous made his move, sliding into the seat next to mine. “Put ‘em on my tab,” he instructed as the bartender set my shot in front of me.
“Sure.” The bartender’s disappointment was clear in his voice and with the way he stiffly walked away to make my margarita.
I didn’t say a word, instead opting to sip at my DeLeon. I savored the lightly sweet vanilla and roasted agave flavor, balanced out by a touch of black pepper.
“No salt and lime to go with your shot?”
“It isn’t that kind of tequila. Something you’ll discover when you see the bill.”
His eyes heated, and he didn’t seem to care how much he’d just dropped on my drinks. “So no body shots, then?”
I shook my head in the negative, but my tongue swept across my lips at the thought of licking salt off his skin.
“Such a shame.”
His husky tone sent shivers along my spine. He was even more dangerous than I’d originally thought, and I was damn lucky not to have met him in a professional capacity while I was with the agency. If I had, I wouldn’t have been able to consider giving in to the temptation he presented.
“Have a taste?” I offered him the glass with a small smile.
His fingers slid against mine as he took it from me. When he lifted it to his mouth, he twisted his wrist so he could drink from the same place where my lips had rested before his.
“Mmm. Sweet and spicy,” he murmured.
With the way he was looking at me, it was obvious that he was talking about more than the tequila. He moved with a subtle slide of his upper body, gliding a little closer to me when the bartender returned with my margarita and a black folder that he set in front of the man next to me. Mr. Dangerous flipped it open, chuckling deeply when he read the total, and slid his credit card out of his wallet to place it inside.
“You weren’t kidding when you said it wasn’t that kind of tequila.”
I was even more impressed when that was all he had to say about my expensive taste in alcohol. “I don’t make jokes very often.”
“That’s a shame, too.” He bent low and flicked his tongue at the salt on the rim of my margarita. “But what’s worse is that you haven’t told me your name yet.”
I took a gulp of my margarita, enjoying the way his eyes heated while he watched me lick the rim of my glass right next to where he’d done so. “Since I’m currently between jobs, I should properly thank you for saving me from my bar bill.”
“Come work for me.”
He was crazy hot, but apparently also just plain old crazy. “You don’t even know my name, or the kind of work I’m capable of doing.”
He lifted a brow arrogantly. “Give me your name, and we’ll solve the first problem.”
“Calista,” I replied with a soft laugh. “But that doesn’t fix the second issue.”
“Leave that to me. I’m the boss, so I’ll figure it out.”
“Is that what you want me to call you? Boss?”
“Fuck,” he groaned, leaning closer to me and setting his arm on the back of my stool. “That sounds good coming from your pretty little mouth.”
“Then I guess it’s too bad for you that I already have a quasi-interview for a job I’m guaranteed to be offered tomorrow morning.”
His hand slid up my back until he was gripping my neck. “Maybe we can find other occasions for you to call me boss then.”
“Aren’t you supposed to buy a girl dinner first?”
“You hungry?”
“Famished.”
But for more than just food. It was why I let him lead me out of the bar once I finished my margarita. Why I followed him to an amazing steakhouse but barely tasted the food. And why I invited him up to my room when he was seeing me safely back to my hotel after dinner.
“You sure you want me to come in?” He dropped his forehead to mine, his nose sliding against mine briefly as he backed me against the door.
“Yes.”
He moved an inch closer, my pebbled nipples brushing against his chest. “You know what’s going to happen if I go in there with you, baby,” he breathed against my lips.
With my hand behind my back, I slid my keycard into the lock and twisted the handle. We tumbled into the room as the door opened, and he kicked it shut behind us. With his arms wrapped around me and his mouth devouring mine, we staggered to the bed and crashed down onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs. We ripped at each other’s clothes, buttons flying everywhere. I enjoyed the feel of his skin under my hands, his hard muscles bunching as he moved.