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“Yes, sir,” I quipped, satisfied when a growl formed deep in his chest. I began to retreat, only for him to catch me by my arm.
“Don’t antagonize them, Ryder. They’re nervous enough.”
As if on cue, the bathroom door opened and a small, timid person poked their head through. They looked around sheepishly, then gave me a shy smile.Damn,they were cute. Having shrugged out of their oversized coat, Shiloh straightened the baggy t-shirt they wore and fully emerged. The tee nearly dwarfed their lithe frame, leaving me curious as to what was underneath. They brushed a strand of shaggy, light brown hair out of their face, revealing bright, curious eyes. Now that they were closer, I could see the hint of green mixed with the brown, giving their eyes a camouflage appearance. A smattering of freckles spread across their cheeks.
Turning back to James, I lowered my voice to a whisper. “No promises.”
Chapter 5
When I leftthe office and returned to the main room, Shiloh sat across from James in a booth along the wall. A mixed drink sat in front of each of them with glasses of water off to the side. James’s eyes met mine, and Shiloh turned to watch me approach the table—and their eyes traveled over my body.
“Keep staring like that and I’ll have to walk away again,” I teased, sliding into the booth next to James.
Shiloh’s cheeks flushed red and they buried their face in their drink. “I’m sorry! I’m so fired.”
“You’re not fired,” James assured them, his hand finding mine. I sat back, relaxing into his touch.
“I got caught blatantly checking out my boss. Can this get any more embarrassing?”
My face hurt from smiling.
“Relax, Shiloh, it’s Ryder—he loves the attention.”
Shiloh looked at me with those big, brown eyes… and turned even redder when I winked at them.
Oh, this is going to be fun.
“Like he said,” I drawled, “relax. I’m not your boss.” I took a sip from the drink James offered me.
Shiloh cocked their head in confusion. “You’re not?”
“Ryder’s my best bartender,” James offered.
I snickered. “I’m your only bartender.”
“Doesn’t mean Ihaveto say you’re the best, does it?”
“It does because I can mix circles around you and you know it.”
“Shut up and drink.”
James made me choke on my retort by tipping my glass against my lips, forcing me to either swallow the liquid or wear it. Shiloh’s attention bounced between us like they were watching a tennis match. I met their eyes and slowly wiped my mouth with my thumb, holding their gaze—until they quickly dropped it into their mojito.
“You don’t have to play shy with me,” I told them,instinctively reaching across the table to lift their chin.
My hand was snatched out of the air by James, who tutted. “Ryder, you can’t just grab people and make them look at you.”
Shiloh’s head snapped up, and I admired the way their freckles stood out against the deep red of their cheeks. “It’s fine.”
“Don’t encourage him.”
I sat back with a grin. “Please encourage me. Can I call you Shi?”
“Um, sure.” Cheeks aflame, Shiloh’s enchanting eyes darted between us, finally settling on James.
James tangled our fingers together and placed our hands on my thigh, pinching me hard in rebuke. “Don’t be nervous, Shiloh. Most people learn to ignore Ryder or spit back at him. Don’t let him get under your skin. But if he does, I promise I’ll give you free drinks to throw in his face.” I winced and attempted to pry his hands away from the death grip on my thigh. Shiloh clearly thought the situation was hilarious.
I shot a glare across the table. “Keep laughing, Shi.”
