Page 64 of Hot As Ice

I laugh. “I’ll pass.”

She sticks her tongue out at me. “Party pooper.”

I’m wearing a pink sweater with my jeans and boots since it rained earlier today and it’s starting to get quite chilly. But it’s that time of autumn that I absolutely love, with the leaves changing color and a nip in the air that makes you crave a pumpkin spiced latte the moment you wake up.

“We look so good,” Becca says as we stop to check ourselves out in the hallway mirror before heading out. She fluffs her hair and reapplies her lip gloss.

“Okay, let’s go Miss Dump Him,” I urge, grabbing her elbow. If I don’t drag her out, she’ll never stop staring at herself.

“I hope we see some cute guys tonight,” she says. We get into my car and drive over in less than ten minutes. Becca walks into the bar like she owns the place. I love her confidence. I try to copy her strut.

“Someone is on the prowl,” I tease her.

“I’m bored. I need some stimulation.” Her eyes scan the bar, no doubt looking for cute guys.

“I’m not sure your ‘Dump Him’ t-shirt is going to help you.”

She looks at me, eyebrows raised. “It’s a conversation starter!”

I can’t help but laugh. “I bet it is.”

She links her arm through mine. “Let’s go sit at the bar instead of getting a table. It’s better for flirting.”

I roll my eyes but follow her. Almost as soon as we grab some stools, two guys approach us. They’re objectively good-looking, but I couldn’t care less because Hunter is an absolute god next to them.

“Hi,” one of them says, smiling at me. I give a small smile back just to be polite. At that moment, the bartender comes over and asks me what I’d like. I turn my attention to her and order a lemonade.

“Just a lemonade?” the guy who smiled at me says. “Let me get you something stronger.”

“No, thanks, I don’t really drink alcohol.”

He looks a little too surprised at my statement. Not that I’m not used to it. People take it personally when you tell them you don’t drink. They might even make it their mission to try to get you drunk against your will.

“Seriously?” he asks. “Not at all?”

“I mean, sometimes, but very rarely.”

“Well, let today be one of those rare times,” he says, grinning and revealing a dimple in his left cheek. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. He probably thinks he’s so suave.

“I’m good, thanks,” I say. I almost want to tell him I have a boyfriend, except I’m not sure that I do? It’s not like Hunter and I are in a relationship. Unless you consider having a contract that lets me be his sex toy for money a relationship. I stifle a grin thinking about it.

Behind my persistent suitor, Becca is talking to his friend and full-on flirting, tossing her hair and practically batting her lashes at him. I take a sip of my lemonade and decide I should be nicer to the guy next to me.

“So, what’s your name?” I ask him.

“Derek. What’s yours?”

“I’m Stevie.”

“Stevie. That’s a cute name.”

“Thanks.”

“Would you like to go out sometime, Stevie?”

I assess him. He is a cutie. But, who am I kidding, I’m so sprung on Hunter. “I’m kinda seeing someone,” I tell him.

“Lucky him,” Derek says. “You’re the second pretty girl this week I’ve struck out with. Is it me?”