Page 6 of Nuts

Although she was cute and had a magnificent athletic ass, I didn’t bother looking as she walked away. I found gawking at women to be the sure sign of a creep. Exposing them to my intellect, my sense of humor, or my wayward sexual taste seemed to be far more successful for me than anything.

With my boots propped on the chair beside me, I closed my eyes and relaxed in the warmth of the early afternoon sun. Living in southern California had its benefits, most of which had to do with the weather. Personally, living in the seclusion of Oregon, Idaho, or Wyoming would better suit me, but I realized I would never leave my home.

“Here you go.”

I opened my eyes.

Standing before me with my bottle of beer dangling loosely between her thumb and forefinger, she stood just beyond my arm’s reach. I lowered my boots to the concrete floor, turned to the side, and met the gaze of her glistening honey-colored eyes.

“Seems strange,” I said dryly. “Cute as you are, I would have guessed you’d to be taken.”

She tilted her head to the side. “Who says I’m not?”

“I do.”

She cocked her hip. “And why’s that?”

“Because you’re single. Either that, or you’re mentally separated from your partner.”

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.”

I took a sip of beer and then motioned to the seat across from me. “Have a seat.”

“I can’t. I’ll get--”

I pushed the chair I’d used as a footstool toward her with the heel of my boot.

She glanced over each shoulder, and then looked at me. “Just for a minute.”

I rested my forearms on my thighs, leaned forward, and locked eyes with her. “You’re an adventurous little bitch. I like that.”

She looked surprised. “Why do you say that?”

“Same reason I said you were single. Because you are.”

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.” She brushed her hair behind her ears. “You sure seem to think you know a lot about me.”

“I know people.”

“You think you know people.”

“I know enough about you that I asked you to sit down.”

“You’d probably ask anyone to sit down.”

I chuckled a light laugh and reached for my beer. “Obviously, you don’t read people as well as I do.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I’d rather sit here alone than have anyone join me. You haven’t worked here for more than a few days, but if you had, you’d know I come in here a couple times a week. Ask the other waitresses. If anyone is ever sitting here with me, it’s one of the fellas.”

A content look washed over her. Her eyes fell to my boots for an instant, and then she looked up. “So, why me?”

“We’re sexually compatible, that’s why.”

She let out a laugh and looked away. After regaining her composure, she began to twist her hair with her index finger. “How would you know that?”

“Like I said, I know people.”