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I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, right.”
“I did tell you she's been encouraging me to...broaden my horizons.”
“Come on, Claire. There's no way Kara thought this was a good idea.”
She shrugs, making it clear her best friend doesn't approve.
“Kara's never been my biggest fan,” I say, saving her the admission.
“Well, you've always been a bit of a jerk,” she says with a crooked smile.
I can't help but tease her. “Can you imagine what would have happened if I'd been nice to you before now?”
“No.”
“Well, rest assured I'm about to start being very nice to you, so you're going to find out.”
I watch her throat as she swallows, pleased at how I affect her. She doesn't meet my eyes as she says, “You're almost done here, then?”
“We're about to start closing up and cleaning soon.”
“Anything I can do to help?” she asks, blushing.
I grin at her poorly concealed impatience before looking first at Mike and then at Ally. “We should have it sorted, but I'll let you know if anything comes up.” I can pretty much guarantee something will be coming up if I stand around much longer studying Claire and imagining what sorts of fun I could show her.
***
It's after two in the morning by the time I'm even close to being done with the cleaning. Since Rufus, the owner, trusts me implicitly, I'm the one in charge of most of the closing shifts. There is always a lot of work to be done, but the boss has a list of things that needs to be crossed off, making it easy to work through everything quickly and efficiently. It's the only time I don't mind being organised. Closing properly means the opening shift staff are better prepared.
I ask Mike to do the mopping and Ally to wipe down the benches and the tables and the bar stools.
After being continually distracted by the fact Claire is standing at the bar without underwear on and that she reappliedher pink lip gloss when she went to the bathroom earlier, I decide to put my distraction to work. Since she's asked me several times if she can help, I ask her to clear the dishes out of the sink and fill the dishwasher. She calls me a taskmaster, but I can tell she's happy to help.
I actually love managing the bar. Aside from the extra cash it affords me, I enjoy motivating people. The people I work with like their jobs, and I hope I'm at least part of the reason why. I try to keep things fun and easy while still getting the job done.
Over the past year, Rufus has dropped plenty of hints about wanting to sell up and retire. I know the boss would be a happy man if I bought the place, but I don't have that kind of cash. I've been saving up for my world trip for a while now and buying a bar is well and truly out of my budget. Besides, as much as I love the bar and my job here, I love it because I know I can walk away from it at any time. It's never going to keep me locked down. I don't owe anyone anything but a couple of weeks' notice if I want to leave. I like that feeling. It makes me comfortable. If there is ever any stress, or I decide I don't like what I'm doing, I can just leave.
Claire, on the other hand, has devoted her life to stress and hard work. Well, until now, apparently.
Once I'm satisfied I have almost everything covered, I send Ally and Mike out the door. But not before Mike can tease me about wanting to be alone with Claire.
Unfortunately, it didn't escape Mike's notice just how hot Claire looked tonight, or that I had my tongue down her throat while we were supposed to be working. My bartender has been pestering me all night with questions about whether Claire is my friend or girlfriend or something else entirely?
“Let's just say I'm into her and that's all you need to know,” I told Mike after it became apparent the questions would never end.
It was the first time I'd ever decided not to use Austin as a reason why a guy shouldn't pursue Claire.
She must have heard my answer because she stopped what she was doing and looked over her shoulder at me, giving me a smile that was both sweet and sexy all at once.
As I finally lock the door behind Mike and Ally, I'm extremely aware of the fact that I'm now alone with Claire.
She exits the kitchen just as I walk into the bar area to go look for her.
“It's late,” she says.
“Yep.”
“Are we alone?”
