I smiled at Austin, warmth radiating through my chest. “Grab life by the balls.”
“Hear, hear.” Sasquatch lifted his beer again.
“Christ,” Niamh said, clearly responding to Sasquatch. “So what’s the story, then, Jessie?” Niamh pushed her finished drink forward, and Austin went to grab her another one. “Should I pick out another date for ye or what?”
“No. God no.” I rolled my eyes as Austin deposited her drink. “I need a break from all that. I don’t mind meeting new people and learning about them, but I’m not so much into the forced small talk and having the same date over and over—”
“What do you mean, having the same date over and over?” Austin asked, pointing at someone who’d just raised their hand to get a drink.
“Bud,” I heard.
“I got it,” Paul told Austin.
I tossed up my hands. “It’s always the same kind of date. Get picked up, check each other out, have dinner, get weird about the check, and maybe go for drinks. Or in my situation, bomb out and say goodbye and then have drinks with your buddy. Repeat. I could probably plan something more interesting, but then there’s that stigma about a girl being too pushy or bossy, so I just take their suggestions and… Boring. I suppose it’s my fault, but it’s still boring. I need a break. Maybe I’ll find someone naturally. Like someone who comes here.”
Sasquatch huffed, and I was pretty sure I heard, “Fat chance.”
“I could do better.” Austin flung a bar towel over his shoulder.
“That right?” I took a sip.
“Yes. I could take you on the perfect date.”
“There is no perfect date.”
“Each person has a perfect date. I bet I could figure out yours.”
“Be careful about accepting a wager on this one, Jessie,” Niamh said. “He’s had more than a little experience with the ladies.”
The sparkle in Austin’s eyes dulled as he turned away to get a drink.
“Damarion had a lot of experience with the ladies, and his idea of romance was a live dick pic, so…” I brushed my hair away from my face, grinning. I’d told Niamh that story, and she’d laughed for ten minutes solid before making me tell it again. She couldn’t believe even a guy as tone-deaf as Damarion had thought that display would work. Mr. Tom had been incredibly insulted.
“A hundred quid says you flunk out, Austin Steele,” Niamh said, digging in her pocket.
“That’s alpha now,” Sasquatch corrected.
“Why doncha bugger off, ye maggot. Yer as annoyin’—”
“I thought you said not to bet?” I asked, exasperated.
“I did. But then ye got me thinkin’. You don’t settle for second best, now do ya? An’ I don’t think he pays attention to women half so well as he thinks he does. A hundred quid.”
“I don’t think you guys saw how awkward it was to work with Damarion after it didn’t work with Damarion,” I replied. “Austin and I are magically stuck together at this point—dating would be awkward at best, and it would make things miserable at worst. No way. I can’t jeopardize our working relationship for a muscle show. I need his help—things cannot get awkward.”
“I didn’t mean a date-date. I meant a friend date,” Austin said, his eyes sparkling again, a challenge burning within them. He shrugged. “It’ll be harmless fun. But it will still be perfect. I’ll take that bet.”
“Okay, but…no. No bet. It’s not going to happen. I’ll turn even a friend date into a disaster.”
“A perfect date doesn’t end in disaster.” Austin’s pecs popped again, catching my eye. I ripped my gaze away and scowled at his smiling face. “Come on. Go out with me, Jess. I’ll buy you something nice with the winnings.”
Those teasing blue eyes caught my attention and held it. Fire sparked to life in my core and burned white-hot in a way it wouldn't for a friend. I didn’t mean to accept, and I certainly didn’t mean to do it in such a sultry whisper. “Okay.”
The same fire I felt deep within me flared to life in his hungry eyes.
Before I could come to my senses and back out of the whole thing, the bar quieted down around us. Warning flared within me—a predator had entered our midst.
“Jaysus, Mary, and Joseph,” Niamh said in a release of breath.
The basajaun stood just inside the door, having had to stoop and practically crawl to get in, I wagered. Thankfully, the bar had really high ceilings.
A weathered red baseball hat sat crookedly atop his head, much too small. Two braids traveled from his chin to his chest, containing his beard. A little jean vest clung to his shoulders, the edges frayed, and a flannel sweatshirt was tied around his waist.
“Is this lad trying to fit in, or somethin’?” Niamh asked, the only one speaking.
Cedric stood just to the side of the basajaun, his hands loose and his wings fluttering. My bodyguard this evening, he clearly wasn’t letting his fear of the large and slightly unhinged creature get the better of him. I assumed the two gargoyles who’d been guarding the outside of the bar had taken up positions near the door in case something happened.