Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 104501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
He pulled out some bottles and placed them on the bar. “Okay. This.” He lifted the tequila bottle. “I am pouring for Caden. It looks like he needs some further encouragement, if you know what I mean.”
He winked at me, starting to mix. I didn’t know what he meant, and I was afraid to ask. Diego seemed in a mischievous mood. I feared what would come next.
“So.” He cleared his throat, finishing one of the drinks. “Tell me, querida, what is the latest development between you and my long-time friend outside?”
“Um…”
He paused, his gaze intent. “You don’t know, or you don’t wish to tell me?”
“Both.” I smiled.
His eyebrows dipped together. “You are a good girl. You’re the only girl he’s brought here. That means something. Don’t tell me it doesn’t.”
“It means…” I had to stall. “That Caden and I are friends.”
He huffed at that, rolling his eyes sharply before beginning to mix a second drink. “That’s bullshit. Don’t insult me. I can tell when something’s up, and a blind man could’ve seen the chemistry between you two.”
My eyes widened. “Oh.”
“So tell me, what’s going on?”
I felt cornered by Diego’s hawk-like gaze. He hadn’t missed a thing, but I really didn’t know what was going on. I opened my mouth, having no idea what was about to come out, when someone bumped into me from the side.
“Bartender! Can we get a bunnch of shos?” a girl slurred. “Me an my friends?” She hiccupped, then noticed me.
Her arm felt hot and as she turned, I could see that her eyes were glazed over. Her lips were swollen, and I recognized her as the girl Caden had talked with in my dorm. I stiffened, looking for the guy she’d been with, but didn’t see him. Instead there was a table of girls behind her, all of whom looked just like her. They were pretty, hair and makeup done perfectly. Judging from the shrieking, they were just as drunk too.
“Hey.” She stuck her bottom lip out, staring right at me. “I know you.”
Diego saw my reaction and turned on the charm as a distraction. His smile became smoother. Suddenly a thick accent came out. “Quieres tiros, mi chinga?”
She stared at him, repeating what he’d said. Then she smiled. “Shots. Can we get some?”
“Of course!”
She relaxed at his warm tone.
“How many?”
“Oh. Um…” She glanced back to her table, her finger lifting to count her friends. “Two, three, five shots. We need five of them.”
“Any kind?”
“Sex on the beach. Or blow job.”
I glanced through the back glass door, but I couldn’t see Caden. If I couldn’t see him, she couldn’t either.
As if sensing my discomfort, Diego placed three glasses in front of me. Two were already poured. “For your table,” he told me. He quickly poured something out of a pitcher into the third glass. “For me,” he explained. He tapped the second glass. “For you.” And he winked before moving farther down the bar and lining up five shot glasses. The girl was forced to move with him.
After picking up the three glasses, I nodded my thanks. He gave me a second wink before filling the last of the shot glasses. “Ta da! There you are,” he announced to the spellbound girl.
I slipped past the table of her friends. Once outside, I saw half the veranda was empty and instantly relaxed. I only hoped those girls wouldn’t come out.
“You okay?” Caden eyed me.
I slid his drink to him, putting Diego’s in front of the empty chair. “You have friends inside.”
“I do?”
“That girl from my dorm, the one you were talking to while I changed for flamingo night.”
He frowned. “Who?”
He didn’t remember. I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. “I don’t know. There was a guy too.”
“Oh, yeah.” Understanding dawned. “Jeremy something. He’s friends with Marcus, not me.”
“You were talking to them.”
He shrugged, glancing at the door. “They said hello. I needed to pass the time. Figured polite conversation wouldn’t hurt. Diego’s not coming?”
“He had to fill some drinks first.”
“Wait.” He stilled, his eyes darting to mine. “They aren’t coming out here, are they?”
The last knot in my stomach unraveled. I shook my head, unable to hide my grin now. “I hope not.”
He grinned back. “It’s awkward enough with Diego, much less some chicks Marcus knows. Word would get out that we were hanging out here.”
My grin fell flat.
People knew we were friends already. Caden had been in my dorm, for goodness sakes, but the way he said that—it was like he didn’t want anyone to know we were hanging out here together. Like I was a secret.
I tried to tell myself that was Kevin baggage, nothing to do with Caden, but the knot in my stomach tightened back up.
“You okay?”
“Huh?”
“You got quiet all the sudden. That’s not normal for you.”
I forced a smile. “I’m good. Just…maybe tired is all.”