Southern Secrets (Southern 7)

"What am I supposed to do with that?" I ask, and he looks around to make sure no one is watching our exchange. He leans in, and I smell the woodsy smell that is him. My heart speeds up, thinking he’s going to kiss me.

His mouth goes to my ear. "If you don’t tie this around your waist, I’m going to have to kiss the shit out of you in front of all these people so they know you're off-limits." He pushes back after he finishes talking.

"Is that so?" I fold my arms over my chest. I’ve never had someone be territorial about me before.

"What does a girl have to do to get a drink around here?" Chelsea says, making me look at her. I turn back to look at Asher, who holds the shirt from his finger.

"Your choice," he says, and I grab his shirt and tie it around my waist, and he glares at me.

"Compromise," I say and turn away from him as I walk to the end of the bar.

"What’s going on there?" Chelsea says, motioning with her chin.

"Nothing. I dirtied my shorts," I say. "What do you want to drink?" I look around to see that the place is jam-packed. "It’s going to be another crazy night." I smile. "You know what that means."

"No," Chelsea says. "But I’m sure you’ll tell me." She has to yell the last part of the sentence.

The DJ for the night has started the music as Luke Bryan starts singing “Country Girl.” I put my hands up as I dance down the bar to get her a beer.

I don’t have time to talk to her or anyone else for that matter as we work to get everyone served. I work side by side with Asher, and I try to ignore his little touches when he walks past me. His hand on my lower back. His hands grabbing my hips when he reaches over me. It is driving me crazy. It also makes me play the same game he is playing.

My hand slowly slips from his back to his ass as I work around him. He looks at me sideways, and I see him squeezing his fist. One time, I walk over to him and get on my tippy-toes behind him, my tits squeezing into his back. "Two can play that game, Asher,” I whisper into his ear and then quickly walk back over to my side of the bar.

The two of us working side by side laughing is one of the best nights I’ve had at work. I sing songs at the top of my lungs and all he will do is shake his head and serve the next person.

"Why are you so happy?" Chelsea looks over at me when things finally get quiet.

"What do you mean?" I ask, avoiding her eyes. I haven’t told anyone about Asher, and I am afraid with just one look, she is going to know I’m lying.

"I mean the whole singing and laughing and joking," she says. "And the whole tits on his back." She points over at Asher, who is wiping down the bar on his side.

"He was in the way." I try to hide the shock that she picked up on that. I look over at her as she sits there alone since everyone bailed out five minutes ago. She is waiting for Mayson to come back from the bathroom.

"Really?" She almost sings the word. "Interesting."

"Don’t start with that tone," I say, hating the fact she is teasing me.

"FYI." She gets up when she sees Mayson making his way back. "Seeing you that happy looks good on you."

I roll my eyes. "There is nothing going on." I fold my arms over my chest.

"Oh, if that’s the case, there is someone who just started working with me," she says. "I was thinking of setting her up with Asher." I glare at her, and she claps her hands together and throws her head back and laughs as loud as she can.

"You’re an asshole." I grab the glass off the bar.

"I wasn’t finished with that," she says and then turns to Mayson, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It’s time for you to take your woman home." She kisses him on the lips and then turns back to look at me. "See you tomorrow."

I nod at her, looking over at Asher who stands there watching me. "What?" I ask, and he walks over to me.

"Hi," he says softly with a sly smile, and I lean back on the bar.

"Hi," I say, and my hand comes up on its own and goes to the middle of his chest. The heat from his chest seeps into me, and his brown eyes shimmer.

"You good?" he asks. His hand comes up and pushes my hair behind my ear.

"Tired but good," I say as my hand slips off him when someone steps up to the bar. His hand falls to his side.