Keeping Score

She scribbled down my order on her waitress pad. “Anything else?” she asked.

“I guess you’re new here?”

She chewed her bottom lip. Damn, her nervousness was even sexy. “It’s that obvious?”

“Not many girls write down two beers.” I chuckled.

Her eyes fell to the floor. Shit.

“Sorry.” Her voice was soft and apologetic. “I don’t want to screw anything up tonight.”

“It’s all right.” I grinned. “I think you’re doing a fine job.”

Before I could ask her her name, she turned and darted off toward the bar for my beers.

“She's hot,” Joe said, slapping my back as he walked up behind me. “New waitress?”

He caught me staring through her clothes as if I had X-ray vision.

“No shit,” I snorted. I wanted him to know I had first dibs on her.

He turned the chair next to me, straddling it. “You asshole. You always get the best ones," he said, punching my shoulder. I grinned and nodded, knowing it was true.

Maybe the guys deferred because I was the quarterback, or maybe it was because I had established how things worked on the team. I really didn’t care as long as they understood the system. I always walked out of here with the girl I wanted.

“Sorry man. Did you see her?” I shrugged my shoulders.

“You’d have to be blind to not notice her,” he replied, studying her ass while she cleaned the table next to ours. “How’d you beat me here?”

My attention was on the girl. She was flustered. She knocked over a chair on her way back to the bar. The bartender scowled at her and said something out of the corner of his mouth. I didn’t like the fucking way he talked to the girls here. And something about this one pissed me off even more.

“Kane? Man, did you hear me?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I took an Uber.” I didn’t look at him.

It wasn’t long before the new girl returned with our drinks. I could tell she was concentrating on the tray so she didn’t spill them. As soon as she placed the frosted mugs on the table she backed away. I fought the instinct to grab her wrist and pull her onto my lap. It was animalistic as hell. Need. A drive to touch her that overtook me.

She smelled like fucking heaven. Everything about her was subtle and intoxicating.

Her eyes locked on mine. “If you need anything else, let me know.” She was about to retreat.

“Just a moment darlin’,” I replied. I wanted to pull her toward me. Inhale her. Kiss her.

“If it’s about the order, then tell me.” She set her eyes on me. I saw the resolve there. The strength to stand up for herself.

“Damn,” I muttered to myself, but I wasn’t entirely sure she didn’t hear me. Another fault of mine—I said whatever was on my mind.

“No, the beers are fine.” I picked mine up and took a swallow to prove a point. It wasn’t the beer I wanted. It was her.

“Ok, then I’ll check back with you soon.” She turned to go.

“Wait, do you have a name?”

She swiveled on her heels then pinched her lips together as if she were deciding what name to give me. “Julie.”

“Nice to meet you, Julie.” I held out my hand to touch hers. “Kane. And this is my buddy Joe.”

Joe grimaced. “Don’t buy his lines, darlin’. We call him Hawk for a reason.”