BAD REP(28)

“Fine!  But hurry up!  I'll get lonely if you take too long,” I teased, swatting Riley's behind with my hand.  She shot me a look and downed her beer.

“I'll be back in twenty,” she assured me, heading toward the front door.

I was left sitting at the bar, shredding a napkin.  “What did that napkin ever do to you?”  a voice asked.  I looked up to see Jordan leaning over the bar toward me.  I gave him a saucy smile and threw the destroyed napkin at him.  He laughed and tossed it in the trash.

Jordan must have just come on the clock.  His hair was starting to grow out and was still wet from the shower he must have taken before he had come to work.  He smelled amazing.  Like musk and man.  And I wanted to bury my nose into his chest and just breathe him in.

Jordan laughed again, interrupting my obvious ogling.  “So, what brings you in here on your night off?”  he asked me, wiping down the counter.  I smiled, feeling myself relax around him for the first time in forever.

“I got my grades from summer school in the mail today.  I did really well and felt like a little celebration was in order.”  Jordan reached out and gave me a high five.

“Nice, Mays!”  He took my now empty beer mug and slid another one my way.  It was a Sam Adams, my favorite.  How did he know that? “This one's on me.” He gave me a wink before going to tend to two guys who had just sat down.

I watched him while he poured their beers.  And I watched him while he chatted up his customers, shooting them that sexy smile I had come to love so much.  Hell, I couldn't keep my eyes off of him.  And it wasn't just because of the alcohol.

I wanted him.  The truth was I had never stopped wanting him.  And I hated so much that he and I were not meant to be.  Because I knew, deep down, that we could be beautiful together.  And that just made me sad.

“Why do you look like someone just ran over your cat?”  Riley asked, sliding into the bar stool beside me.  I plastered a smile on my face and leaned over to give her a one armed hug.  She patted my back soothingly.

“I'm fine!  Just waiting for your sorry ass to get back,” I teased.  Jordan came back over then.

“Hey, Riley.  What'll it be?” he asked her.

Riley shot me a look, as if to say she knew what caused my bleak expression.  “Give me a g and t,” she said.  Jordan quirked his lips at her.

“Ah, living large tonight?” he asked.  Riley just rolled her eyes at him, not bothering to respond.  Chuckling, he went about making her drink.

“When will you stop being all depressed over him?  I thought you were over that?” Riley whispered after Jordan had brought her gin and tonic.  My eyes followed Jordan as he went into the kitchen to get someone's order.

“I'm not depressed.  And I am over that.  So just shut up about it,” I snapped.  Riley just raised her eyebrows and shook her head.

“Sure, you are,” she said flatly.  I was about to say something else when I felt a pair of lips against the back of my neck.

I jumped and whipped around to see Eli standing there with Randall, Cicely and another one of their friends.  Some guy they called K-dog.  Though I wasn't sure why.  “Hey!  You made it!” I said overly brightly.  I wrapped my arms around Eli's neck and gave him a hug.

Eli pulled up the stool on the other side of me and sat close.  He laid his hand on the top of my thigh and kissed the corner of my mouth.  “I told you I'd meet you here,” Eli replied, snaking his arm around my waist.

It was then that I noticed Jordan was standing in front of us.  He had a dark look on his face and I saw him dart his eyes from Eli to me and to Eli's arm encircling my middle.  I sat up a little straighter and eye balled him.  No way was he permitted to look like that when it was he who had the girlfriend.

“Get me a Budweiser,” Eli told Jordan, not looking at him.  Jordan's eyes met mine, his expression not happy.

“Yeah, sure.”  Jordan turned from me and took Randall and Cicely's orders.  Riley cleared her throat.

“This should be interesting,” she muttered, downing her drink.

“Whatever,” I replied flippantly, not wanting to admit that my stomach had suddenly tangled in knots.

Jordan slammed Eli's beer glass down on the bar and quickly walked away.  “What the f*ck?” Eli snarled, mopping up beer that had sloshed out of the mug.  I laughed awkwardly and drank the rest of my own drink.