Smoke and music wafted through the air. A local rock band was killing it on the small stage in the bar. I stood behind the counter slinging beers left and right to the crowd.
"Looking good, Joss." yelled a guy with a cigarette dangling from his lips.
"I do my best." I yelled back over the music.
That wasn't the first compliment I had gotten. Most guys let the charm fly after a few drinks. Not that I didn't look good. I looked damn good.
My long red ombre hair fell down my back in lose waves. I filled out the black shorts and black tights nicely with motorcycle boots. A white shirt and black leather jacket completed the look.
"Two more, Joss." someone down at the end of the bar called. I nodded their way and popped the top off of two cold beers.
"It's ridiculous in here tonight." My manager, James, yelled into my ear, startling me.
"The band is sick. How did you book them?" I asked, eyes on the stage as the cover band played some 80's song making the crowd go crazy.
"I know people." he winked at me. I inwardly cringed and nodded back. Something about James made me super uncomfortable. I tried to avoid him as best I could. This was the best paying gig I could get right now and I couldn't lose my job by telling my boss to fuck right off.
"You look good enough to eat tonight, Joss." he breathed down my neck. A shiver ran through me that he must've taken for desire as he ran his hand along my thigh. A dark rumble of laughter filled my ears.
"I knew you wanted me."
I opened my mouth to speak when a guy walked up to the bar and took a seat.
"I have customers." I said to James. He grumbled but let me go and headed back into his office in the back of the bar.
"How can I help you?" I asked the guy sitting in front of me.
He sat with his head down and dark black tendrils fell around his face. His long, beautiful fingers were pushed back through his hair. I had always had a thing for a nice pair of hands.
"Just a beer, please."
Hmm. I detected an accent. I'd guess London if I were judging on the few words he had spoken to me so far.
I grabbed a beer and popped the top and sat it in front of him. He looked up at me and gave me a sad smile before tilting back the bottle and guzzling at least half of it.
"Bad day?" I ask, sliding a beer down the bar to another customer who nodded back in thanks.
"No, not terribly bad. Just long."
Yep, he was British.
Even through the smoke and darkness from the bar I could see he had bright eyes, possibly blue. His smile was breathtaking. Of course there are a lot of men in the world that have nice smiles. Even James. A shudder of disgust ran through me as I tried to shake off the short interaction just a few moments before.
He was finishing off his beer when I looked back at him and opened another. He was wearing a sweater and a white tee shirt underneath. Not the typical kind of guy we got in this bar. He actually looked as if he brushed his teeth on a regular basis.
"Thank you..."
"Joss!" A shout rang out through the room. I looked in the direction of my name to see my best friend stumbling towards me. She was laughing for no reason, her blonde hair falling around her face. Her ankles looked like there were going to crash out from under her as she attempted to walk in 6 inch heels.
