She's No Angel by Kira Sinclair Page A

tangled up in his challenge.
    And that was really what it came down to. Even with the boost of aphrodisiac, he’d still walked away.
    So it was better this way. She didn’t want to see him again.
    She didn’t.
    Although going home wasn’t exactly appealing either. It was Saturday and all that waited for her was a lonely night with Little Bits, her skittish cat. She needed a distraction or she was going to drown in her own embarrassment.
    If there was one thing she could count on in Sweetheart, it was that on Saturdays the local pub would be full of people watching whatever sport dominated the season. In the summer it was baseball, in the spring, basketball, although nothing compared to the frenzy of college football in the fall. That was just the kind of distraction she needed.
    She refused to feel guilty when she locked the door promptly at six and walked out the back. Rarely did she actually leave after closing, but she’d earned a little R & R.
    The walk to the pub was nice, the oppressive heat of the day finally easing off. The blast of sound that welcomed her when the door opened was comforting.
    Someone hollered her name. Scanning the crowd she realized the place was packed. Gage, Hope, Jenna, one of her good friends and owner of the catering business in town, Aiden, an old school friend of Gage’s, and Clay, one of the guys Jenna often hired to bartend, were all crowded around two small tables they’d pushed together. Empty beer bottles and a demolished plate of nachos were scattered across the table.
    Hope waved her over. All of the guys were staring up at the screens strategically placed on the walls so every seat in the house had a view of the action.
    A groan rippled through the crowd. Clay swore, pushed his chair back and began arguing with the ref on the screen. “He was clearly safe.” He looked around for help. Everyone nodded agreement.
    “Oh, hey, Lex.” Barely taking his eyes off the screen, Aiden grabbed a chair from a neighboring table, squeezed it next to his and waved her into it. His arm dropped casually over the rounded back.
    She’d known Aiden for as long as she could remember. He and Gage had played football together. The boy had been a regular fixture at the dinner table growing up. Her mom had often lamented that she didn’t have just one growing boy to feed, but an entire plague of locusts.
    But she’d secretly loved it.
    And Lexi had nursed a secret crush on several of the boys her older brother had brought home, Aiden being one of them. Although she really didn’t know why. He was nice enough, but he definitely didn’t make her skin crackle.
    Not the way Brett did. Her body clenched tight on the rush of need that blasted through her. Damn, all she’d done was think his name and she was in trouble.
    Blowing out a breath, Lexi was grateful when the waitress came by and asked what she wanted to drink. Her stomach rumbled loudly, but she declined food. The diner was bad enough. Nothing the pub offered could be labeled healthy. She’d have a beer or two and then head home for dinner.
    When a commercial finally broke the tension of the game, Aiden turned his attention to her. “Can’t remember the last time you stopped by the pub to watch a game. What’s up?”
    Lexi shrugged. From across the table Gage’s eyes traveled pointedly to where his friend’s hand played with the ends of her ponytail. With a sheepish grin, Aiden shrugged and stopped the motion.
    The display of big brother aggression bothered her more than Aiden’s mindless fingers. Aiden had no real interest in her, and Lexi knew it.
    Out of nowhere, the back of her neck began to tingle. At first she thought it was because of Aiden, but she realized the game had come back on and his focus had returned to the screen. His hand was curled around the side of her chair and she’d been completely forgotten.
    Slowly, Lexi turned to find the source of the sensation.
    And collided with an icy stare.
    “Aw, sugar,” she