Besides, they were just friends. And occasional bed partners. Nothing else.
Before long, one martini turned into two, though some of the women moved on to sodas and sparkling water.
Molly had definitely had her fill of alcohol after two drinks, deciding someone had to be the designated driver. She’d noticed Jane had switched to soda as well. Chelsea, however, had decided to challenge Bash on his drink-making skills, eventually moving over to the bar. They all decided to do the same so they could have a front-row seat for the epic challenge.
Bash—such a damn fine-looking man—leaned his forearms across the bar and leveled a sexy, pirate’s smile at Chelsea.
“You do realize this is my job, Chelsea. You aren’t going to be able to come up with a drink I can’t make.”
Chelsea shot one across the bow.
“And I’ve done my share of barhopping, Mr. Know-It-All Bartender,” Chelsea said. She drummed her nails on the bar, giving Bash the death stare.
“A Manhattan,” she finally said.
Bash pinned her with a glare.
“Isn’t that a fairly common drink?” Megan asked.
Bash got out a glass. “Yeah, but it’s a tough one, because every customer likes theirs different, and the combination of ingredients can really screw it up if you’re not paying close attention.”
He fixed the drink, then handed it to Chelsea. She’d been taking at least two good-sized swallows of every drink he made—and paying for them, as well. At least she sipped water in between his trips to take care of other customers.
She was starting to sway a little bit on the barstool, though.
“Are you doing okay, Chelsea?” Molly asked.
She grinned. “I’m great. Getting a little toasted, though, because I’m mixing alcohol. But that’s okay. Bash is like every woman’s big brother and he’ll make sure I’m well taken care of.”
Bash, who’d disappeared from behind the bar and into one of the storerooms, showed up just then, spun Chelsea around to face him, pinned her with his hands on either side of the bar, then whispered something in her ear that caused her eyes to go wide and her cheeks to go almost as red as her hair. Then he pulled back, gave her the kind of slow, sexy smile that had even Molly blushing, and walked back around behind the bar.
“What the hell was that all about?” Emma asked.
Chelsea shuddered in a breath, then turned back around to face the bar. “Oh. Nothing. He just told me to be careful with my alcohol intake, and if I needed a ride home he’d make sure I . . .”
They all waited.
“He’d make sure you what?” Jane asked.
She swallowed, brushed her hair away from her face.
Bash showed up right then.
“I just told her that like the good big brother I am to all the ladies, I’d make sure she was well taken care of.”
Chelsea cleared her throat. “You know what? I think I’ve had enough to drink. It’s probably time for me to go home.”
Bash gave her a smirk. “Is someone driving you home, Chelsea?”
She was still looking at Bash when she nodded. “Yes. Uh . . . Jane will.”
Jane blinked. “Of course I will.”
Bash started to clear the glasses, but kept his gaze on Chelsea. “Have a good evening ladies. Drive safely.”
Molly had no idea what Bash had said to Chelsea, but whatever it was must have been . . . very interesting.
She could still feel the heat that had flamed between them all the way outside into the cold.
Very interesting, indeed.
CARTER WAS IN his garage working on Rhonda when he heard a car pull into the driveway. He swiped his hand across his face, no idea what time it was, except it was late.
He punched the button to lift the garage door and saw Molly getting out of her car. She hurried into the garage and he put the door down. It had snowed the other day, and she lifted her feet to get around the pile he’d shoveled in the driveway.
“This is a nice surprise. I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” he said as he grabbed a shop rag to wipe his hands.
“I know. I tried calling you and you didn’t answer, so I thought I’d drive by to see if you were home. Your lights were on . . .”
He had to admit that he liked that she stopped by. She looked pretty in her skintight jeans, sweater and scarf, and those boots that made her legs look a mile long.
“Yeah, I kind of lost track of time after I started changing fluids out here.”
She swiped her fingers across his cheek. “You look sexy covered in motor oil.”
He laughed, looking down at his white T-shirt, which was now streaked with black. “Yeah, doing a few tweaks to Rhonda. Wasn’t tonight your big night out with all the women?”
“Yes. We went shopping, out to dinner, and finished the night off at Bash’s bar.”
“I see.” He leaned against the front fender. “Did you have fun?”
“I did. And how about you?”
“Rhonda and I are having a great time. Missed you, though.”
“I missed you, too. By the way, there were some serious sparks flying between Chelsea and Bash tonight.”
He stilled. “Chelsea and Bash? Really? They’re not dating.”
“I don’t think dating was on either of their minds. I think it was just a little drunken flirting on Chelsea’s part. Or maybe she wasn’t flirting. No idea what was going on, but whoever was in the general vicinity was going up in flames from the hot signals Bash was throwing out.”