“One more, honey,” Paul rasped. He coughed slightly at the alcohol burning his esophagus. I guess when you had rich friends, it was tempting to use their nice things in a way you wouldn't normally. I tried to forgive him a little, but it was hard. “If you want some fun later...” He winked and dropped a quarter in the tip jar.
I poured a modest glass, and this time he picked it up and sipped rather than chugging. He gave me that thin-lipped smile that made my stomach curdle a little and went to sit on the couch with “Joe” and “Bob.” Jack was starting up a game of some sort on the giant TV screen. Paul turned down an offer for a controller, looking at the black plastic like it might bite him.
“Don't mind him,” Noah said, leaning up on the bar beside me. “He's usually pretty harmless. I can't believe Lo—I mean “Joe”—brought him, though.”
“He's not a friend of Jack's?” I asked, wiping down the empty Naughty Shirley glass.
“Not really.” Noah shook his head. “He's a lawyer. He's helped us all out at some point or another. I'm just surprised he came. This isn't exactly his type of party.”
I looked over at the man on the couch, sipping away on his scotch and glaring at the TV. I could see him at a loud club, leering at the girls, and telling them all how terribly important he was. Sitting on a couch with a bunch of barely-thirty-somethings playing Halo didn't exactly fit him.
I shook the beer pitcher, rattling the quarter from Paul. “At least he's a good tipper.”
Noah laughed, putting his hand on my shoulder. It was like sexual lighting hit me. Heat flooded my stomach, and if I were less of a lady and more a caveman, I would have thrown him over my shoulder and found a bedroom somewhere. I had no idea it was even possible to have that strong a connection just by someone casually touching my shoulder.
I glanced up at Noah, wondering if he felt it too, but he just smiled down at me like he was actually just interested in the tip jar. Except those eyes. They held a blue fire that told me he had felt something too, despite what the rest of his face said.
He cleared his throat, releasing my shoulder and getting a cup of Malibu and Coke for himself. “So, you live here on the island?”
“Yeah.” I grabbed one for myself. Rachel did say to have a good time. “You just here for the party?”
Noah nodded. “I'm here for a couple of days. My schedule is pretty open, though.”
“If you want, I'd be happy to show you around the island. I mean, if “Bob” doesn't want the honor,” I offered. Noah's face split into a grin. He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but a new guest cut him off.
Chapter 2
“Hello, Party People!” A man that resembled Jack stepped off the bottom stairs wearing an obnoxiously bright orange Hawaiian shirt. “Looking good, Dean,” the man said, patting the big bodyguard on the chest. Dean rolled his eyes.
“Oh, look, my brother is here,” Jack said blithely, hitting pause on his game and rising to his feet. “Noah, Izzy, hide the booze so there's some for everybody else.”
“Hey, big bro. Love you too.” The mini-Jack grinned and came up to the bar. “The usual please, Noah.”
“Your name tonight is 'Sam',” Noah told him, pulling out several kinds of liquor. “Izzy here doesn't recognize us.”
“Sam's” face went blank for a moment, as though the name meant something to him, but then he put on a dazzling, fake smile. “Seriously?”
“Yup. This is “Bob” and “Joe's” idea, but go with it.” Noah pointed to each man to name him. “Jack, Paul and I are already outed.”
Sam thought for a moment then grinned. “Let's make it even more interesting. If you figure out everyone's name by the end of the night, I'll give you...” He opened up his wallet and counted his cash. I was expecting it to be around $20. “Two thousand dollars. No cheating and looking it up on your phone. Real detective work. Don't skimp on the cherries, Noah.”
I nearly dropped my drink. Two thousand dollars! For figuring out some soon-to-be-drunk men's names. I worked in a bar with tourists who loved this game; this was going to be easy.
I leaned up against the bar, making sure he could see the cle**age in my shirt. “And if I don't?”
“You have to go out on a date with me.”
“Sam” was cute. Even if I lost, it wasn't going to be the worst night in the world. At least it wasn't a date with Paul. I felt Noah stiffen slightly as he set the amaretto down hard on the counter. Jealousy? Nah, he hadn't known me for more than an hour.
“Deal.” I reached out my hand and Sam gave it a firm squeeze. “But just the guys who are here now. Just Bob, Joe, and Sam.”
“Fair enough.” Sam grinned.
“Here's your Screaming Orgasm, 'Sam',” Noah said, his voice slightly flat. “Sam” grinned and took a big sip.
“You always know the way to my heart,” he said to the bartender. Noah rolled his eyes.
“I didn't think Screaming Orgasms usually came with cherries,” I said, looking at the drink that was normally a shot. He held a good-sized tumbler of the layered drink with cherries dotting the surface.
“Sam” picked one up with his fingers, put it neatly between his teeth and split it open. “But a screaming orgasm is the best way to pop a cherry.”
I felt my cheeks heat. I had walked right into that one.
“Noah, Izzy!” Jack called out. “More drinks!”
I turned from “Sam” to see Noah ready with a fresh Naughty Shirley and something with an inordinate amount of whipped cream. “For 'Bob'. I'll have 'Joe's' ready in a second.”
I took the two drinks and carefully maneuvered out from behind the bar and over to the game area. The current match ended just as I arrived, going to the award screen. The “OwenedU” had won and “Bob” was up and doing a victory dance.
“Here you go, Jack,” I said, handing him his Naughty Shirley. “And here's your drink, Owen.”
Owen's dancing stopped and he turned, his face dropping. “So you do know who we are?”
“Owen was actually a guess, OwenedU,” I said. He sank into his chair and groaned. “But thanks for the confirmation. One down, two to go.” I gave him a smile as he took his drink. He got whipped cream on his nose as he tasted it. I went back to the bar and got the drink Noah had ready. “Joe's?” Noah nodded. “Sam” raised his glass in salute to my first name.