Page 47 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

She smiled. “True.”

“I like my job,” I told her honestly. “I like working with Thea. I like that by working here, I can help fund Hazel’s retirement. And I don’t see myself living anywhere other than Lark Cove, so this all works.”

“I’m glad. There are a lot of people miserable in their daily lives, always wishing for something bigger and better. It’s nice to be around someone who just wants to enjoy a simple life.”

I nearly toppled over. Who was this woman? Was she for real?

Most women who sat across from me thought I could do better for myself. To them, I was just a good-looking bartender with no ambition.

I didn’t let it bother me. Hell, I capitalized on it. My occupation was the perfect way to get no-strings-attached sex because the rich women coming through town would only ever see me as a fling.

I wasn’t the guy you brought home to meet Daddy.

Except I already knew Willa’s dad. Her mom had practically ordered her to stay here with me tonight.

They didn’t think less of me because of my job and neither did Willa.

“Thanks,” I managed to choke out. “Not many people think like that.”

She nodded. “I know. But I do.”

Her smile was so warm and inviting, I leaned in a bit. God, I could kiss her. Her lips were such a pretty color. They were completely natural, free of heavy lipstick or thick gloss. They were just soft and pink.

And familiar.

Something in the back of my mind told me that if I kissed her right now, I’d taste peppermint lip balm. I’d bet the bar on it.

Weird.

That creepy déjà vu feeling was back. The one I still had whenever I looked at her staircase.

“Hey.” Willa waved a hand in front of my eyes. “Where’d you go?”

I blinked, standing straight and swiping up a bar rag. “Sorry. You have nice . . . lips.”

“Oh, um, thank you.” She blushed again, this time pulling at her long braid over her shoulder as she attempted to hide among all that hair.

Damn, but I wanted my fingers in her hair. I wanted to take that braid and unfasten all the loops until the golden waves hung loose. I knew it would be like touching silk, just like I knew what she tasted like.

Which was fucking crazy because until a week ago, I hadn’t known much about Willa Doon. I wanted to kic

k my own ass for being such a blind fool.

“I need to get things wiped down and cleaned up,” I told her, wiping the bar by her side. “I’m not going to stay open until two. We can call it a night. But would you stay? I don’t want you walking home in the dark.”

“Sure, but only if I can help clean up. My butt is sick of this stool.”

Willa stood and smoothed down her green shorts, running her hands over the tight globes of her ass. It wasn’t meant to be sexy, but damn, this woman hit all the right buttons. Her smooth skin, tanned for the summer, was begging to be licked. Her toned legs would feel incredible wrapped around my hips.

Underneath her tank, a yellow bra strap was peeking out. Did her panties match? Whether they did or not, yellow was my new favorite color.

Especially the yellow color of her hair.

The sight of her stretching out stiff muscles had my dick straining against my zipper. I was just glad she couldn’t see it from her side of the bar. I didn’t need to freak her out with a bulge behind my jeans.

I tossed her a rag, deciding to keep my lower half hidden until my cock settled back down. “Just wipe down the tables and then we’ll stack up the chairs.”

“Okay.” She smiled and got to work.