Page 4 of Fourth Wheel

“Princess? Really?”

He smirks. “That’s what it says on your sparkly pink flask,princess,” he counters with extra emphasis.

Huh. So it does.

Tou-fucking-che, Dempesy Haas.

“You don’t miss a thing, do you?” I shift my hips on the bar stool and bring my shoulders together, giving him a perfect peek of my cleavage.

“I don’t, thank fuck.”

Straightening, I tilt my head in question.

“I wouldn’t forgive myself if I missed a single thing when it comes to you.”

Once again, I’m grinning like a fool. I can’t help it. I thought I was going to have to chase this one down. But it seems like I may have found a willing participant tonight after all.

“Why don’t you hand me a glass so I can sit here and drink this properly?”

Dempsey glances to the other end of the bar, and I follow his gaze, only to find Jake’s eyes on us.

“Tell you what. Stash that when Jake and the other guys come by. I’ll pour you a soda so it looks like you have a reason to be sitting at the bar.”

“I do have a reason to be sitting at this bar,” I counter as I gaze up at him through my lashes.

Dempsey doesn’t respond. Instead, he busies himself with scooping ice into a glass, then filling it to the brim with fizzy soda.

“Are you waiting on someone?” he asks as he slides me the drink.

“Not anymore.”

“So are you heading out soon?” he questions, the slightest hint of disappointment in his tone.

“Not anymore,” I repeat as I put the stir stick into my mouth and suck.

To my delight, he lets out a quiet scoff while he watches me take a sip of soda.

“Let me take care of my other customers, then I’ll be back. Don’t go anywhere.”

I give him a playful shrug and try to look coy. He doesn’t need to worry, though. I’m not moving from this barstool until I’m leaving with him.

Chapter 2

Maddie

Iflickmywristand send another tot flying. It arcs through the air before landing in Dempsey’s mouth. His eyes light up in delight, and I raise both hands in victory. We’re officially four for seven, which is pretty damn good, if I say so myself.

“You two are getting on surprisingly well,” Jake chirps as he brushes past Dempsey and moves to the other end of the bar.

I scowl in his direction, but as expected, he ignores me.

That’s the third or fourth comment Jake has made in the last hour that almost blows my cover. What’s his freaking deal tonight? Can’t he see I’m a woman on a mission?

He’s probably just pissed off that I had the brill idea to DoorDash an order of tater tots from his restaurant next door. Not my fault he doesn’t serve food at The Oak. He’s got a fully functional kitchen twenty feet away, but I wasn’t about to lose my seat at the bar: in the middle of the action, in the halo glow of Dempsey’s attention.

Whatever. Jake isn’t my priority right now.

I don’t know if it’s the effects of the vodka I polished off half an hour ago or the charms of this man, but I can’t take my eyes off Dempsey Haas.