Page 4 of Her Paramedic (Men in Uniforms #3)

W hen Talia pulled into the sports bar parking lot, Slate was already there, leaning against his car as the lights outside of the building illuminated him.

The space beside him was free, and she took it.

It was seven in the evening, still early for the crowd the bar usually got, so it shouldn’t be too crowded.

“Hey,” she greeted, getting out of the car.

Slate turned to her, and the way he looked her over made Talia feel naked when she was far from it.

The December air was cold, and she wore black skinny jeans, calf-high wine-colored boots, and a bell-sleeve sweater.

She left her coat in the car, since she didn’t anticipate being in the cold for an extended period.

He licked his lips. “Hello, Talia.”

“You didn’t wait long, did you?”

“You’re right on time.” He gestured towards the building. “Shall we?”

She led the way inside, and they showed their IDs before being let through. She’d been right about the crowd. A few pool tables were still available, and she led them over, wanting to claim one before ordering drinks.

Talia chose the empty table furthest from everyone else in that part of the bar while she surveyed those playing. She realized a group was playing for money.

“I can set the table up if you want to get the first round or vice versa,” Talia said, her attention on Slate.

“I’ll get the drinks,” he responded, and before she could tell him what she wanted, he left the section.

Talia grabbed the rack and the balls from the mesh holder on the side of the table.

She racked the balls and decided to hit a couple while she waited for him.

She could feel eyes on her as she pulled a stick off the wall.

Turning back to the table, she found two men from the group she’d eyed before looking at her.

She was familiar with that look and had been the one giving it when she’d discovered how good at pool she was.

They were looking for their next sucker to finesse. She could have fun with this.

Talia removed the rack from the balls, placed the cue at the other end, and incorrectly held the stick. Then she struck out at the cue ball and missed. She painted a frustrated look on her face as she tried again, missing again. This time, she huffed her frustrations.

She made a show of concentrating hard, hitting the ball with enough force to only knock the first two balls away from the cluster. It was pathetic, and she was sure a child could have done better, but she made a show of being happy with herself.

Her little performance continued. She had only knocked in two balls with many tries under her belt when she saw Slate returning. She put the stick on the table and leaned against it as he stopped before her, his back to the group.

“Vodka and cranberry,” he said, handing her a glass.

She was a little surprised. It was her go-to drink when she went out. Talia remembered ordering it months ago when they’d all been out together in October, but she hadn’t expected him to remember. It must have been written on her face.

“Don’t look so surprised,” he stated with a smirk.

“I didn’t expect you to remember after ordering it once around you.”

“I have an excellent memory and a vested interest in remembering things when they come to you.” He was flirting with her again. Those green eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Is that so?” she asked, sipping her drink.

“Very much so, Talia .”

Something fluttered in Talia’s stomach at the sound of her name like that.

She didn’t know how she knew he was saying it a certain way.

It would sound the same to anyone else, but she knew, and a warm current buzzed inside her each time.

His saying that one word, her name like that, sounded damn near like a promise of a million things.

“Do you want to go first?”

“Actually,” she started. “Do you want to teach me how to play?”

He raised a brow at her before smirking. “If you want me behind you, all you have to do is tell me, gorgeous.” Slate took a step closer.

She laughed, placed her hand on his chest, and shook her head. “Don’t turn around, but a couple of those guys behind you are looking for their next easy win. I may have taken ten tries to get two balls in and missed the cue ball a few times.”

Slate chuckled. “You want to beat them at their own game.”

“I do. I’m sure they’ll come over if they see you teaching me and me doing horribly. I see no harm in working together before I beat you again.”

“We’ll see about that.”

He placed his glass on the pub table along the wall beside their pool table, and Talia watched him rack the balls again while she sipped her drink.

He picked up the stick she’d set down and held it out to her.

She put her drink beside his and took it.

She purposely held it wrong, lining up to hit the cue ball.

“You won’t hit anything like that,” Slate stated. “Except maybe air.”

Talia sucked in her cheeks to keep from smiling. It figured he’d mess with her during their little charade, but two could play that game. She straightened up and pouted at him.

“Stop teasing me and show me how.”

He walked behind her and fixed the stick in her hands.

“Lean over the table,” he spoke next to her ear, and she didn’t miss the dip of his voice.

She licked her lower lip, doing as requested.

His arms came around hers after rolling up his sleeves to his elbows.

One hand covered her front hand. The other grabbed her hip and pulled her closer to where he leaned over her before settling over her other hand.

He was saying something. Talia knew he was, but she was too focused on their proximity. On the visible veins of his arm. She suddenly realized why some women liked that. His lips brushed against her earlobe.

“You’re not listening.”

“Why do I need to when I already know how to play?” she mumbled in response.

“You wanted to hustle those men. Be a good girl, and cooperate.”

Be a good girl . Talia didn’t know why she liked the sound of that, liked the way he said it, but it sounded damn good.

“Now,” he ghosted his hand up her wrist. “Focus.”

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S late stepped back so she could shoot. He knew he didn’t need to explain to her what to do, but he had to make it look good, right?

At least, he was using it as an excuse, and he would have been ashamed of that fact if she hadn’t been okay with it.

If she’d pushed him away, tensed up. If anything, she’d relaxed more, subtly shifted into his side more, and he was not complaining.

She took the shot. A horrible one, if he was being honest, and it amazed him how she could act so terribly when he was aware of her skill. The cue ball veered to the side, knocking only one ball away. It was almost as if she’d done this before.

Talia turned to pout at him, and he wanted to kiss it off her lips, but it was still early in the night. He would before they parted ways. Of that, he was sure. Instead, he cupped her chin and ran his thumb along her jaw.

“Don’t pout.” He grabbed a stick off the wall, moved the cue ball back into position, and broke the cluster. Two stripes and one solid going in.

“Showoff,” Talia stated.

They went through the first game with him “teaching” her, adjusting her now and then, and helping her with a shot. As they were fishing the balls out after what was arguably the longest game he’d ever played, Talia was proven correct as two men approached them.

“Hey,” one of them greeted. “Sorry to interrupt, but we were wondering if you’d like a game and a friendly wager?”

Slate pretended to think about it. “I don’t see why not. I don’t mind playing you both.”

“Don’t you think making your lady friend watch would be unfair?”

His eyebrow twitched at the man’s choice of words. Sure, technically, Talia would have been considered his friend since they weren’t dating yet, and he was sure she didn’t consider this a real one, but it didn’t mean he liked it any less.

“She doesn’t—”

“I want to play,” Talia cut him off, and he turned his attention to her.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. It might be fun.” She smiled at the other two men, and Slate wondered if they knew what was in store. He’d seen them play while they’d been putting on their act, and they were good, but he knew he and Talia were better.

“She wants to play,” the second man stated.

Slate shrugged. “Okay.”

“I’m Phil; this is Hank. We can play two games one-on-one for, say, fifty bucks a game.”

“I’m Talia. That’s Slate. Let’s make it a hundred,” she countered, racking the balls. She placed the cue ball in the rack, and Slate didn’t miss the amused looks Phil and Hank displayed at the action. Poor fools .

“Not that one,” Slate stated, pointing to the cue ball.

“Right. I need this one to hit the other ones. I almost forgot.” She was playing clueless far too well, and he was now positive that she’d done this before.

Hustled someone out of money by pretending she didn’t know how to play.

He took people’s money all the time, but they always knew what they were getting into.

“Why not? A hundred it is,” Hank stated.

Talia sat on a stool at the pub table, grabbed her drink, and turned to him. “You can go first,” she said.

His game went as expected, and he could tell Hank wasn’t a happy camper when Slate picked up the money they’d both put on the side of the table. He also knew he likely depended on Phil to beat Talia, so they would break even.

He grabbed his drink while Phil and Hank pulled the balls out of the pockets. Talia grabbed his wrist and moved him to stand between her legs, blocking her view of the other men.

“You think I should play with him first?” she asked, looking up at him.

“I’d prefer you play with me, but since we’re talking about pool, there’s no need to play with your food.” He smirked and saw a spark of mischief in her eyes.

“But what if I like to play with my food? In a different setting?”