Page 59 of Sugar

All that obsessing.

All that daydreaming.

All that anticipation.

I’d barely thought of anything else for a week, and the night was already over. And it had gone nothing like I’d expected.

When Easton steered me back into the main room—lifting his chin when we passed the security guard I hadn’t noticed from my previously upside-down vantage point—I assumed he would keep going straight out the exit. Instead, he stopped us at the corner of the bar. He tugged an empty stool out. “Sit.”

As soon as I did, one of the sharply dressed bartenders came right over and set a napkin in front of me, but his focus was on Easton when he asked, “What can I get you two?”

“Two waters.”

“And I’ll have a Cosmo,” I put in even though no one bothered to ask me.

Ruder still, the bartender looked at Easton and waited for his nod of approval before going to make my drink.

The tyrant next to me pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t believe I’m fucking asking this, but are you even old enough to drink?”

“Yes,” I scoffed. “I’m twenty-two.”

He dropped his head back, adding to his exasperated body language. And also, unfortunately, his sexiness since it showed off his jaw and neck.

I never knew either could be particularly attractive, yet there we were.

“Great,” he muttered to the ceiling. “That makes me feel much better.”

And that makes me glad I ordered a Cosmopolitan…

The drink wasn’t my favorite, but I wasn’t about to ask for a Dirty Shirley—a Shirley Temple with vodka—when I was tryingnotto appear like the silly little girl he clearly thought I was. A Cosmo was probably more cliché than sophisticated, and I should’ve ordered a vodka tonic or something simple, but there was only so much I could tolerate.

When the drinks were set in front of us, Easton waved off my attempt to hand over a card. “One, drinks are free here. Two, even if they weren’t, you don’t pay. Ever.”

I ignored his unhinged second statement since it didn’t matter. “Free drinks doesn’t seem like a sustainable business plan.”

“The membership fee more than covers any alcohol costs.”

Yikes.

There goes any shot I had of extending this free trial into something long-term.

Not that I’d ever really considered that a possibility. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to join. I’d kind of been banking on the auction to give me some clarity, but that wasn’t how it was playing out.

With a sigh, I knocked my drink back in a few hefty chugs that would make the frat bros proud before setting the empty glass down.

The bartender glanced at Easton, who simply shook his head.

My face warmed from the alcohol and indignation. “Okay, what the hell is with that?”

“I’m assuming you’re driving?”

“Yes, but?—”

“Then that’s all you’re drinking. Or I’m driving you home.”

“No. Not that. I only planned to have one.” I flung my hand out toward the bartender. “But why is he only addressing you like I’m not even here?”

His voice sounded off when he stated, “I bought you.”