Irresistible by Liz Bankes Read Free Book Online

Jamie; they bore into you like lasers.
    On my way back to the kitchen, I plan to tell Dan that I’ve finally seen the other child that Julia goes on about, but as I near the door, I hear Dan talking to someone, and I’ve got a pretty good idea who it is.
    “Come on, man, you broke the girl’s phone. We don’t get paid that much, you know.”
    “Oh, don’t tell me the peasants are revolting.” I move closer to see Jamie’s helping himself to strawberries from the dessert cart. “Fine, I’ll buy her a new one. Or she could sell the pictures if she wants an upgrade.”
    He moves to leave, but Dan is in his way, holding the dishwasher tray full of glasses.
    “Excuse me, pot washer.”
    Dan doesn’t say anything.
    “Mr. Pot Washer?”
    “I’ve got a name, actually.”
    “Oh, do you? Don’t tell me, Sparky or something? Smudger? The plucky kid from the streets?”
    Dan laughs and shakes his head. “Whatever, man.”
    He lets Jamie past, and Jamie sees me hovering at the door. “I’ll look forward to the pleasure of your company later, Joseph,” he says and holds the door open for me.
    “You won’t,” I say quickly, even though it doesn’t make sense. Dan looks sharply in our direction.
    “We’ll see. Don’t bring your thug.”
    I put my tray down and start loading the glasses into the dishwasher tray.
    “I’ve got those,” Dan says in a clipped voice.
    “I’m meeting Cleo for a drink after work.” I feel I have to explain. “She’s his girlfriend.” I’m trying to sound casual, but it comes out exaggeratedly cheerful.
    “Oh, cool. Sounds fun,” he says, and then rams the tray of glasses into the dishwasher a bit more forcefully than usual.
    “I probably won’t even go,” I say.
    Dan shrugs. “Going to get my bag.”
    He comes back a few minutes later in a rugby shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He leans against the door and looks serious.
    “Did I tell you I lost my left side?” he says gravely.
    “What?”
    “Yeah, I’m all right now.”
    He grins and I groan, but it turns into a laugh. I get a rush of warmth and want him to stay and hang out with me while I work my shift. He cocks his head to the side. “You in tomorrow?”
    “Yep,” I say, the tension from a few minutes ago falling away. “Got my first early shift.”
    “I’m on early too. Want to do something after?”
    I get a warm buzz in my chest, just like the first time Kieran texted me. Except this time I don’t feel the need to think up a cool response.
    “Yeah, definitely.”
    I can’t stop smiling to myself after he’s gone. I bounce around the kitchen in a good mood and even offer to help Omar, the chef, make the salads. He says, “No, lady,” and moves the bowl of tomatoes away from me, but I just give him a grin and head merrily out to the bar. I check to make sure no guests, or Julia, are around, then take my phone out and text Gabi.
    Dan plan update—“doing something” after work tomorrow! X
    Her reply is almost instantaneous.
    YES! OMG!! When n where? Gonna come stalk you. JOKE. But seriously wen can I come get free food? x
    The shift is pretty quiet. Hardly any tables come in, and Suzy’s time is mostly taken up by the old guy steadily ordering more whiskey and giving her more tips. Ben, who’s on in the kitchen, goes home early, and soon it’s just me left.
    I lean back against the dishwasher, willing the clock to reach eleven. Feeling the cool steel on my back, I immediately think of Gabi’s dishwasher comment about me and Dan. Iget that warm buzzy feeling again, remembering him leaning on the door frame, his rolled-up rugby shirtsleeves showing off the curves of his muscles. It’s like whenever he’s near me, I just want to hug him. What if it happens, one night at the end of a shift, and he just walks up and kisses me?
    I put my head back against the dishwasher, imagining it’s his kiss moving me. I think of his hands running over me, in my hair and down my back. Like on my interview day