Read HAPPY PANTS CAFE (THE HAPPY PANTS SERIES) for Free Online Page B

that check so you can go home.” Harper lifted her brows and tried to stare without crossing her eyes. “Alone. You should go home. Alone. That’s why God invented vibrators.”
    Austin chuckled and shook his head at Harper while pulling his credit card from his wallet.
    The waitress smiled bitterly. “Be right back.”
    “So, Miss Marie,” Austin leaned in, speaking in a flirty whisper, “where you staying?”
    Harper laughed. God, I am so drunk! And this guy has been doing his winer-cise, for sure! I’ll never outdrink him.
    “I’m just,” she pointed out the window, “down the road at the Muddy Duck B and B.”
    “Me, too.” Austin gave Harper a look, but she felt too drunk to translate it.
    “Really? Because I got the last room.”
    Austin cocked his head. “So did I.”
    “You did? But how’s that…”
    Oh. Austin was making a move on her.
    Harper let her drunken brain spin for a moment. She wanted him, too. But that’s the wine talking. And you never listen when the wine speaks, because the wine only says really stupid things, like, “Yes! Order five hundred dollars’ worth of stripper underwear online, and then post it to Facebook as Look What I just Ordered!” Harper’s dad still gave her hard time about that one; he’d thought she was in trouble with money and had taken up moonlighting.
    But the wine speaks the truth this time, Harp. He looks like a frigging underwear model. He even has that glow. Yes, he’s all glowy and masculine and sexy, with his scruffy jaw and those eyes with the chocolaty thick lashes, and—oh! Don’t forget that chin and those dimples…
    “Wow,” Harper finally said, “what a coincidence that we’re staying at the same B and B.”
    The waitress showed up with the receipt and wished them a good evening.
    Austin signed off and then flashed a wicked little grin with those sensual, slightly full lips. Harper felt a little tingle between her legs.
    Whoa. A smile-gasm? And it was way better than a knee or wine-gasm.
    “Shall we?” he asked.
    Harper wobbled her way to a standing position. “Oh, yeah. We shall,” she said suggestively.
    Was that too much? God, I’m so wasted. But this night was perfect. He’s perfect. They’d been talking for hours about everything from their jobs to favorite movies and books and television programs and places to vacation and, well…everything! They even liked the same kind of dogs: Jack Russells. Honestly, the energy between them was staggering. It was like nothing she’d ever…
    Stop, Harp! Are you forgetting who this is?
    Yes, I am. Because that is what the wine is telling me to do.
    Harper and Austin walked outside, and he offered her his arm. She looked up at him and smiled. “I think I drank too much,” she said, “but that wine and that food…so good.” Especially that cheesecake!
    “I’m pretty impressed, actually. Where did you learn to drink like that?”
    Harper laughed. “Years of skilled practice. Actually, my friends and coworkers are all lushes. We go out a lot.”
    “So no boyfriend?”
    They stopped at the corner, and Austin pressed the crosswalk button. It was just before ten p.m., but plenty of traffic continued flowing through town.
    “I’m currently dating my job,” she said. “He’s very possessive and demanding, but we’re happy. He’s not very good in bed, though.”
    He chuckled. “You’re one of those, are you? In love with work.”
    “Yes!” she said triumphantly.
    The walk sign lit up, and they crossed, arm and arm.
    “So how about you?” Harper asked, hoping he’d say no.
    A gentle breeze drifted over them, and she caught a subtle scent of Austin’s skin. She’d been inhaling him all night long and couldn’t get enough. He smelled like fresh and spicy man. So yummy.
    “I was engaged,” he replied, “but it didn’t work out.”
    Yes, yes, yes, Harper rejoiced while trying to remain sincere.
    “She wanted New York. I wanted San Francisco,” he added.
    “Your family