Lou leaned against the pool table, her fingers gripping the cue a little tighter than necessary. The pub was almost empty, a few regulars scattered at the bar, the low hum of conversation and clink of glasses blending with the distant thrum of an old jukebox. It was the kind of night Lou enjoyed, quiet, with no one to bother her while she nursed her beer between shots.

But tonight, something—or rather, someone—kept pulling her focus.

The waitress.

Lou’s eyes flicked toward her again, pretending to aim her next shot, but her attention was fully on the girl. She moved with a lazy grace, wiping down tables like she had all the time in the world. A white tank top clung to her frame, riding up just enough to reveal a sliver of skin as she bent over to reach the far side of a booth. Lou couldn’t help but watch. Her gaze followed the curve of the waitress’s back, down to the red apron tied low around her waist and those skimpy shorts that barely covered enough to be decent.

She should’ve been focusing on the game, but the way the girl moved, so effortlessly, had Lou hooked. There was tension in the air, a quiet pull that she could feel in her chest every time the waitress got closer. Lou took a sip from her bottle, letting the cold beer cool the heat building in her stomach. But then the waitress bent over again, her body stretching in a way that made it impossible for Lou to look away.

Lou bit the inside of her cheek, trying to ignore the warmth creeping through her veins. She lined up her next shot, eyes narrowing on the ball, but her thoughts were somewhere else entirely. The pub suddenly felt smaller, the space between her and the waitress charged with something unspoken.

As the girl turned, catching Lou’s gaze for just a second, Lou felt her pulse quicken. There was something in that glance, something almost knowing. Lou smirked, taking another sip of her beer, feeling the tension rise like a wave about to break. She didn’t know where this was headed, but the thrill of it—of her—was impossible to ignore.