Pinstripe Shirt 12.1

Chapter 12

"You play games with people's lives. You forget that they are fragile." - Patricia Briggs, Dragon Blood

Once again, Lexie avoided Nathan. The incident earlier still fresh in her mind she couldn't help but blush every time she remembered it. How could she fall asleep holding him like that? Nathan didn't understand her actions but decided to just let her be.

As Lexie berated herself internally, she didn't notice the man watching her from the corner booth.

"Hey." He called loudly. "Lexie!"

Lexie snapped out of her thoughts and looked around for the person calling her. She saw the man from the other day sitting on the back end of the bar at the corner booth. He was grinning widely, waving at her. He looked the same as the last time, his hair was combed back neatly, he was still wearing black slacks, but he was now wearing a blue pinstripe dress shirt.

"Hey. So you remember my name." She handed him a menu.

"Of course, I would never forget it." He held out his hand. "And since I wasn't able to do it the last time, Nice to meet you Lexie."

Lexie laughed but shook his hand. "Nice to meet you…" She paused, trying to remember his name.

"It's Anthony." He offered.

"...Anthony. Yes, sorry. Nice to meet you Anthony." She smiled apologetically. "So, what's your order?"

"Just a beer please."

"All right, I'll be back."

Anthony watched as she made her way to the counter, smiling the whole time.

==

"One beer for booth 8 and two coke rum for table 12." Lexie stood in front of Mike.

"I got it." Nathan answered. Mike glanced at Lexie and Nathan then nodded, grinning mischievously.

Lexie felt her face getting red once again, she just hoped it was dark enough to hide it. She kept her eyes on the floor.

"Here." Nathan placed the drinks on the counter in front of him.

Lexie moved to stand in front of him to place the drinks on her tray. As she moved to take the drinks, Nathan pulled them back. Lexie reluctantly looked up at him, confused.

"And what will you say?" Nathan asked like talking to child.

"What?" She asked, brows furrowing.

"What do you say when someone gives you what you ask?" He said it slowly, enunciating each word. Teasing Lexie.

"Oh. Thank you." She looked at Nathan, he was keeping himself from laughing. He was making fun of her. Lexie glared at him, but couldn't help but laughing.

"Good." Nathan placed the drinks on her tray and chuckled when she left.

Mike who was watching at the sidelines suddenly burst out laughing, he pointed tauntingly at Nathan.

"Shut up." Nathan threw a small towel at him but was laughing along with him.

==

"So Lexie, is that short for something? Alexendra?"

Lexie placed the beer on the table, glancing at Anthony. "Uhm, nope. It's just Lexie." She didn't know why but somehow she felt protective of her name. Maybe it's just cause no one else questioned the name that Nathan gave her, everyone just accepted her as Lexie. "Do you need anything else?"

"You're really not a big fan of chatting, are you?" Anthony took the beer, moving his finger along the mouth of the bottle.

"What?"

"You're always in a rush to get away from me." He made an exaggerated pout, looking at Lexie.

She laughed and shook her head. "I have a lot of tables to serve." she tilted hear head towards the direction of the tables. "Just let me know if you need anything else."

==

"So how long have you been working here?" Anthony asked as Lexie placed his fourth beer on the table. He had been trying to make conversation with her every time he ordered and she gives him his order.

"Long enough to know that you're not a regular here." She answered. "How did you find this place anyway?"

"Oh, I just had business… with someone." He answered. Lexie raised an eyebrow, questioning, but he didn't elaborate.

Lexie wondered what he meant, did he mean business with someone here? Was it Kaylee? Who else would he talk to about business here in this bar? Or maybe he just had a drink here with someone he met for business and I'm just over thinking every thing.

"Hello…" Anthony tapped Lexie's shoulder to get her attention, she had been staring at the air for a moment. Lexie jumped at the contact and Anthony immediately pulled his hand back. "Didn't mean to scare you, but you were kinda spacing out." He explained.

"Was I?" Lexie shook her head, laughing.

==

Nathan stood by the dance floor watching as Lexie chatted - and laughed - with a customer. He was about to call her for break time, he wanted to tease Lexie some more. He found it funny watching her embarrassed, he still didn't understand why she was embarrassed in the first place, but it was funny. He watched as Lexie once again laughed at something that the customer said. Nathan couldn't see who she was talking to, the man had his back to him and he was seated at the corner, it was darker there too. Lexie nodded and motioned her head towards the bar counter then left the man with a smile.

Nathan's blood rose, it was dark and hot but he pretended not to feel it. He clenched his fists, then he shook his head and slowly loosened them as Lexie walked his way.

He noticed the slight blush forming on Lexie's cheeks as she saw him and he chuckled at the sight.

"Break time." He informed when she was close enough to hear.

As they made their way to the kitchen to get some food, Lexie and Nathan didn't notice Anthony watching them. A serious look on his face.