Just a Taste Read Online Free PDF Page A

as calm and cool as he appeared. People did irritate him. He just wasn’t loud about it. “I like it.”
    â€œIt makes it harder to call me . . . what was it you and your cousin nicknamed me? White Bread?”
    She hung her head in shame. Of course he would remember. Heat flamed in her cheeks. But the embarrassment didn’t stop her from mumbling, “Wonder Bread.”
    â€œHah! That’s right. Wonder Bread.”
    It was almost a laugh. “We were snotty teenagers and we shouldn’t have called you that.”
    â€œIt didn’t bother me. I’m definitely white.”
    She didn’t understand. If he had ever referred to her or anyone in her family as a wetback or any other slur she’d heard over her lifetime, she’d be pissed. Definitely hurt. “It didn’t make it right.”
    He shrugged it off. She finished the drink in her glass and Liam already had his hand in the air to order another.
    â€œAre you trying to get me drunk?”
    â€œI’m not trying to, but if it happens, so be it. Everyone needs to cut loose on occasion.” His glass was still near full. “I’ll make sure you get home safely.”
    She sighed. Safe had been her whole life. Maybe she was tired of being safe. The waitress brought her second drink and Carmen wondered what she and Liam would talk about. The alcohol was loosening her up, but she found that he was okay with sitting in silence.
    Unfortunately, she wasn’t. “Are you naturally antisocial or what?”
    Somewhere in her brain, she knew the question probably came out sounding rude, but she didn’t have the skills to fix it at this particular moment.
    â€œNo. At least I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”
    â€œWhen you worked at the restaurant, it felt like you were always on your own. I’d talk with the other staff, both front of house and back, but you kept your distance.” She wanted to ask why he’d avoided her, never asked her out like the other guys had. She’d never taken any of them seriously, so she’d always turned them down, but she probably would’ve said yes to him.
    He shrugged. “I didn’t feel welcome most of the time.”
    Liam had felt like an outsider? The thought had never occurred to her. “That’s too bad. I would’ve welcomed you.”
    He smiled again, the lines in his cheeks deepening. “You were usually looking for a way to escape. Why did you hate working there so much?”
    Blowing out a breath, she raised her drink to her lips. How could she explain her need to avoid the temptation of food? By the age of seventeen, she’d already been teased so much about her weight, that all she wanted was to be thin. Being in the restaurant, around her favorite foods, made it near impossible.
    She looked into Liam’s cool blue assessing eyes. And lied. “I didn’t hate the whole restaurant. Just the kitchen stuff. I don’t like to cook. It’s not my thing.”
    â€œMaybe I should give you lessons.”
    She thought of his strong, capable hands, the roped muscles in his forearms, and suppressed a shiver. What was wrong with her?
    â€œWhat is your thing?”
    Hmm . . . the question was innocent enough, but she’d spent so much time with Rosa and the alcohol filtering into her brain made her thoughts not so innocent. She was beginning to think he might be her thing. “Business. That’s what I majored in for college. I’ve been taking care of the office stuff for my dad since I’ve been home.”
    He pressed his lips together like he had to consider her answer. She drank some more. The second margarita went down even smoother than the first and she was reminded why she’d gotten drunk so easily. Liam’s glass was empty.
    â€œDo you want another, or do you have to go?” she asked.
    â€œI’ll get you another. I’ll stick with water. I’m