Scrupulous (An Affliction of Falling Novel Book 1) by Kristina Canady Page B

from the inside out with flawless aim, filling the shot glasses and ending with my arms wide to set the cylinders down, breasts threatening to dip into the freshly filled vessels. Straightening up, I dust cinnamon across the tops and line myself up at one end. Taking out our box of extra-long matches and lighting one, I hold it in one hand as my lips find a thimble full of vodka. Bending suggestively in front of Tobias, cleavage aimed at Gavin, match dipped in front of the line of drinks, one forceful spritz of vodka from my mouth sends a line of fire down the bar. As I raise my arms like a witch, the cinnamon dusts out for an extra crackle and effect, earning me applause from those crowded around the bar.
    “Your drinks , sir.” He wanted a backdraft, and I sure as hell gave him one, whether he ordered a line of shots or not as the case were.
    Multiple emotions flicker over Gavin’s face before he settles on a fake smile for the sake of the crowd, obviously not happy about his inflated order. Being the good sport that he is, he stands to blow out the line of fire. Gavin passes a few of the shots out, and even offers one to Tobias before slamming the last three in front of him, earning the devious and sexy-as-fuck male a pat on the back by a fellow barstool mate and way more attention than he is clearly comfortable with. Excellent.
    Slipping away from his scornful glare to attend to another group of patrons, the heat of his stare on my backend is sizzling. After dazzling the guests with a few smaller tricks and flames, including a brain hemorrhage and my signature flaming candy corn shot, one of the VIP waitresses, Carolyn, waves me down in her barely existent naughty schoolgirl outfit.
    “The gentleman ordered a body shot off me; Daz allows those up here, right? He’s super hot and I need the money.” She cuts her eyes to Gavin, who is still fixated on me, strategically waiting for a reaction.
    Smiling wide with a delicious rebuttal in mind, I nod and begin to shoo people from the bar and wipe it down. Z takes the signal and opens the locked door for Carolyn to enter. Helping her stand on one end of the bar, he holds her hand has he parades her down the counter to lie in front of Gavin. The crowd packs in even tighter to watch like flies on a turd. That is the thing about people with money, they can be just as human and subject to flaws like the rest of us. In this case, rubbernecking the impending train wreck.
    “Black label, please.” Gavin grins, pleased with himself.
    “Certainly.” Dismissing the urge to purse my black lips, I set the glasses down on the lower part of the shelf and pour three shots of Johnny Walker Black. Taking advantage of his distracted state, I sneak a drop of ghost pepper juice in the last glass as he chats up the nervous waitress with his seductive and silky smooth timbre. As his large hand comes to rest on hers in a calming attempt, her shoulders notably relax.
    “Ready, Carolyn?” I check with her before I begin. She gives me a nod of approval, Gavin’s charm having calmed her anxiety perfectly. Fucker.
    After balancing one glass on her pelvic bone, another on her navel, and a third for her lips to hold, Gavin rises to begin. When I tsk-tsk him and wag a finger, he pauses and raises an eyebrow, searching me for any sign of a rise. Not wanting to give him the benefit, out comes the whip cream and I add a path to connect all the glasses. Carolyn begins to shake, surprised by the addition, and Gavin once more places an expert hand on her arm to calm her, which works again.
    Yes, those hands are definitely magic, I remember vividly. The air hums with excitement as he places his arms behind his back and picks up the first glass, which rests on her lower region, with his mouth and shoots it back before placing it on the bar without ever using his hands. Yes, that mouth was quite talented. Heat flares through my veins as memories dance in front of my eyes. His fellow inebriated friends seem