It slips out before I think twice.
He blinks. Once. Twice. Then slowly turns toward me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
“Say it again.”
“What?”
“Baby, say it again.”
There’s a hint of softness in his eyes, something I’m getting used to. He hasn’t completely let his walls down with me, not yet anyway.
I walk toward him, placing my hand on his chest, right over his heart. “Baby.”
His jaw flexes as he sucks in a breath, and I swear to God, if I kissed him right now, I’d never get to my shift on time, but I do it anyway.
I rise onto my toes and kiss him, my lips brush his like a promise I haven’t made yet. He exhales into my mouth as his hand grips my waist. When I finally pull back, he’s still staring at me like I rewired something in his chest.
I flash him a smirk as I grab my bag and head for the door.
“Try not to crash it,” he calls after me, “or I’ll have to punish you.”
I toss a wink over my shoulder. “That supposed to scare me, cowboy?”
Oops.I hit the curb when I pulled into the lot. Boo hoo. I guess I’m going to have “punishment.”
The red neon glow of Boots & Bourbon flickers against the puddles on the asphalt as I push through the heavy doors, stepping straight into the hum of conversation and laughter.Heartlessby Diplo featuring Morgan Wallen vibrates through the speakers, the bass thumping under my sparkly boots.
I weave through the growing crowd, making my way toward the clock-in monitor.
Tapping my fingers against the scratched-up screen, I punch in my employee ID, clocking in for another long night. As I head toward the bar, I push past sweaty patrons and drunk idiots shouting over each other, and the stench of body odor assaults my nose.
It’s called deodorant, dirty ass.
God, I don’t want to work here forever. I want something for myself. But what? I don’t even know what the hell I’m passionate about. What have I even done with my twenty-three years on this earth? Oh, that’s right—got shit-faced drunk, partied away every emotion I didn’t want to feel, and spent my daddy’s money like it could buy me a fucking soul.
Sighing, I lean my elbows on the bar for a second,pulling my phone from my back pocket while no one is looking. My thumb hovers over Carter’s name. I shouldn’t, I know I shouldn’t. But my chest is tight, and I hate how empty it feels without him. Without thinking it through, I quickly type.
Catalina
I miss you, like a lot.
I bite the inside of my cheek after I hit send, cringing. God, I probably sound so fucking clingy. I shove my phone back into my apron, grabbing a few empty beer glasses from a nearby table, trying to distract myself, pretending like my heart isn’t hammering in my ears. The buzz comes quicker than I expect. I wipe my hands on a towel, sneaking a glance down at the screen.
Carter
You miss me, huh? Good, because I can’t stop thinking about you, baby.
I shake my head, smiling to myself as I make my way behind the bar where Reed is already waiting, arms crossed like he’s been counting down the seconds.
“You’re closing tonight,” he says without preamble.
I groan dramatically. “Ugh, fine. I think I’ll survive.”
“Good. Take over serving. I’ve got paperwork.” He gives me a playful shove before disappearing toward his office, leaving me to the wolves.
The bar is fucking chaos tonight. Cowboys in dusty boots two-stepping to the twang of country music, groups of girls in tiny denim skirts, rhinestone-studded crop tops shrieking and climbing onto the mechanical bull, desperate for a scrap of attention.
I’m halfway through pouring a rum and Coke for somecrusty old man when I feel it, the unmistakable sensation of being watched.
