I didn’t see much of the guys after that. Milo switched me to the storage room, checking his bottle stock so he could place his orders for the month, so Rose took over my table. Unfortunately, when I came back to the floor, Aaron’s table was empty.
After we closed, Rose caught up with me and gave me my tips from my tables she worked, including Aaron’s table. I was surprised at the amount of money I made, but I really shouldn’t have been. As I said before, Aaron and his friends tipped very well.
I split my tips with Rose, cashed out and made my way to the door.
“See you Monday, Milo.”
Milo looked at me from wiping the counters. “You have a ride home, Sweetness?”
“I’m going to catch the bus home.”
“Uh no you’re not, get a ride with Ivan, Sweetness, you got me?”
I hated asking anyone for anything, but you didn’t go against Milo. If I got on a bus anyway, he’d be at my apartment cussing me out and then would make sure I had a ride home every night just so I wouldn’t take the bus.
So I nodded. “Yes, I got you. Have a good night.”
He grunted his goodbye, which made me laugh. It also gave me such a warm feeling. I’ve never had someone that cared about me that much and didn’t want anything in return. Milo just cared because of the kind of person he was. He was like the dad I never had, and I felt so blessed to have him.
I know it sounds crazy that I’m not afraid to go home by myself at night. I mean, I feel safe enough that I don’t get paranoid someone’s going to be waiting for me. I’m confident that I’m safe… it’s just when I start to have a nightmare that I panic and start to second guess everything. I let the fear and despair take over, and it takes a long time before I convince myself I’m safe. It wasn’t like that all the time, I will point out. When I first left New Jersey and I was on my own, I used to be so afraid to fall asleep.
I was so scared I used to only find jobs that had nightshifts because I usually slept through the day instead of at night. I gradually got to the point I was comfortable to at least fall asleep, but it took close to a year. I’ve definitely come a long way, and even though I have nightmares and sometimes can’t sleep after them, at least I’m free.
I smiled and walked out of the bar with the intent on getting a ride from Ivan when it seemed someone else was waiting for me.
I shook my head and smiled. “What are you still doing here?”
Josh, who was sitting on the hood of his car stood and walked towards me.
“I was waiting for you actually.”
“For me. Why?”
Josh put his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and shrugged. It was that moment where I got a glimpse of shyness from this seemingly hard man.
“Well, you disappeared on me, and I never got a chance to talk to you. So I hung around and waited until you got off to see if I could at least give you a ride home.”
I was stunned. He waited until I got off just to give me a ride home? So I did what any woman would do in this situation, I blushed. Okay well, I did what I would normally do in this situation.
He smiled at me. “I hope I’m not being too much like a stalker.”
I laughed and shook my head. “No, you’re not. I’m just surprised that’s all. I thought, you know, you’d be with someone else right about now.”
Josh’s forehead creased as he moved a little closer to me.
“The only someone I want to be with right about now is standing in front of me.”
Well, I’ll be damned.
I swallowed because, hell, that’s all I could bring myself to do.
“Hey, Sweetness, Milo said you needed a ride.”
Josh and I turned around and found Ivan coming through the bar door. Ivan looked at Josh up and down frowning then his face broke into a very large and very rare smile.
“Oh hell nah, Coop, is that you?”
I turned to look at Josh, and a huge smile was on his face as well.
“Unfucking believable,” Josh said.
I moved out of the way as the two men embraced in a man hug and hard slaps on the back.
“When did you get in town? I thought you were overseas,” Ivan said.
“I’ve been back for a while now. I didn’t know you were here, or I would have called you. How’ve you been? Have you spoken to Malcolm?” Josh asked.
Ivan nodded. “No actually, I haven’t. How is the family, especially your mom and sister?”
Josh finally looked at me and the confusion etched on my face. He smiled at me and pointed to Ivan.
“Ivan and my brother served in the military together. Ivan used to come home with my brother for the holidays for my mother’s cooking and to hit on my sister.”
Ivan laughed and nodded, “Yeah, your sister and mom are hot.”
“Uh–huh. Watch that shit. You may be bigger, but I’ll still kick your ass.”
Ivan laughed again, and I was completely floored.
You have to understand Ivan to know that this was a rare occurrence. Ivan was about six–six and three forty, just putting it lightly. He was probably more than that. He was a big white guy with tattoos running up his arms and neck. He was as mean as they came and people have learned the hard way not to mess with Ivan, much less threaten him, jokingly or not. So to see him laugh at Josh when Josh threatened him was crazy.
Ivan shook his head and said, “So do you still need that ride, Sweetness, or is this clown taking you home?”
Josh looked at me. “Well, I’ve asked to take her home, but she hasn’t said yes or no.”
Both of them watched me expectantly, but I was still stuck on the “I’ll kick your ass” comment.
Finally, I shook out of my trance and said, “Oh yes, um, sure, if it’s not out of your way.”
Josh just smiled at me. “No, it’s not out of my way.”
He looked at Ivan as he reached for my hand. “Hey, call Malc. I’m sure he would love to hear from you.”
“I’ll do that and take care of Sweetness.” Ivan looked solemnly over at me.
Josh brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed it. I couldn’t move. The tingle from his lips started running from my hand up my arm to my body, and I instinctively shivered.
Did I tell you he was hot?
Without moving his gaze from mine he said to Ivan, “You know I will.”
I heard Ivan chuckle then say, “Yeah, I know you will.”
We said our goodbyes, and Josh folded me inside his black two–door GTO. As he drove down E. Carson, we were quiet. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking about, but my mind was going a mile a minute. I directed him to my street. That took him every bit of ten minutes to get to.
As he pulled up in front of the apartment, I said, “Thanks for giving me a ride.”
Josh looked over at me. “I had my own selfish reasons on doing it, but it was my pleasure.”
We both remained quiet for a minute before Josh asked, “Question, why do they call you Sweetness at work?”
I smiled. “Actually, Milo, my boss, the white bearded biker looking guy working behind the bar,” I watched as Josh nodded and then I continued, “Well, he says that I ooze sweetness. He started calling me that right after I interviewed for my job, and it, well, kinda stuck. Now even the regulars at Finn’s call me Sweetness.” I tilted my head. “Why do you call me Sweets?”
Josh frowned. “Did I call you Sweets?”
I nodded. “Yes, just the other day you did.”
“Huh.” He looked confused for a minute then he smiled. “Actually, I didn’t think you caught that. I guess it’s for the same reason then. It seems to fit you.”
I frowned slightly. “Well, I’m not always sweet.”
Josh gave me a crooked grin. “That’s good to know. I love a woman with a little spice to her.”
Josh reached for my hand and laced is fingers with mine. The air changed in the car at that moment as Josh leaned in closer to me. He looked in my eyes, then to my lips.
“Maybe one day you can show me the spicy side of you.”
My heart beat rose in anticipation. He was going to kiss me. Finally, he was going to place his heavenly lips on… Ohhhhh, Goddddd!
I closed my eyes as the most incredible sweetest sensation caressed my body that started from my lips. Josh kissed softly, his tongue entering my mouth but only caressed me ever so lightly just as his hand caressed my cheek. The kiss didn’t last long, but the effects of it I knew I would feel forever. I had never been kissed like that before, and it was doing all kinds of things to my insides.
When he pulled back, he smiled softly at me and brushed his thumb along my lips. I started to feel uncomfortable and conscious under his heavy gaze. I broke the trance and smiled shyly.
I said, “Josh, you make me nervous when you stare at me like that.”
“Why?”
I shrugged and laughed slightly. “Because I’m wondering what you’re thinking when you look at me the way you do.”
Josh leaned back against his door and said, “You should ask me. I’d be happy to tell you. As a matter of fact, would you like to know what I’m thinking now?”
I shook my head frantically. “I don’t think I could handle that right now,” I admitted, which made the car fill with his rich sounding laugh.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” He grew silent, and he took my hand and squeezed. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”