Fear of Falling(69)

“Do you?” I replied for only his ears. “Not too…distracting?”

“Oh, it is. But I’d gladly get lost in your distraction. Over. And over. And over.”

He finished tying the knot above my tailbone before running his fingers through a rogue lock of hair. “I missed you,” he whispered, as he placed it behind my ear.

“You just saw me,” I said, turning to face him. The overwhelming urge to kiss him was growing by the second. And if it weren’t for CJ sitting just yards away and the evening crowd trickling in, I would have done it. Well, maybe.

“I want to see you again. I want to see you in every way possible.”

I crooked a playful grin. “Oh, Blaine Jacobs… are you asking me to go steady?” I jibed.

“No, I’m not.” His fingers were in my hair again, as he stepped into the tiny space that separated us. “I’m telling you that I want you to be mine. Because, Kami, I’ve been yours since the first day you walked in here. And I think, on some level, you’ve been mine since then too.”

The conviction of his words stole my breath, and I couldn’t do more than melt under his gaze. But what was more than that, it was true. I had been Blaine’s all along. I couldn’t even see anyone but him since the day we locked eyes. Since he marked me over a shot of tequila and a slice of lime. Blaine was the only man that existed in my world. And at that very moment, I couldn’t be entirely sure that he wasn’t the world itself.

“Excuuuse me, but some of us are thirsty over here!” CJ hooted, swinging his empty beer bottle in the air.

I broke away from Blaine, hoping to regain just an ounce of my wits, and cracked another beer for CJ.

“You know, it didn’t take much skill for me to do that,” I said, gesturing towards the open bottle before looking back at Blaine. “Is there some special reason why you still need to babysit me?”

A small frown creased Blaine’s forehead. “No. Why?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Trish said something about you making the schedule. And I noticed that I never work alone. Is it Mick? Does he not think I’m ready?”

“Mick?” CJ interjected behind me. “What would he have to do with it? He doesn’t have any control over that. That was all Blaine.”

I lifted a brow at Blaine, who was staring daggers at CJ. He was already pretty pissed at his cousin for his slip up the night before. I wouldn’t be surprised if Blaine had words with him later.

“So?” I asked, hoping to break his death glare.

Blaine turned to me and quirked a crooked smile. “I like the company.”

CJ snorted from behind me, but was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

“So you do make the schedule. Oh my God, don’t tell me you’re like my supervisor or something.”

CJ made a coughing noise behind me like he was choking, drawing the attention of Lidia, the waitress, who began to lightly pat him on the back.

“What are you guys talking about?” she asked. I liked Lidia, I really did, but she was extremely nosey.

CJ wrapped an arm around Lidia’s waist and gestured towards Blaine with a jut of his chin. “Blaine here was just explaining to Kami why he makes the schedule and not my pops.”

Lidia shrugged and placed a hand on her hip. “Well, it’s his bar. He can make the schedule however he wants, as long as I keep getting Wednesday nights off for my Zumba class.”

His bar?

“Blaine?” I didn’t need to say anymore. Either he would be honest with me, or he would lie to my face. I hoped to God it wasn’t the latter.

“Let me explain, Kami,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

That was all I needed to hear. Out of sheer humiliation, I turned and went straight to the back room that housed the employee lockers. I had done it again. I had gotten involved with my boss, the very thing I had vowed not to do again. No wonder Kenneth was such a prick towards me. I probably looked like some slut that just screwed whoever was in charge.

“Watch the bar, motherfucker,” I heard Blaine growl before heavy footsteps approached the room. He left the door cracked and looked down at me, remorse written all over his face.

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

Blaine worked the barbell in his mouth, contemplating his answer, while I forced myself not to watch with rapt fascination. “Yes,” he finally answered.

“When?”

He took a step towards me but kept his distance. I was glad for the space. With my heightened emotions, I would either slap him or kiss him. At that moment, I wanted to do neither.

“Eventually. When it came up.”