“When it came up?” I shouted, disregarding the bar full of patrons. “Blaine, we work together just about every day. We’ve gone out on a date. Shit, we’ve spent the night together twice! You’ve had ample opportunity.”
“I know, Kami, I just didn’t think it mattered. It’s just a bar.” He ran a frustrated hand through his already mussed hair.
“Yeah. The bar I work at. Holy shit, I’m your employee. Do you know how this would make me look to everyone else? And you claim you want me to be yours?”
He closed the distance between us in three long strides and imprisoned my face in his large, inked hands. “I do want that. Fuck, I want that more than anything. Don’t you think I wanted to tell you? That I went over the scenario in my head a thousand times? Kami, if you knew I owned this place, you never would’ve given me the time of day. Tell me I’m wrong.”
I couldn’t. I couldn’t disagree with him there. I took a deep breath and shook my head anyway. “But now look. Now I feel like you’ve been lying to me all this time. I feel like such a damn fool, Blaine! I trusted you.”
“Baby, you can still trust me. I’m still the same man that is fucking crazy about you. Still the same guy that is obsessed with these lips,” he murmured, running a thumb along my bottom one. “This changes nothing, I swear.”
“But what will the other employees think?”
Blaine shrugged. “If they have something to say, they can walk.”
Without warning, his lips were hot against mine, coaxing my mouth open so his tongue could meld with mine. His kiss was full of apology and regret. It begged for understanding. It needed my forgiveness. His lips needed me to let my guard down and free fall into the unknown with him.
“You’re crazy about me?” I asked breathlessly, once his mouth left mine.
“Fucking crazy,” he smiled.
“Well,” I said wrapping my arms around his neck. “You better get your crazy ass out there before your cousin drinks you dry.”
He chuckled, and the sound chipped at the crumbling walls around my heart just a bit more. “Yeah, you’re probably right. So hard to find good help nowadays.” And with that, Blaine palmed my backside and squeezed, making me squeal. After I gave his rock-solid bicep a playful smack, he grabbed my hand and tugged me towards the door.
“Oh, Ms. Patty has been asking when you’ll be back by the diner.”
I reached on my tiptoes and gave him a swift peck on the cheek just before we passed the threshold of the door. “Well, I have to see if my boss will give me a day off. He likes to work me for long, hard hours.”
Blaine chuckled again, and the barriers in my chest came crashing down.
Yeah. I was pretty fucking crazy about him too.
The next few days passed in a blur of flirty banter, longing stares, and hidden kisses when no one was watching. I returned to Ms. Patty’s diner with Blaine, subjecting him to all types of loving torture from her and Mavis. Apparently, he was telling the truth about never bringing a date to the little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that appeared quainter than dilapidated the second time around. Maybe it was getting to know Ms. Patty and the love she had for Blaine. Maybe it was being there with him, smiling around a mouthful of waffles. Whatever it was, I was thankful that he made it known that he wanted me in his life. I wanted him in mine…I just didn’t know how.
“Hey babe, pass me that Grenadine,” Blaine said, pointing to the bottle of red syrup.
I snagged the bottle and handed it to him, giving him a wink before sashaying towards the next customer. It was Thursday, and word had gotten out about Dive’s Open Mic Night. We were busier than last week, but it was nothing that we couldn’t handle.
“Hey sweets!” Angel squealed, nearly propping herself on the bar to leave a kiss on my cheek.
“You and the girls all set up? I think there will be a lot more victims—I mean—performers this week.” I winked at the older gentleman in front of me and slid him his beer. He was a regular and not a fan of Dive’s new themed night.
“Yup! And if there’s a lag in singers, I thought you and I could try out that new song we’ve been working on.”
I passed Angel her signature shot of tequila and light beer. “Uh, no way. You know that’s not happening.”
“Aw, come on, Kam!” she pouted. “I think it’s ready. Just try it!”
I was already shaking my head. “Nope. Ain’t gonna happen. I will not perform that song with you tonight. Ask one of the girls.”
“But it’s our song! Ugh!” She downed her shot and chased it with a swig of beer. “Fine. So you won’t perform that song with me tonight.”