by Jami Wagner
Chapter Fifteen
Ethan
I hate the way everyone is walking around the bar, pretending like I have a disease. They’re all going out of their way to stay away from me. At first I thought it was weird that I hadn’t spoken to anyone since I got here, but it isn’t until I come out of the office and watch Beth and Abby scatter like the building is on fire that I figure it out. All in different directions, too, and any direction that doesn’t include toward me.
I head straight for the end of the bar where Abby is working. The moment I get to the end, she turns around and walks to the other, all without even a glance in my direction. I study each girl and can’t find a single clue to what’s going on.
“Hey, Ethan, is something wrong?” Logan gestures toward Beth with a bar glass. “Or did she do something wrong?”
“No, I just can’t figure out why my employees are avoiding me. I haven’t done anything new lately that would piss them off.” I pull up a seat in front of him.
“Yeah, women are like that. I’ll probably go half my life not knowing why Sara or Kelsey is mad 70 percent of the time they are around me. It’s just how they work—one minute they’re calm and couldn’t care less. The next minute… ”
He clears his throat.
“The next minute, you never know what they’re going to do.” He chuckles then walks away.
I spin on the seat to see what caught his attention. My eyes about pop out of their sockets when I find Kelsey standing in the doorway, a beaming, white smile on her face. Her hair is pinned up into a messy bun. The Black Alcove t-shirt she’s wearing is tighter than normal, showing off her every curve and she is wearing a….mother fucker, she is wearing a skirt. One that is way too short for the public eye. If it’s getting to me this fast, it’s getting to every other man in this bar too. I take a breath and attempt to control the groan in my throat. This woman knows how to test my patience.
In two quick strides I’m at her side. “What are you wearing?” I ask in the calmest tone I can handle. My hands are clenching at my sides, and when I hear a whistle, I know it’s directed toward her. My breathing picks up as I wait for her reply and control my urge to punch the mystery fucker in the face.
Kelsey shrugs and glances down at her chest.
“Um, it’s our required uniform, Ethan.”
“That is not required.” I point to her outfit. “You should be wearing black pants and, let me guess, you shrank your shirt in the dryer?”
“No, I bought a size smaller and I didn’t feel like wearing pants today.”
“You didn’t feel like wearing pants?”
“That’s what I said.” She smiles again.
“Well,” I growl at her and point to her skirt, “that sure as fuck isn’t going to work for me.”
“Well…” She rolls her eyes and looks away. “You’re going to have to make it work. I’m not changing.”
I stand there completely dumbfounded as she walks away. Heads turn as she greets a few people on her way to the jukebox. I watch her hips sway back and forth to the music. That skirt is way too short. It reveals her delicious long legs, and when she leans over the jukebox to press a few buttons, my mind starts to wander to places it really shouldn’t go right now. I can do this. I can let a couple of rules slide for one night.
She turns back around and gives me a wicked, happy smile. Somehow she managed to learn that when it comes to me, she can get away with anything. I’m just happy she followed one rule and kept her hair pulled back. At least she listened to something I said.
The music switches to a new song and “Sour Cherry” by The Kills plays throughout the bar. I smile back at her, approving her choice of music. From the hoots and hollers it sounds like I’m not the only one who enjoys this song. Right at that moment she reaches up and pulls her ponytail out of her hair and shakes her curls loose down her back.
Fuck. This is not happening.
Kelsey
Before I focus too intently on the fumes blowing out of Ethan ears, I quickly start to chat with some regulars and collect their drink orders. I pick up a few empty bottles as I weave between tables on my way back to the bar. I can feel his eyes burning into my skin. I can do this. I can do this. He’s budging on the rules, so this is a start.
“Girl, I can’t believe you are testing him right now. Logan said he had a hot temper earlier today, and the rest of us have been doing everything we can to stay clear of him. Then, here you walk in, acting like you own the place.” Beth laughs and shakes her head. We both glance toward Ethan, who’s now standing with his hands on his hips and his head hanging to his chest. God, he looks so cute when he dresses up. For once I’d like to see him just relax here. He might be a lot happier if he didn’t take everything so seriously. I can’t imagine Sara giving him any lectures before she left. Maybe he needs someone to help him in a non-work-related way.
I could do that.
What would he do if I march right up to him and kiss him? He sure as shit isn’t going to make a move. Damn it, Kelsey. Stop that.
“I sure hope whatever you have planned works out for both your— Oh shit, here he comes.” Beth is gone before I can fully process what she just said. How did I miss him strutting over here when I was staring at him? Oh right. I was imagining kissing him.
“Kelsey, might I have a word with you?” Each slow word sounds practiced and forced. Crap. I hadn’t prepared for this reaction. I mean, I knew this was going to happen, but I never planned how I would react.
“I—”
“Ethan, I need some help behind the bar. Would you mind talking to Kelsey later?” Relief instantly takes over at Logan stepping in just in time.
“You need help with three customers?” Ethan asks.
I glance at Logan, who looks back at the customers then grins at Ethan. “Just go easy on her, please.” He chuckles and returns to his spot behind the bar.
Well, that was a poor job of saving me. I’ll have to warn Sara about this. Logan is a horrible defender of best friends. He was the one who wanted to devise a plan against Ethan. Clearly, I’m the only who will actually mastermind it. As slowly as I can muster, I turn to face Ethan. When I meet his heated stare, I bite my lip and hold back a smile. At least it’s kind of working. I shrug.
“We can talk in my office.” He turns for the door with me right behind him.
When the door clicks closed and I hear the twist of the bolt, I step deeper into the office and cringe as I lean against the wall. I got this. I’m not scared of Ethan.
But I am surprised when he turns around and a sneaky grin appears on his lips. He stalks over to me and stops once we are toe to toe. Damn, he’s close. I can smell his musky and woodsy scent that I can’t get enough of. He’s so close I can see how soft his skin is from his shave this morning. I can smell the mint on his breath, which now focuses me fully on his lips. Oh god. Have I always been this attracted to him?
“I can’t let you go back out there, Kelsey. Not dressed the way you are.”
“Why not?” I cross my arms and look away from him. “I’m wearing the same outfit we used to always wear, Ethan. And no one had a problem with it before. Casual is friendly and approachable. You’re just going to have to let some things go.” I reach to move him out of my way, but instead he grabs my wrist and stops me. I freeze and take a deep breath.
I’m shoved against the wall and his lips are on mine before I can finish that breath. He quickly releases my wrist and his hands go to my waist, each hand digging into my sides and pulling me closer. His tongue slips past my lips, and I lock my arms around his neck. Hot damn, this man can kiss.
Ethan moves his knee between my legs and rubs against me. A moan comes from inside me, fueling his hunger even more. A hand slips under my shirt, snapping me back to attention. I break the kiss.
“Ethan.”
“I can’t let you go back out there dressed the way you are because I won’t be able to keep my eyes or hands off of you. And if I won’t be able
to do it, no other man out there will either. I don’t feel like getting in a fight tonight, Kelsey. It wouldn’t be professional and it wouldn’t end well for the other guy. I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone and I can’t get enough of you.”
I push him away slightly and look into his eyes. If he really feels this way then where has he been? Why hasn’t he called me or come over for breakfast? If he really feels this way, he never would have stopped showing up. But I can’t let him know how this bothers me.
“I’m sorry, Ethan, I…I got carried away. I’m not attracted to you that way.” I take a step around him.
“That’s bullshit, Kelsey, and you know it,” he challenges once I reach the door.
“I don’t know it. I don’t know anything except that a relationship between the two of us would never work.”
“Why not? We’ve never had one. You can’t just pre-reject something because you think you know how it will turn out. It doesn’t work like that.”
I remain silent because everything I say is only making this situation worse. I don’t want him upset with me but I do want him to stop being such an uptight jerk.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. I should get back to work.”
“Wait. Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t having even a pinch of feelings for me. I know you do. I want to hear you say it.”
I don’t hesitate to look him in the eye. I even open my mouth to confess everything he wants to hear, but the words don’t come out. Instead, I open the door and walk out.
Ethan never comes out of his office during my shift. I don’t know what is wrong with me, but I do care about him. It’s just that after you add our past and his present behavior together, it all screams that I shouldn’t trust him. I’m not doing that again. I can’t let myself go through that more than once. I know I said I’d just go with it, but I can’t. Even if every part of my heart wants to be with Ethan.