Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Yeah, this was weird.
“You look especially broody tonight, handsome.” Kai leaned against the bar, giving me that sultry look he often shot my way. “Anything I can do to help?” He licked his lips.
“No flirting. I’m your boss.”
“Ugh. You’re no fun.” He nudged me before adding, “You know I just like to tease you because it’s fun to rile you up. You seem different lately, though—smiling more and taking time off. Tonight you just look introspective instead of grumpy.”
“Thank you?” I frowned, unsure if that could be considered a compliment.
Kai chuckled. “I meant that in a good way. I can see how it didn’t come out right. Whatever it is you’re doing, keep it up.” Then he winked and sashayed away.
When I noticed him pass a certain someone, a smile teased the corners of my lips, but I fought to hide it. How clichéd was it to smile just because Sebastian had walked into the room? What had he done to me?
A line formed while I was distracted, so I nodded toward the barstool in the corner, slightly behind the bar, for Bastian to sit. It took me longer to help out than I’d thought it would, more people flowing in, but eventually we had a lull and I could step away.
“My friend is over there. I’ll take care of anything he needs tonight. I just want to make sure everyone knows he’s with me and fine to be where he is.”
“Okay. Thanks, Declan. I’ll make sure everyone knows,” Davey, one of the bartenders, said, and got back to work.
I made a rum and Coke and headed over to Sebastian. He was looking down at his phone, wearing that scuffed-up blue hat he wore when we were out.
“Hey, you,” I said, and he looked up at me, a grin splitting his face. Just that easily, my pulse sped out of control. Jesus, this man had some sort of power over me. I set his drink on the counter.
“Hey, you.” He reached out, hooked his finger into the belt loop on my jeans, and tugged me forward. I went easily until I was standing between his legs. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s been like a whole twenty-four hours,” I teased, as though I hadn’t felt the same way.
“Check you out, trying to pretend you didn’t miss me. You did, Declan Burns. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
Fuck, he was right. For a brief second I considered arguing with him, but instead I just leaned forward and pressed my mouth to his. Bastian let me lead the kiss, let me slip my tongue into his mouth to taste him, while his hands gripped my waist.
“Admit it,” he said, when we pulled back. “Admit you missed me.”
“You want me to lie to you?” I joked, making Sebastian laugh.
“Well, now you’ve done it. I’m sad. What are you going to do to make up for it?”
This game was playful and fun. I knew I hadn’t really hurt his feelings, but still I found myself saying, “I missed you.”
Sebastian’s gaze softened. “I missed you too. That’s a little ridiculous, isn’t it?”
“Fuck yes. And embarrassing. Should we forget we said it?”
Again, he chuckled. “Yes. God yes.”
“Well,” I heard from behind me, “now I see why you’ve been so happy lately.”
My whole body went rigid. It was a silly reaction. Did I think no one would see us? But for a moment there, I’d been so lost in Sebastian that I’d blocked out the music and the building full of people. He’d made me forget where I was, which was at work, in a bar, where I’d just kissed a movie star.
“Hey, I—oh shit,” Kai said when he stepped around me, making it clear he recognized who had been attached to my lips. “You and him… You guys are…? Fucking lucky bastard!”
I probably shouldn’t allow employees to talk to me that way, but it was such a surprise, I was at a loss for words. My thoughts immediately shot back to Sebastian and how he was trying to keep a low profile, so I said, “This needs to stay between us.”
“Yeah, sure. I won’t say a word, but…you guys realize you’re in a bar, right?” Kai said, and Sebastian laughed.
I scooted back, and Sebastian held out his hand. “Sebastian Cole.”
“No shit, dude. This is crazy. Kai.” They shook. “You guys don’t happen to want to have a threesome, do you? Because I would one hundred percent be down with that.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Kai, you do remember I’m your boss?”
“Yeah, why?”
God help me. Sometimes I didn’t know how I’d ended up surrounding myself with so many people who were nothing like me.
“You make your employees call you handsome?” Sebastian asked.
“What? No. I tell him not to all the time, but he doesn’t listen.” I looked at Sebastian, and he winked, showing me he was teasing, so I gave my attention back to Kai. “And no, we’re not having a threesome. Don’t proposition your employer for sex. Or his boyfriend, for that matter.” When I felt Sebastian’s hand on my waist again, I looked at him, and…oh, I wasn’t sure anyone had ever looked at me that way before, with so much naked desire and admiration and happiness. What the hell had I done to deserve that? “What?”