“Well, this all looks great. You’ve bartended before which is perfect. We’re looking for another server and bartender before September, so your timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
I look up to see where his eyes have fallen and smile when I notice he has locked eyes with Claire across the dining room. She looks away sheepishly and continues rolling cutlery in napkins.
Well, that settles it.
“I’d love to hire you.” I grin.
His face lights up. “Seriously? That’s awesome.”
If I’m being completely honest, we needed his help likeyesterday. With Elijah and some of the other younger staff leaving to return to school, we’ll be short-staffed after this weekend. Gabe seems like a perfect fit.
“Can you come in on Monday? I can get our bartender, Stacy, to show you the ropes.”
“Yeah, dude. I mean—boss.” He beams.
“Cool.” I smile, standing up. He follows my lead and joins me. I can tell he’s a little taller than me, which throws me off since I’m usually the taller one. With his looks and charm, the customers are going to be eating him up. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
He shakes my hand and walks out of the restaurant.
“So, did you do it?” Claire runs over to me as I walk up to the bar. “Tell me you did it.” She pouts.
“I did.” I nod at Claire, watching her excitedly bouncing on her tiptoes and clapping her hands.
I shake my head in dismay. “You’re ridiculous.”
I feel a warm presence beside me. My body immediately reacts whenever he’s around.
“You actually hired him?” His voice feels smooth like butter in my ears.
I turn my head to look at Elijah and I’m confused when I see his eyebrows pinched with a tense jaw. Wait, is he upset?
“Yeah. Shit. Should I have asked you?” I tilt my head. “He had good qualifications and we’re going to need him while you’re out of town.”
He reaches his hand into his back pocket and takes out his notepad. “Oh,joy.” He says plainly, a small hint of sarcasm in his tone. “It should be fine.”
I narrow my eyes at him, sensing something I’ve only seen glimpses of but never fully seen in real life. “Wait…you wouldn’t bejealous, would you?”
Elijah’s jaw clenches as he locks eyes with mine. He straightens his back.
A curl of his lips twists into disgust and a memory of the sassy Elijah that I know comes charging back. “Jealous ofhim?”
I roll my lips into my mouth, trying to stifle my grin as I take in this adorable moment. “Elijah…baby,did you forget how obsessed with you I am?” I grip his waist and pull him in closer.
Everything in me wants to make quick use of that fire in him in every way that I know how. Preferably in the walk-in fridge.
Elijah looks up at the ceiling as though searching for the answer. “Mmmm, yeah, I think you’re going to have to remind me.”
Oh, I’m going to remind him, alright.
“Ohmygosh,do you two ever come up for air?!” Claire groans, threading her hands through her hair.
I raise my hands in surrender, and Elijah makes a big show of taking a massive step away from me.
“You think we may need a do-not-touch rule for work?” I cringe at him.
“I mean…you think that’d work?” Elijah gives me a wink before walking away.
I sigh, watching his ass as he goes. Rules are meant to be broken.
