I consider her words, knowing it’s probably not very appropriate any time, any place, considering we work together. But I also know it’s damn hard to keep fighting this attractionI feel for her. She’s like a magnet, her force too strong to keep fighting, and for the life of me, I can’t think of one reason why I should. Well, beyond the obvious.
Except, there is a reason I hesitate…
“Listen, we don’t have to make this weird,” she says when the silence draws on too long. “It was a great kiss.”
The corner of my lip ticks. “It was.”
She levels me with a flirty, yet serious look. “We could do it again.”
“We could.”
“Maybe not here, since the whole work thing seems to be a hang-up for you. And I get it, don’t get me wrong. My dad supposedly had this no-dating rule at work before my mom and I entered his life. He tells me he was a goner from that moment on.” Lizzie inhales deeply. “And I get it. Work is work, and while it can be fun, it still needs to hold some sense of professionalism. I’m your boss. There should be boundaries and lines we don’t cross,” she continues, taking a deep breath. “But to be honest, I enjoyed that kiss far more than I worry about said boundaries.”
All I can do is stare at this gorgeous woman. She’s smart and driven, yet thoughtful and considerate at the same time. She’s completely unlike anyone I’ve ever known, and the more I get to know her, the more I like her. “You surprise me.”
Her head cocks to the side just a tick. “How so?”
I don’t know how to put my thoughts into words, but I give it a shot. “You’re just different than anyone else I’ve ever known.”
She pins me with a look of skepticism. “I’ll take that as a compliment?”
I crack a smile, wishing I were kissing her again. “Most definitely.”
Nodding, she glances around the room. “That’ll be enough for now. How about we get this all finished up and get out of here?”
“Then what?” I find myself asking, because I know what I’d like to happen. I just don’t know if she feels the same.
“Well, I’m exhausted, so you can walk me to my door and maybe kiss me goodnight. After that, we’ll have to see. I’m not opposed tothis, whateverthisis, Collin. I like you. I enjoy spending time with you, even though most of that has been here.”
I step forward, invading her personal space once more. “My schedule can be…challenging.” That’s the only way to describe it. On for two days, off for four isn’t ideal, especially when you’re hoping to spend time with a woman who owns a business and works most days of the week.
Lizzie shrugs. “I don’t mind a challenge.”
I snort, realizing she probably has no idea. I’m not the easygoing Miller twin. The one who smiles and laughs easily, though I find it a little easier to do when she’s near. I have scars and baggage I seem to carry, despite trying to get rid of them years ago. I carry the weight of past mistakes on my shoulders, see it, even though it’s invisible, when I look at myself in the mirror.
“Tell me what you want,” I find myself stating, needing her to spell it out for me.
“We spend time together and let things progress or not naturally.”
I nod, my mind already replaying that kiss and anxious to walk her to her door. “I can get on board with that.”
“Good,” she replies with a grin. “Now, what else needs to be done?”
“I have to count the register.”
She grabs a broom from the hall closet while I move to close out today’s register. When Chuck owned the place, he had a woman who came in three days a week and closed up. Mostly sweeping and mopping, and the occasional dusting of alcoholbottles and whatnot. However, Lizzie decided to do it herself as a way to save money. The bartenders always take out the trash at the end of the night and clean up as much as possible, especially behind the bar. She doesn’t require us to sweep and mop at the end of the night unless there’s something spilled, choosing to do it herself in the morning.
When I have the drawer counted and the closing sheet filled out, I take it into the office and put it all away. Then, I grab the trash bags placed at the back door and go throw them in the dumpster. Just as I come in, Lizzie is putting the broom away and offers me a tired smile. “At least part of it is done. I’ll mop in the morning before I open.”
“Come on then, Cinderella,” I state, reaching out my hand. “You look like the carriage is about to turn back into the pumpkin.”
She chuckles as she flips off the storage room light and places her hand in mine. I turn off the remaining overhead lights downstairs and escort her to the back entrance. She engages the lock for the bar and gazes up at the stairs leading to her apartment. “How come you know so much about Cinderella?” she asks just before she yawns.
“Charli. She was obsessed with all things Disney when she was little. I remember watching that movie a million times. Cade and I hated it.”
She giggles the sweetest sound as we ascend. “I bet you both were great big brothers.”
“We loved her, but she used to follow us around all the time. It bothered us when we were younger, because no one wanted their little sister underfoot when they were playing with their friends, but soon we became used to it. She was just part of the group most of the time, and none of our friends seemed to mind. She was one of us.”
