Not that this was a total surprise, but this was why she’d left Portland—so she could figure out where the threads of her past led to her particular future.
Linx was proving to be a lovely distraction from doing any of the work for herself.
And that had to stop.
After a handful more orgasms.
Hey, self-care mattered, too. She preached that to her clients often, and Linx was nothing if not making her feel lovely.
Speaking of Linx, he sauntered through the door. Her stomach tightened as he eye canoodled only her and headed straight to where she stood.
“Whoa.” Kellie watched the whole thing with rapt attention before going back to sipping her martini. “He looks at you like he wants to have you for dinnerandbreakfast.”
Becca sighed. Yeah. He did. It was nice to be on the receiving end of one of those looks. It was the thing she hadn’t realized that she wanted until Linx handed it to her. Which totally messed with her ability to keep that line in the sand drawn.
“The usual?” she asked, already grabbing the ginger ale in the Coors bottle she’d prepared when she got to work, in expectation that he’d stop by.
“Uh huh.” He grinned, clearly pleased that she’d had his beverage of choice prepared.
“Becca.” He leaned across the bar and waited.
She moved so he could kiss her firm on the mouth, not because they were serious, only because she liked to kiss him. Yes, she moaned. No, she wasn’t sorry that she made the noise. Also, she was super happy that no one else was in the room except Kellie and a bouncer.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” he replied.
He’d been spending time with his family. And time with Mach and Tanner helping them draft a few songs he could pitch to the label.
He kissed her again. This time it was a quick peck on the lips. The kind of familiar kiss that dipped a toe well past hook-up levels. He grabbed the stool next to Kellie and sat. “I’m also your bartender tonight. Brek asked if I’d help out.” He turned to her friend, sitting there with googly eyes. “How are you, Kellie?”
“Me?” She pointed to herself. “Oh, I’m great. Just soaking all this in.” She waved her finger in a circle between Becca and Linx.
Becca growled at her.
He chuckled. “Me, too, darlin’. Me, too.”
Becca’s heart seemed to grow butterfly wings so it could flutter around her chest, right down to her tummy. She told them to knock it off.
“If you’re my bartender, you should get ready for work.” She glanced with a pointed look to the apron hung on the hook beside the cash register.
In turn, he gave a pointed glance around the room. “Seems like I’ve got a little time to fraternize with Kellie.”
Then he refocused on Becca and practically undressed her with only that look. Heck, she almost came on the spot. Which was totally inappropriate, given that she was on the clock.
Kellie cleared her throat.
“Do you have a brother or something?” Kellie asked. “Because if you do, I call dibs.”
Becca folded bar towels instead of engaging further with Linx. She shook her head.
“No brother that I know of. I can ask Mom and Dad.” Linx laughed and tipped the incognito ginger ale to his lips.
Kellie sighed. “Maybe keep your eye out for another rock star looking for a woman who can balance his checkbook and do his taxes.”
He tapped the neck of his bottle to her glass in a mock toast. “Nowthat, I can do.”
“Hey, uh…” Kellie raised her brows in Becca’s direction. “Becca had something she wanted to ask you about something your sister mentioned.”
