I shot him a cocky grin as I shook a whiskey sour like a tambourine. “Stay tuned for an encore.”
“Oh, I plan to.” He kept his eyes glued to me while I finished the one drink and moved on to another, and I loved his attention. Even though I was just mixing cocktails, I’d let my gaze drift over and linger, like this was a private room at a strip club.
At last, we started to break down the bar. “Don’t go anywhere,” I told him as I filled a tray with empty glasses.
He stayed while we stowed away perishables and wiped down the counter. At long last, we were free to go. I’d pocketed close to two hundred bucks in cash tips. The credit card tips would be divvied between us on our paychecks, but this would keep me flush with takeout and wine.
I grabbed my jacket from the back, waved goodnight to Kyan who was dragging the trash bags to the dumpster, then found Evan, leaning against the wall, waiting. Damn he looked incredibly sexy. I might lose my mind if I couldn’t touch him soon. Tonight.
“You ready?”
He took my hand and pulled me toward him. “I’ve been ready for hours.”
“Do you need to head back to Basil’s or…?”
“Or?” He brushed my hair from my temple and leaned in for a very light kiss, just a hint of his lips brushing mine, and yet it felt anything but chaste. “Definitely or.”
“You have no furniture, so would you like to revisit my place?”
He nodded. “I would very much like to revisit your place.”
Thank God. “Then follow me.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Evan
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
She slid her hand into mine as we turned onto her street, and it was a relief to know I hadn’t blown it earlier tonight outside the bar when I’d jumped straight to my baseline mistrust. We’d promised each other not to default to assumptions, to talk it out, but I was hostage to my stupid amygdala or whatever caveman part of my brain hadn’t fully evolved, and I’d judged her without giving her a moment to prove me wrong. Thank God she’d been patient, let me gain control of my emotions, so I could hear what she’d been telling me all along.
Story of our entire relationship.
Back at the bar, I’d watched her in a way I’d never been able to before. We’d always been talking or walking or somehow engaged with each other, but tonight, I’d been a fly on the wall, observing her. And she was remarkable. There was something in her wry smile, the funny looks she shot me, that made me feel a part of an inside joke, and more than anything, I wanted to be in on her secrets. I wanted to share our most vulnerable selves with each other. I wanted to trust her.
“So that was Kate who called me earlier.”
“What did she want?” Based on her coy grin, I thought I could guess. “Did you get the promotion?”
The full dazzling smile broke out. “It’s not official yet, but wheels are in motion.”
“That’s excellent.” I didn’t doubt she’d get it, but since I’d played a small role, this was my win, too. “At least one of us landed their dream job.”
She twisted to meet my eyes. “Wait, isn’t this your dream job?”
I scoffed. “You know what that newsroom is like.”
“Yeah, but you already knew that. You were the one who warned me that it was stressful.”
“It’s just my job. I don’t really like it.”
“No?” She narrowed her eyes. “That seems rather important, don’t you think?”
“I’m overstating it. I love meteorology. I love the science side, and in theory, I love getting to share my knowledge with others.”
“In theory? Meaning what?”
