Page 76 of A Song for You

“What is this place?” Mia whispers as she turns a slow circle.

“My family’s penthouse,” I admit.

Mia narrows her eyes at me, but before we have time to discuss it further, her friend interrupts. “This place is amazing. I’m Vanessa, by the way,” she says with a small wave.

“I’m Cat,” I say to the pretty brunette. “You guys want champagne?”

The blonde who arrived with Vanessa and Mia smiles. “Yes, please. I’m Nikki, by the way.”

I pour three more glasses while Sophie introduces herself.

“Where are we going tonight?” Vanessa asks.

I look at Sophie and smirk. “Anywhere but Rebel.”

Shots line the bar, and the tattooed bartender with a killer jawline and muscles I’m pretty sure could never fit in a suit raises his eyes to mine in challenge.

I throw back the shot, and when it tastes exactly like apple pie, I try my darndest to hide my surprise. He points to me. “I told you!”

I can’t help but laugh. He so did. I don’t do shots. That’s what I said when Mia forced us to the bar and ordered a round. Sure I’d get away with passing on the liquor, I told her that unless it tasted like chocolate cake or apple pie, I wasn’t having one. Who makes shots that taste like freaking apple pie?

This dude. That’s who.

I swipe my tongue through the dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon in a second shot glass. Freaking delicious. When I look up from all but making out with the glass, two sets of eyes are homed in on me. Mia and the bartender.

“Okay, okay. It’s good,” I admit.

He folds his arms over his chest proudly. “What are the chances you’ll agree to go out with me tomorrow night?”

Mia moves in too close and wraps her arm around my waist. Immediately, I take a step to the side. “Sorry, I have a boyfriend,” I reply, lifting one shoulder and emphasizing the boyfriend part while I glare at Mia.

She rolls her eyes. “Does he know that?”

The bartender waves at me when I hold my card out to him. “That one is on the house. Can I get you anything else?”

“She’ll take a martini. Extra dirty. Blue cheese olives if you have them.” Then, glancing back in my direction, Mia repeats her earlier question. “Does Jay know he’s your boyfriend? Because last I checked, that man is not the boyfriend type.”

“For her I am,” a deep voice rumbles as an arm loops around my waist and I’m pulled back into a strong embrace.

I tip my head back so I’m looking straight up at Jay’s chin. “What are you doing here?”

He spins me and grabs my face with both hands, but before responding, he looks at the man to his left. “Kevin, this is Carter’s little sister. If you want to keep your job, you’ll forget what you see next.” Then, without waiting for his friend’s response, he seals his lips with mine.

I pull back. This was so not part of our plan. “What are you doing?” I whisper, a smile sneaking through, even though I’m freaking out right now.

“I fucking missed you, Kitten,” he says, refusing to release me, his thumb playing with my bottom lip like he so often does with his own.

I shake my head, speechless. “What is happening here?” I ask in a whisper.

He grins. “Hell if I know, but I’m pretty sure this is what they call falling in love.”

My eyes go wide, and I suck in a breath. I study his ocean-blue eyes, finding nothing but sincerity in their depths. No nervousness. No doubt.

And along with the candor sparkling in them, there is a heavy dose of determination. The man is determined to steal my heart.

Before I can formulate a response that could even touch the way he makes me feel, he presses his lips against mine again. “Dance with me,” he whispers when he pulls back. Then he’s tugging me toward the dance floor. Over his shoulder, he shouts, “Drinks are on me, Kev.”

It’s after two when we finally leave the bar, voices raspy, hair tangled messes and perma-smiles plastered to our faces. “Shit, we need to call a cab,” I say to Sophie, who’s drunk and focused on one thing and one thing only.