“Two Macallans,” jerk number one answers. I turn to grab a set of clean glasses and hear him as clear as a bell say, “I’d like to bend that bitch over the bar and teach her a lesson.”
My gaze flickers to Ethan. He couldn’t possibly have heard. Except that his expression goes suspiciously flat. Nasty insults from narcissistic egomaniacs are nothing new to me, barely warranting my attention, thus I resume my work without a second thought. Mistake. That was a mistake. Not a moment later, I hear shouting and screaming erupt behind me. I judged wrong apparently.
I whip around to see Ethan on top of jerk number one, pounding away at his face. Kevin, one of the bartenders, is a step ahead of me, jumping over the bar before I can get there. Dave, a member of the security staff, pushes his way through the halo of people surrounding the assault in progress. He grabs Ethan under the pits and lifts him off jerk number one, who bloodied and bruised, still manages to scramble to his feet. Kevin grabs him before he can lunge at Ethan.
I grab Ethan’s arm with both hands and tug. “I got him,” I tell Dave. After a pointed look at me, which says get him under control, Dave releases Ethan and I drag him away, headed for the employee locker room.
He follows willingly as I pull him inside the empty room and push him down onto a bench. Cut lip, shirt ripped and bloodied, hair mussed, he stares up at me with fathomless eyes, his breathing still rough.
“Seriously?” I shout, staring at his bruised knuckles. “The hell is wrong with you?”
I leave him to grab the first aid kit and when I return, find him still staring up at me with the same expression. One I can’t even begin to understand. And by the looks of it he isn’t about to explain.
The cotton gauze doused with alcohol, I dab the cut on his lip. Gently. Tenderly. He hisses at the sting and my eyebrows crawl halfway up my forehead. “You start a barroom brawl and now you’re going to be a big baby over a little alcohol?”
It happens in a blink. He stands, grabs my face in both hands, and slams his lips onto mine. Then he pushes me against the wall, and stooping, pins my hips in place with his.
The first thing I feel is relief. So much damn relief I could cry. Like my head was underwater and I’m finally allowed to take a huge breath. The second thing I feel is him. I feel every hard inch of him.
Thank you, God. Thank you for this man. Thank you. And the thank yous keep coming because you can never be too grateful.
He devours me, kissing me as if time is running out. And in return, I grab the lapels of his now rumpled five thousand dollar suit and kiss him back––no holds barred.
After few minutes of this savagery, his lips gentle. With my face cupped in his hands, he takes his time tasting me, relishing the moment, encouraging every sigh that rises up my throat. His tongue plays with mine. He nips and sucks on my bottom lip. I taste blood and alcohol and still we kiss and kiss and kiss with his body pressed against mine like he can’t get close enough. I wasn’t imagining it the first time. Nothing has ever felt so right.
The door bursts open and we jump apart, startled as one of the bus boys walks in. Hands on hips and breathing heavily, Ethan drops his head, sucks in a deep breath, and when he raises his chin again, the look on his face is saying everything at once. Questions, answers, feelings––which neither of us voices out loud.
“I’ll ask Kevin if I can leave early.”
It’s already close to the end of my shift. Once Kevin tells me it’s okay to leave I meet Ethan in the back alley. As soon as I step out the door, he takes my hand. He has yet to say a word––and God knows I’m not about to say something and ruin the moment.
Down the alleyway, he leads me to where Fredo waits for us. In the meantime, every scenario imaginable is running through my mind. Fredo gets out of the driver’s seat but Ethan reaches the door first, holding it open for me. I slide in with Ethan right behind me. Looking straight ahead, he stares out at nothing while my eyes fall on my hand, the one he has yet to relinquish.
Once we get back to the townhouse, we make our way upstairs to the bedrooms on autopilot. Not one word is spoken, the tension growing with every step we take. Ethan looks completely lost to whatever is going on inside his skull. Maybe he’s regretting that life-altering kiss. The thought eats away at me.