The Rebel (Red's Tavern 2)

When I whipped around after the first chorus, I realized that Sam had joined me on top of the bar. He was dancing like an idiot, pumping his fist in the air. A laugh escaped me, and I reached out to give him a fist bump before he took off his own shirt, too.

People were dancing all throughout the bar now. A few of the women had reached up to tuck dollar bills in my waistband, which I always ended up giving out as tips to my bartenders. And as the rest of the song played, I felt like I could relax for the first time all night. I was excited for the future of the bar. The money for the outstanding bills would come soon, and then we’d be on TV and truly be able to transform the bar.

The only thing that was missing was Liam.

And damn it, I wished he was here to see me dance. I wished that I could dance for him, actually. I could picture his eyes on me, picture him doing that thing he did where he sucked his lower lip into his mouth while he concentrated on something. Concentrated on me.

I wanted him so badly. It hit me like a truck as the song ended and the bar rang out with applause and shouts.

I wanted Liam, not just for a porn video. I would have danced for him in the privacy of his home. Hell, I’d do a lot more for him than just dance.

I stepped down from the bar after the song and began my usual meticulous cleaning of the bartop. My eyes incessantly scanned the room, looking for Liam.

I was still catching my breath as I made my way to the back office.

When I checked my phone my heart leaped in my chest. There was a voicemail from him. I hadn’t been happy to see a voicemail since the mid-90s, at least. Liam was definitely doing strange things to my heart.

My heart pounded as I listened to the voicemail, but I quickly deflated. He was telling me he wouldn’t be coming over.

He sounded happy, on the surface. But maybe he was just attempting to make me believe that.

It rang false in my ear. And I couldn’t let it go.

I held up my phone, pointing the selfie video camera at myself and pressing record.

“You just missed out on a lot,” I said into the camera, grinning. “As you can see, this is not my usual outfit—or lack thereof—when I’m working. Someday you’re going to have to see what happens when you play the ten-dollar song in the jukebox here. Or maybe, if you’re lucky, I can give you a private show, Liam.”

I stopped the recording and sent the video over to him immediately.

When I turned around to leave the office, I caught a glimpse of someone right as they were leaving the doorway. Somebody had definitely just seen me filming.

“Hey,” I called out, stepping out into the hallway. I saw a head of silvery grey hair, and immediately I relaxed. “Perry. Hey. It’s totally fine.”

He froze in place, turning around. “I’m so sorry. I really wasn’t meaning to intrude.”

I puffed out a laugh. I reached over to one of the shelving units in the office where we stored Red’s Tavern shirts, grabbing the first one I could find and tugging it over my head. Perry looked like he might turn into a tomato if he had to look at his boss shirtless and sweaty for too much longer.

“You weren’t intruding. It was my fault for filming something like that here in the office.”

Perry nodded. “I just wanted to let you know that the ginger-soy meatballs appetizer sold out. People love it.”

“That’s awesome,” I said. “We’ll have to make that a regular menu item.”

“I would love to,” he said. “Oh. And… I just want you to know, I won’t tell anybody.”

“Tell?”

“That you were, uh, sending sexy videos to… uh, the guy. Liam.”

“So you definitely heard me say his name,” I said.

“Yes,” Perry said. “I had no idea you two were dating.”

I coughed. “Well, we aren’t dating.”

“Oh?” Perry asked his eyes widening.

“We’re just… I don’t know what we are.”

We’re just filming porn with each other, making out, sucking each other’s dicks, and I think I’m completely addicted to him again.

“I’m really sorry I overheard,” he said. “I mean it. I won’t tell.”

“I’m not much of a secrets guy to begin with, but I appreciate it. I think we both know that Sam would scream like a banshee if he’d overheard it instead of you.”

Perry smiled. “He definitely would.”

“You’re the best.”

He took off down the hallway and I was left looking at my phone. I looked at the video in our text message and realized it hadn’t even been delivered to his phone. I frowned, dialing his number, but it went straight to his voicemail.