Beauty in the Ashes

“Initially, sure,” he shrugged. “You were obviously drunk and I wouldn’t take advantage of you, I’m not that kind of guy. I’m also not the kind of guy to have one-night stands. Just because I have a dick, doesn’t mean I think I need to insert it into every pretty girl that walks by.” That got me to smile. “But later, when you were dancing,” he swallowed thickly, his gray eyes flashing a darker color for a moment before returning to normal, “I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from taking things further. You made it obvious that you wanted me, which made it impossible for me to reign in my desires.” He took a sip of coffee, an obvious stall tactic. “I need you to know that I’m sorry. If I had known you had a boyfriend I would’ve never let you flirt with me like that. I know he was pissed and—”

I kept replaying that single word over and over in my mind. “Boyfriend? I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Uh…” He leaned forward, looking perplexed. “Wasn’t that guy that came in and hauled you out your boyfriend?”

“No!” I scoffed. “That’s just…” I had no description worthy enough other than, “Caelan. He’s just Caelan.”

“And do you have a thing with him?” He probed.

“Absolutely not. He’s just my nosy neighbor that can’t mind his own damn business,” I glowered at Memphis, and I wasn’t even mad at him. Oh no, my anger was directed at an entirely different person.

“Are you sure?” He continued with his line of questioning. “The way that guy looked at me when he grabbed you up…I think he wanted to kill me.”

“Don’t you worry about him,” I seethed. “He’s just a very angry, confused person.”

“Does this very angry, confused person think you’re his girlfriend?” He continued, this time mischief sparkled in his eyes, but I was still livid.

“No! He is not my boyfriend! Not now, not ever!” My hand smacked sharply against the top of the table and a bit of coffee sloshed out of the mugs. “Now,” I slid the chair back forcefully so it knocked into the one behind it, “I have to get back to work. As you can see, we’re very busy,” I said sarcastically, spreading my arms wide to encompass the nearly empty shop. I was irritated with Memphis for assuming that Caelan was my boyfriend—but frankly, I was more mad at myself for wishing there was something between Caelan and I.

I walked slowly into the back of the store where only employees were allowed. I refused to stomp my way there and act like a child, even though I felt like it.

“How’d it go?” Emery asked as he reclined on the couch and stared at the small TV that occupied the employee break room.

“I hate yo

u so much right now,” I unleashed my glare on him.

“What did I do?” He blinked innocently.

“You know exactly what you did,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. I was angrier with myself, than Emery, but it was so much easier to take that aggression out on him.

“Actually, I don’t,” he sat up straight, looking at me with concern. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” I shook my head back and forth rapidly as I let my hands fall away from my face.

“Did something happen between you guys?” He questioned.

The way he stared at me made me feel as if I was a specimen being peered at through the lens of a microscope. I got the impression Emery didn’t miss much.

I didn’t want to talk about this with him, but I knew I didn’t have any choice. He’d only keep pestering me.

“I guess you could say that,” I muttered, looking at the ceiling.

“Did you guys…?” He let the thought trail off, but it was easy for me to fill in the blanks.

“No!” My tone softening, I added, “Almost. I wanted to.”

“And he stopped it?” Emery tilted his head to the side, no doubt assuming that’s what had happened and the reason for my current pissed off state.

“No.”

“Elaborate, Sunshine. Don’t make me imagine the details for myself,” he waved a hand in a gesture for me to carry on.

“Someone stopped us,” I admitted, my words were bit out painfully, the shaky sound barely above a whisper.

“Someone?” Emery raised a brow. “And who would this someone be?”

“Just my asshole of a neighbor. He doesn’t know how to mind his own business,” I grumbled.