Page 29 of Three Minutes
Beck chuckles softly. “I might just have to stick around a bit longer to witness this.”
I grab my phone to shoot Raina a quick text.
Me: Just warning you, Blake is eager to meet your friend. Please give her a heads up. He’s determined and won’t give up easily.
Raina: She has been warned…we are about to pull in.
I decide not to give Blake a heads-up that they’re almost here. I’m curious to see his reaction when they walk in. Turning back to Beck as she mixes herself a drink, I ask, “So, do you have plans later?”
She nods quickly. “Jenson is coming here later…we’re going to hang out here with Blake for a bit.” She takes a sip of her drink before adding, “What about you?”
I reply, “Raina is riding here with her friend who’s been visiting for the last few days. We figured we’d chill here for a little while, then she’s riding back with me to see Mango.” Beck laughs. “What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Nothing…it’s just hearing you say the name Mango is kind of amusing.”
I cross my arms and lean against the counter. “Why’s that funny?”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re this big guy covered in tattoos, and I guess I just never pictured you as someone who would have an orange cat namedMango.” She takes another generous sip of her drink, eyeing me playfully.
“I don’t own her; I’m just fostering her until—”
She cuts me off. “Psh, come on, Ez…we all know that cat isn’t going anywhere.” It seems I’m losing this argument, so I figure there’s no point in fighting it. I’ll let it slide this time, mainly because I am just pleased to have the old Beck back. I’ve missedher.
“Oh, crap…I see Raina,” Blake mutters from beside me. I turn around just in time to catch Raina as she walks through the bar door, followed closely by a girl who towers over her. This must be Callie. She has long, straight, dark brown hair and is wearing a sleek, black leather dress paired with high boots. I glance at Blake, and he immediately bites his fist, his eyes wide with excitement.Oh shit, here comes the Blake show. Beck sighs next to me.
“Well, she’s in for a wild ride. She’s definitely his type,” she mutters, but I barely register her comment as my gaze snaps back to Raina. She’s wearing a flowy, blue dress that ends mid-thigh, paired with calf-length boots. With her hair pulled up into a high ponytail, she looks absolutely stunning, it almost hurts to look at her. My gaze drops to her lips, the same ones I devoured just a week ago. It’s been seven long days since I felt the softness of her mouth against mine. I’ve replayed the memory of her body pressed against me on the rooftop and in the elevator countless times—and I’ve touched myself far too many times since, indulging in the thoughts of tasting her, holding her, and that intoxicating kiss. Everything about her is addictive, and I can’t quite put my finger on what that kiss did to me. What was once hard to resist has transformed into an insatiable hunger. Now, it feels like I’ll always be starving for her.
Raina and Callie make their way straight to the bar, settling right in front of me. Raina turns her head, giving me a smile, then playfully bumps her friend’s shoulder. “Callie, this is Ezra. Ezra, meet Callie.”
I reach out to introduce myself, but Blake suddenly appears beside me, quickly grabbing Callie’s hand before I can. “Hey, I’m Blake, the bartender…What’s your name again?” He leans against the counter, flipping his hat backwards. I glance at him, a bit taken aback but not entirely surprised.
Shaking my head, I redirect my attention back to Raina, whose chin rests on her hand as she gazes intently at me. Next to me, Beck clears her throat. “I just wanted to reintroduce myself. Um, hey, I’m Beck.”
Raina’s lips curl into a smile as she adjusts in her seat. “Nice to finally meet you, Beck!” I look back and forth between them, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.After all this time.This is one less thing to worry about.
Beck’s phone rings beside me, and a smile breaks across her face. “I’ll be right back.” She answers the call and heads to the back.
“Can we grab a drink?” Raina’s voice chirps in front of me.
“Do you want the usual?” She lightly taps her chin with her fingernail, pretending to think.
“Hmm, no. Let’s do a shot. Callie loves tequila—” She gestures toward Callie and pauses for a moment. We share a quiet moment, watching Callie and Blake leaning over the bar. Blake is whispering something in her ear, and she giggles, covering her mouth.Well, that didn’t take long at all.Not that I’m surprised. Blake has that charm that draws women in. He knows how to work his magic with words and easily approaches girls he likes. I’m more reserved and tend to keep to myself, and I’m pretty sure others sense a dark cloud hanging over me when they come near.
I turn my attention back to Raina, observing the way she smiles at her friend and Blake. I remember the first time I saw her walk into this bar, how I felt immediately drawn to her, as if we were linked in some inexplicable way. Despite my efforts to push it away, whatever she stirs inside of me, I somehow find myself wanting to be near her all the time. I glance at Blake, noticing how Callie’s face brightens just by talking to him. Then I think of Raina and how she looks at me. Her green eyes seem to search mine, and when she smiles at me, there’s never a hint ofjudgment. She’s bursting with life, even as she grapples with her own challenges. And then there’s me—a mere shadow of a man, weighed down by anger and loss. I can’t help but wonder how we’ve come this far. What draws her to me? Why does she even acknowledge my existence?
“What are you thinking about?” Raina asks, pulling me from my thoughts. I quickly grab a bottle of 1800 tequila and two shot glasses from the shelf.
Turning back to her, I say, “Nothing.” She sighs through her nose, clearly skeptical but choosing to let it go for now. I know she’ll have questions later. I slide the shot glasses in front of them, catching Callie’s attention. She and Raina clink their glasses together before downing their shots. As Raina swallows, her little nose scrunches up.
“Can we have another?” Callie utters. Glancing back at Raina, I see her nodding, raising a finger to signal for one more round. I refill their glasses with more tequila.
“That was awful,” Raina groans. Callie chuckles, grabs her second shot, and downs it with a straight face. She turns to Raina, teasingly motioning for her to do the same. Raina takes a deep breath, slowly picking up her shot glass. Pinching her nose this time, she brings it to her lips. I can’t help but grin. She’s adorable, even in the smallest of moments.
“So, how did two hot-ass guys end up as best friends running a bar together?” Callie bursts out, glancing back and forth between Blake and me. Raina nudges Callie’s shoulder, rolling her eyes. “What? I’m just curious!” Blake, being the storyteller he is, jumps in to explain how we first met, adding his own colorful touch to make the story more entertaining. Just then, I hear the double doors swing open as Beck steps back out, positioning herself between Blake and me. Callie, unable to contain herself, interrupts Blake, her eyes darting between the twins. “No way…you two are twins?” In perfect sync, they glance at one another,mimicking each other’s movements without even realizing it. Raina giggles beside Callie, resting her head in her hands and shaking it slowly. While the twins have Callie’s attention, I find it impossible to look away from Raina. There’s an undeniable pull towards her, and the more I’m around her, the harder it becomes to maintain my distance. She’s just mere feet away now, and I feel a strong urge to reach across the counter, pull her close, and breathe her in.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Her soothing voice cuts through the bar’s loud noises. I blink hard to clear my vision. She leans in, resting her chin on her palm, and blinks slowly at me. My eyes wander down to her chest, where the low-cut dress she’s wearing tonight offers a glimpse of what typically remains hidden. She’s usually quite modest, so these little teases burn a whirlwind of thoughts in my mind. I can easily tell she’s not wearing a bra. “Are you going to answer my question, or just continue eye-fucking me?” Her sudden remark jolts me. I meet her striking green gaze, her blinks deliberate and slow. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s slightly buzzed. The way those words slipped off her tongue is too smooth to be accidental.
I lean against the bar counter, bringing my mouth close to her ear. Her index finger lightly brushes against her bottom lip, and I’m caught up in the sweet scent of her perfume, a reminder of how intimately close our space is right now. I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath of her fragrance before breathing it out slowly. When I open them back, I notice small goosebumps skimming along the side of her neck. I bite down hard on my lip, fighting the urge to lean in even closer. “Isn’t it obvious, Raina?” I whisper into her ear. She stays silent, absorbing my words. My gaze is drawn to the rapid pulse throbbing at her neck, and the urge to kiss and bite that spot intensifies. I raise my left hand, gently twirling my finger around the small curl resting by her ear. “You drive me absolutely insane.”
