Page 47 of Tease
I walk over to the table, and set the small black tray in front of the customer. “Here you go, sir, a double shot of tequila. I wasn’t sure how you preferred it, so I brought the whole shebang out with it.” He doesn’t look up at me and doesn’t acknowledge my presence. The door chime goes off again, and I turn to look toward the door when I feel warmth and pressure stop me.
A hand has grabbed the back of my head and holds me still. Before I know what’s happening, the customer that I just gave the double shot of tequila to is licking the right side of my neck. Once his tongue is off of my neck, he grabs the shot from the table and swallows it.What. The. Fuck? I’m stunned speechless. The man leans down to me, his mouth ghosting my ear, and he starts to whisper. The smell of cinnamon and whiskey engulfs my nose before I hear his voice.
As his mouth lingers by my ear, I feel his breath before I hear his words. “Hello, Dimples.”
CHAPTER 36
Jared
Ican tell the exact moment Kailey realizes who I am. Her body relaxes while her breathing is halted, goosebumps cascading across her neck. After tasting the salty sweat from her neck, right over that sunflower tattoo, the tequila shot went down smooth. My wet lips shadow her right ear. “Hello, Dimples.” She still smells of pears and lavender.
Not able to help myself, I bite the lobe of her ear before releasing my hold on her. A small gasp leaves Kailey’s mouth, and she immediately pulls away from me. Just that small taste of her has my dick swelling in my sweats. Those beautiful whiskey hazel eyes lock onto mine. Kailey’s hand shoots out in front of her, grabbing the high-top to steady herself.
“Jared.” My name comes out in a whisper from her beautiful lips.
“What? No moreCap Guy?” Casually, I lean my hip against the table. I make sure to keep myself close to her, just in case she tries to run. She’s good at that after all. Kailey’s face doesn’t hide her very adorable, shocked expression—wide eyes, disbelieving stare, the rare inability for her to form words. But the way her body is responding to me, Iknowshe still wants me, craves my touch. A bright pink blush takes over her face, spreading downthat luscious body of hers. At first glance, she hasn’t changed at all, besides the purple undertone in her dark hair. The pulse in her neck hasn’t stopped racing since my tongue made contact.
Once she realizes that I’m real—and absolutely not going anywhere until she speaks to me—the silent treatment ends.
Kailey straightens, standing taller, and her tone is sharp and clipped. “What are you doing here,Jared?”
“Well, isn’t it obvious? I’m here for a drink.” I give the now empty shot glass a little shake.
She attempts to hold back a smile, but I still notice. “And? Whythisbar? There are lots of other places you could go to have a drink in this town.” Not waiting for my response, she picks up the small rectangle tray, along with the empty glass, and turns to head back to the bar.
I take a moment to watch her walk away, and something inside of me snaps. I willneverlet her walk away from me again. She thinks she can go on about her shift like I don’t exist? Not the fuck likely…
Following her, I lower myself into an empty stool at the bar. Resting my hands on the bartop, I look around the establishment; it really is elegant but not too much. A place for all types of people to come hang out. Kailey is called for—as KC—by a younger couple on the other side of the bar. She gives them a smile, not a plastered fake one but the real deal. I can’t help but sit in awe of her as she interacts with the customers and moves around the area freely. The only giveaway that Kailey knows I’m still here is the now deepened pink blush that’s clinging to her cheeks and her purposeful avoidance of my spot at the bar.
Val, the one I paid a hundred dollars to make sure Kailey was the one to serve me that shot, is walking back over to me. Her stare bounces back and forth from me to Kailey, eyebrows furrowed, and she grabs a bar towel and starts wiping down the bartop near me. “What’d you do?”
“Nothing.”
I look back at Kailey, and she’s now making her rounds to the various customers who have just shown up. Val stops in front of me. “KC is all over this place tonight, except whereyouare. Any reason for that?”
I can’t help the ache that ricochets against my ribcage from her question. Truly, I had hoped our reunion would have gone a little differently, almost expecting that Kailey would have knelt before me, begging for forgiveness. Telling me how she never forgot about me and regretted ever leaving me. Obviously, it won’t be that easy. Instead, reality is like a punch to the gut.
While popping my knuckles, I ponder how I should answer Val’s question. Leaning my body closer to her face, I cup the side of my mouth with my hand, like a child would when whispering to their friend. “We used to be…friends.” Turning my head, I see that Kailey is watching us. Is that jealousy in her stare?Game on, beautiful.
I force my stare away from Kailey’s face and back to the bartender. “I just moved here, and I’m needing some friends to hang out with.”
Val’s chest is now directly in front of me, leaning in as she whispers back, “I could be yourfriend.” Her eyes look me up and down as she licks her lips. “Show you the spots around Chicago. Promise we’d have a lot of fun.”
I lean back against the stool and give her a grin. “Oh, yeah?” I can feel Kailey’s presence; the hairs on the back of my neck start to stand up, and my heart’s racing.
Kailey plops her body down into the seat next to me, her tone annoyed. “Val, go check on the customers.”
Yikes. Wonder if she’ll tell her who I am later?
Val gives Kailey a subtle nod. Before walking away, she looks back at me. “I hope to see you around. What was your name again?”
My face lights up, knowing this attention isreallygoing to get under Kailey’s skin.
I make direct eye contact with Val and give her a genuine smile before responding, “Jared, and I’m sure you will.” She smiles back at me before leaving to check on the customers around the bar with a pep in her step.
Ahh, there’s my Dimples. Even if she’s going to hide her excitement from seeing me, I know she’s still in there. Slowly, I turn my body to face her, and, accidentally, our knees touch; instant electricity flows through my body. Her chest is rising and lowering faster than before, and I catch the glint of a chain around her neck, tucked under her shirt.Yeah, you feel this too, don’t you?I take a beat to try to read her face before I ask, “What’s up?”
Kailey looks over my face before slightly shaking her head. “Nothing. I’m working,obviously.” She motions around the bar with her hand. “What’s up withyou?”
