Page 6 of Pippin & Nacho

When he finished, he handed me my buds and phone. We rarely splurged on expensive things, but we didn’t skimp on my need to drown out all the noise of the bar. Too much noise—talking, yelling, whistling, bands playing, drum hammering, guitar screeching… That on top of the crowd was enough to send me spiraling into an anxiety-ridden panic. I wouldn’t be able to function as a bartender without them. And being behind the bar, separated from the crowd by thick wood, helped me not feel so overwhelmed.

“I have an extra set of earbuds in my pocket, fully charged.”

He looked up at me with unsweetened, extra-dark chocolate eyes that shimmered under the fluorescent lighting of the employee lounge, looking like twinkling stars. His brows were thick and the same color as his hair, matching his eyes. Nate’s nose was sharp, and his cheekbones were high. Those lips of his were plump, and I never stopped imagining myself kissing them. My first kiss. His first kiss. Neither of us had ever been with anyone. It was just us. Only us. I knew his tanned skin was soft because I’d touched it often enough, but not there. Never where I wanted to. Only on his arms and back if he wasn’t wearing a shirt when he held me at night—

“Sam, did you hear me?”

“What?”

“Come to me if your earbuds die or you lose one, okay?”

I nodded and smiled. “Okay.”

Nate reached around my neck and straightened the apron’s strap, sending waves of tingles across my skin with his gentle fingers. Chills swept across my skin while I held back my shudder. He stood so close, smelling of our soap and shampoo. His nearness spread warmth through me. What would he do if I just kissed him?

“Ready?” he asked, bursting my arousing bubble.

“Yep. I have a new recipe I’m going to try tonight.”

Nate smiled up at me with proud and excited eyes. “Tell me about it.”

“It’s called Brandyberry Breeze. It has Brandy, of course… the good stuff, if they want, but they can have the cheap stuff, too. It should be good anyway. I’ll mix it with ginger beer, raspberry liqueur, with a couple of raspberries and a sprig of mint.”

“Sounds yummy. You’ll have to make me one after my birthday.”

I stood taller, prouder. “Okay.”

“Alpha loves these craft cocktails you make. They bring in the crowd and money.” Nate rested his hands on my chest as he looked up at me, standing several inches shorter than my five-foot-ten height. His fingers were long and covered with scars from crashing while skateboarding or punching someone in my defense. His hands were strong and protective. Hands that held me at night and kept me from spiraling from my fears and pain. Hands I wanted to hold tightly, threading our fingers together, and never let go. It took all my power not to grab them from my chest and have those strong fingers wrap around mine.

With a deep breath, I forced myself to focus before I blurted out how I felt about Nate.

“Let’s get to work,” I said.

Nate smiled and walked off, and I followed close behind.

Despite the earbuds, I still heard the muffled din that filtered through as I worked, but it was bearable. Alpha helped take orders, but if he got too busy, I just tapped my left earbud, turning off the sound canceling long enough so I could talk to customers. When they were off, the sound consumed my senses, threatening to swallow me whole, and making me want to run out of there, but it was only temporary.

My new cocktail tonight was a hit, especially with the ladies. I guess it was too fruity for men despite the brandy, since hardly any of them tried it. Too bad, because it was delicious. It was perfect for those who didn’t like brandy all that much as a standalone, but wanted to try it.

When Jaxon Kean, who we affectionately called Ajax, stood at the server’s stand, I instantly knew what he needed since he ordered the same thing every time he worked. I grabbed a beer glass and filled it with a local amber beer from the tap before setting his drink on the wooden counter.

Ajax was a part of our crew and family, and one of the bouncers next to Stone. When Ajax first came to us a couple of years ago, he scared the shit out of me, reminding me of bullies from school. He towered over everyone, and he could be a little wild with bursts of anger. He’d never been cruel to me, but his impulsivity had him lashing out at people, making him the perfect bouncer, keeping the crowd under control.

Ajax towered over me, standing at six-foot-four. He took the beer and finished it off in two chugs, slamming the glass on the counter and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

He tapped his ear for me to turn off my earbuds. When I removed one, the band playing and the crowd yelling over the music assaulted my ears. I took several calming breaths and pushed through the discomfort.

Ajax leaned over the counter, grinning. His smiles could be a bit disturbing, always looking like a cannibal, ready to eat your flesh. But Ajax would protect his friends with his life. His brown eyes, matching Nate’s eyes, weren’t as pretty, but he was a good-looking guy, though I wasn’t attracted to anyone but Nate. I didn’t look at anyone else as I looked at my Nacho.

Nacho was a terrible nickname. It made sense with his overconsumption of nachos, but Nate was so much more than what he ate. What would I call Nate if I could give him a nickname other than Nacho?

Atlas. He carried my world on his back. Or would I call him Polaris, my Northern Star? My guiding light. Hell, he was my fucking universe.

“How’re you and Nacho doing?” Ajax asked, leaning over the counter.

“Uhm, fine. Same as we always are.”

His smile turned crooked. “Good. Good. You both are really good friends.”

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