Page 34 of Never Kiss and Tell

Andi jumps from her seat, coming around the side to pull me into her arms. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I don’t think I tell you enough.”

I hold her close. “Ditto.”

Charlie

I can tell Bailey’s dragging by the end of the night. I fucking told her not to work the full shift, but, like she always does, she has to prove me wrong. I can sense that she only powers through the day to spite me and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I shouldn’t give a damn what the little brat does. She’s an adult, capable of making her own decisions.

I do care, though. Probably more than I care to admit. She should be at home, resting after a long day. Not vigorously scrubbing tables down.

After we closed, the bar was a wreck. The restaurant was even worse. It’s always like this on Saturday nights. Our busiest night of the week, especially during tourist season.

Dad already left for the night, so when I’m done at the bar, I finish up in the office and then head out back to smoke a cigarette and wait on Bailey. I guess I’ve taken up the burden of making sure she gets home okay. Andi and Tom sure as hellaren’t. Even if she annoys me, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to Bailey on her way home.

I pull out my phone for the first time that night and my jaw clenches.

Priscilla: Want to come over after work?

Priscilla: I miss you.

Goddammit. I haven’t spoken to her since the other night when she practically broke the sound barrier. I regret every second of it, especially after Dad’s look of disappointment when Bailey ratted me out.

The back door shuts and for once, I jump. Bailey stands in front of the doorway, not noticing me as she pulls her own phone out.

I take a moment to study her as she types away on her phone. God, those legs have been burned into my brain, all day, sliding into the curve of her ass in her shorts. A few times tonight, she bent over in front of me, giving me a raging hard-on I had a difficult time hiding.

Bailey: Did you leave or are you somewhere around here, sucking the soul out of an innocent?

Bailey huffs, but when my phone goes off, she jumps, letting out a small squeak and whirling toward me.

“Goddammit, Charlie!” she gasps, clutching at her chest. I suppress a chuckle and step off the wall. “Why are you hiding out here in the dark like a maniac?”

She plucks the cigarette from my fingers and takes a drag before handing it back to me.

“I thought you only smoke when you’re stressed?” I prompt, leading her toward the back gate.

“Well, I’m stressed now. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

I hold open the gate for her and toss the cigarette butt in the can as she slips under my arm.

“Don’t you have to lock up?” she asks, stalling at the gate.

“Brett can do it.” He owes me a favor or two.

She starts following me, making sure to keep her distance, like I’m ridden with plague-inducing bugs. The streets are still busy, even though it’s almost two in the morning. A group of drunk college kids runs in front of us and instinctually, I reach in front of Bailey, my hand on her hip to hold her back. Big fucking mistake.

My arm tingles when I pull it back and it’s fucking ridiculous. How many women have I touched? You’d think Bailey was made with some sort of voodoo magic with how my body responds to hers.

“Tell me, princess, do you always stare this much?”

She rolls her eyes, but her cheeks grow red under the street lights.

“I’m doing a documentary on men who think it’s a personality trait to be a dick. So, yes, I’m studying you.”

“And how’s that coming?” I ask as we step onto the sidewalk of our street. No, my street.

“It’s going well. You’ve given me a lot of material since I got here.”

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