Page 93 of The Barkeep and the Bro

“Thank you,” she said, and I realized she was talking to me. “For making my dad happy.”

We let out a laugh to ease the tension. Mitch kissed my hand.

“This is more than a little weird.” She dabbed at her eyes.

“But we’ll figure it out,” Mitch said to his daughter.

“I love you.” She threw her arms around him.

“I love you so much.” He hugged her tight.

Once Ellie returned to her table, Mitch wrapped an arm around me. “Shall we go back to breakfast? I want to try those blueberry pancakes you got.”

32

CHARLIE

Mitch decided it was best to end the unofficial rule about employees dating each other. That was the first thing Natasha asked when he told her about our relationship.

Not congratulations.

Not you’re such a cute couple.

“Well, this means the fraternization rule goes away, right?” She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow.

Apparently, she and Penny were in a relationship. I asked for details, and all she said was she was over men. It seemed like Stone’s Throw Tavern was the new Tinder. Mitch made us all promise no fraternization while at work. He looked me dead in the eye when he said that, but the flickers of doubt flew over his face. He was hoping we could keep our hands off each other.

I’d give it the old college try. Mitch was a slab of pure sexiness, and it didn’t help that with the weather getting warm, he wore more T-shirts that showed off his large-and-in-charge chest and arms, the kind of muscles one got through living, not working out.

During one of the slower weeknight shifts, I happened to catch Mitch coming out of the supply room with a box slung over his shoulder. It demanded a whistle from me, but I played the part of the mature, responsible employee and kept it in my pants.

At the end of my shift, after Natasha and Penny (aka girlfriends!) left, I went upstairs to Mitch’s office. He was still plugging away, as always. His dedication moved me. I sat on the couch across from him as he worked at his desk and just took in his hotness.

“What?” he asked without looking up.

“You.”

“Me, what?”

“Just over there, doing your boss thing with the glasses and the computer and the whole jotting down notes. It’s super hot.”

“I’m not acting in a porn flick.”

He might have thought that, but in my mind, I already heard the bow chicka bow wow. His thick-framed glasses gave him a Clark Kent quality with a raging hot Superman underneath.

I got comfortable on the couch and did the natural thing when in the same room as my sexy boyfriend with a heart of gold under his grizzled demeanor.

I stroked myself over my jeans. Didn’t take much to get hard.

Mitch buried himself in paperwork, and I let out a moan to get his attention.

“Since the laws against fraternization were lifted per our earlier staff meeting, I take it this is okay?” I unzipped my fly and reached into my pants to touch myself over my underwear. I flung my head back and groaned, imagining Mitch on top of me.

“That is very much not okay,” he said sternly. “No sex in the workplace is a given.”

“So I can’t do this?” I pulled out my dick and stroked.

He shot me an ice-cold look that only caused me to get hotter. He waved me over with two fingers. Two fingers that I wanted inside me…

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