Page 2 of Bounced Into Love

I shook my head in frustration. “Why are you making such a big deal about this? Do you interfere in all of your employees’ love lives? Or am I just special?”

“Damn straight you’re special.” He tapped a finger against his wedding band. “Things might not have gone as smoothly for Ariana and me if it hadn’t been for you.”

“Are you forgetting about the black eye I gave you?” I chuckled, hoping it would shift his attention away from the girl even while I couldn’t get what he’d just said out of my mind.

“Nah.” He shook his head. “But we both know I would’ve ended up with a hell of a lot worse if it had been anyone else in that room with Louie and me.”

“This is true,” I muttered, thinking about the damage I’d seen the guy I’d been partnered with deliver when we were collecting debts for Louie.

“Even surrounded by all that shit, you didn’t let yourself be dragged down by Louie and the rest of his guys. You hung on to your honor, and that says a fuck of a lot about the kind of man you are.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Which is why you deserve a shot at the same happiness I’ve found with Ariana.” He shifted his attention to my red-haired angel. “And I’m thinking with the looks she sends your way the rare times when your focus is pulled away from her; she wants the chance to be the one to give it to you. Are you really going to take that away from her?”

Chapter 2

Kiara

"Are you ever going to get up the nerve to say something to him? We’ve been coming here for weeks, and the only thing you’ve managed to do is smile at him. Once.”

I tore my gaze away from the guy who’d starred in my fantasies for weeks to stare at Susan. She was the nicest of my coworkers, and the reason I’d come to Ice in the first place. She was too darn persuasive, and I found it nearly impossible to resist her when she had her mind set on something.

“What?” I pasted on my most innocent expression. I didn’t like where this conversation was most likely headed…with me doing something even further outside my comfort zone than coming to one of the hottest clubs in Chicago on a Friday night. Five times in a row.

“I think you’re giving her too much credit,” Candice snorted. “It’s more like she sort of smiled in his general direction.”

My cheeks filled with heat as Candice sipped at her drink. She reminded me of the mean girls’ group from high school, and I hadn’t been able to figure out why Susan liked to hang out with her after work. They were just so different from each other.

“What?” I repeated, with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

“You know, the guy here who you like,” Susan explained. She made big eyes in the direction of the front door, and I knew my secret was out.

Then it got worse as Candice added, “Yeah, the super-hot, big guy who’s way out of your league.”

“Stop it,” Susan hissed at Candice. “That’s just your jealousy talking because you don’t like that he’s never noticed you. His attention is always on Kiara whenever we’re here.”

“That’s ripe, coming from you,” Candice accused in a shrill tone.

I didn’t have any idea what she was talking about since I’d never seen Susan be anything but kind to everyone around her. I didn’t wonder about it for long though, since Susan chose to ignore Candice’s verbal jab and continued as though she hadn’t heard her. “I noticed the way you looked at him that night when you finally agreed to come out with us.”

“Wait! Is that why you keep insisting we stop here for drinks at the end of the week?”

“Duh! Of course it is.” Candice rolled her eyes and slurped at her drink. “Why else would she want—”

“Yes!” Susan interrupted Candice’s tirade. “I think you guys would make a cute couple. I was hoping if we gave you enough chances, you’d get up the nerve to strike up a conversation with him or something.”

My gaze darted back towards the man in question, only to find his pale green eyes locked on me. I let out a little squeak and quickly looked down at my hands where they twisted together on my lap. “I couldn’t possibly.”

“Of course you can!” Susan encouraged.

I shook my head. “No, really. I can’t.”

“See,” Candice huffed. “I told you it was a waste of time, dragging her out with us at the end of each week when all she wants to do is sit at home alone.”

“Of course it isn’t a waste of time,” Susan insisted with a smile that looked a little forced. “Even if Kiara doesn’t end up going out with the guy, at least we’ve had fun hanging out with her.”

“Uh huh. Fun. Sure. Whatever you say,” Candice drawled, sounding anything but sincere.

Susan looked so irritated; I couldn’t help but try to reassure her. “Well,I’vehad lots of fun.”

“I’m glad.” Her smile became more genuine as she patted my hand. “But I bet you’d have even more fun if you went and talked to him.”

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