Page 31 of Prelude of Love

“That hopeful little twitch before you realize it’s not him, then scowling when it’s only a normal customer.” Red dodged the dish towel I threw at his head. “Your aim’s getting rusty. Must be all thatdistraction.”

I grabbed another one with a grumble. “You’re lucky I like you so much.”

“Aw, I’m special?” Red cooed dramatically.

“Yes, actually.” I kept my voice gruff but honest. “You’re one of the hardest workers I’ve ever had, and you care about people. That makes you pretty damn special in my book.”

He froze mid-motion, his usual quick comeback dying on his lips. “Wow, I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

I shrugged, uncomfortable with the emotion thick in his voice. “Yeah, well, don’t let it go to your head.”

“Your secret’s safe with me, boss.” Red’s smile turned softer. “Thanks.”

“Get back to work before I change my mind aboutliking you,” I growled, but we both knew there was no heat behind it.

Red laughed and grabbed his tray of drinks. “Whatever you say, boss.”

I scowled at his retreating form. The compulsive urge to look at the door every time it opened infuriated me. Why was I hoping Chance would come back so soon? There was no reason for it.

It didn’t take long for Red to return to the bar. His knowing grin made me pointedly ignore the front door opening. But eventually, my patience was rewarded.

Melody breezed in with her usual flair, lighting up the place with that confident energy I’d grown fond of over the years. She wore a flowing emerald dress that brought out the honey tones in her hair. Her blue eyes sparkled with playfulness as she approached, reminding me where Chance got that trait from.

He followed his mother, wearing sleek, black-framed glasses that made him look like a different person. Something warm and possessive curled inside me, knowing he’d taken my advice.

As he sat on the stool beside her, I could fully appreciate how the frames suited his face, drawing attention to his high cheekbones and those striking blue eyes that danced with devious delight. His sandy-blond hair fell in soft waves around the glasses, and the overall effect hit me hard.

The fact that he’d listened to my suggestion stirredsomething dark and primal inside me. I wanted to test what other suggestions he might follow. The frames transformed him from an obvious celebrity trying to hide into someone who could blend into any coffee shop or library. He looked sophisticated yet vulnerable, a combination that brought out every dominant instinct I possessed.

It also made him devastatingly attractive in an intellectual way that urged me to drag him into the stockroom, back him against the shelves, and show him what rewards good boys earned when they followed my instructions. My blood ran hot, imagining pinning those slim wrists above his head while I taught him the pleasures of submission while he fought back.

My mind filled with images of his frames going askew as I kissed him hard, making them fog up. I imagined his hands clutching at my shoulders while I marked his elegant neck. His beautiful lips would part with gasps and pleas as I stripped away his crafted disguise until he was laid bare before me.

I pictured him on his knees, looking up at me with those tempting glasses as he sucked my dick. I itched to run my fingers through his disheveled, sandy hair. A need burned inside me to see his plump lips, red and swollen, stretched to their limits by my thick cock as I?—

“Hello, boys!” Melody’s bright voice snappedme out of my graphic fantasy. I grabbed a clean glass and focused on filling it with water, grateful for the cold liquid to cool my heated thoughts. The last thing I needed was Chance’s mother catching me mentally debauching her son in vivid detail.

I’d known Melody long enough to appreciate how she commanded attention without demanding it. She had a way of drawing people in, making everyone feel at ease. Chance was different. Where his mother’s presence was like a warm hearth everybody gravitated toward, he was a spotlight, bright and bold.

“Melody!” Red lit up with excitement at her arrival. “You won’t believe what Gonk did with his new catnip banana you recommended.”

She gestured for him to continue. “Tell me everything. I swear, your cat is more entertaining than half the shows on TV.”

“He carries it everywhere,” Red gushed. “Even sleeps with it tucked under his chin like a tiny pillow. Look!” He pulled out his phone and showed her pictures, earning coos from her about how cute his cat was.

I started fixing Melody’s usual vodka, blue Curaçao, lemonade, and raspberry cordial while trying to focus on the familiar routine instead of how Chance kept shifting closer to Red, laughing at something my employee said.

“Duke.” Her voice cut through my concentration. “You’re looking especially broody today. Careful, your face might stick that way.”

I grunted, sliding her drink across the bar. “Someone has to maintain standards around here.”

Chance’s laugh caressed me like a physical touch. “Mom, leave him alone. I love the dark and mysterious thing he’s got going on.”

I busied myself, hyperaware of every move Chance made. The way he gestured when he talked. How his glasses slipped down his nose when he laughed. The way his throat worked when he took a sip of water.

Damn it.

Chance caught my eye and smirked, as if he knew what I was thinking. I clearly needed to be more careful.

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