Page 7 of Merry Me Bartender

Her nose is scrunched, her brows furrowed. After a few seconds of leaving my question unanswered, she blows out one frustrated sigh. Normally bright and cheery, an angry Joyce is not one I’m accustomed to.

“You didn’t have to actually kiss me, you know?” Her fingers curl and she thumps her hands against her thighs. Breathing in deep, her chest swells before her body deflates. “If I knew you’d purposely avoid me and make everything awkward…”

Fuck. I’ve upset her.

“I wasn’t–” My mouth snaps shut when she sends me a look.

Okay, yes. I was definitely avoiding her these last few days. In my defense, I felt weak. Afterfinallygetting a taste of the one woman I’ve wanted for the last few years, I knew the moment we were alone, I was going to cave and kiss her again. Mistletoe or not, I’d ravish this poor woman.

We’re all alone now, but the heat I felt before is nowhere in sight. Right now, I just want to apologize for hurting her feelings.

“Should I quit? I mean, I clearly overstepped the whole boss and employee line here. I don’t think I can keep working shifts like this.” Stirring in her seat, she shrugs.

Quit? What? No. Out of the question.

“I wanted to,” I blurt out, “to kiss you, I mean. I just…”

Fuck, expressing feelings are hard. Running a hand down my face, I consider pouring myself a glass of something strong. Something to take away the heat forming on the back of my neck.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to kiss me because of some plastic plant.” Plucking at my shirt, I’m feeling warmer and warmer.

Joyce stares at me. For a moment, I can’t tell what she’s thinking. Her lips part as she squints. “You think I only kissed you because of the mistletoe?”

My ears have to be red now too, no doubt.

“It was my excuse, Kade. I…didn’t have the courage to ask you to kiss me any other way.” Covering her blush with her own hands, I soon realize that we’re both clearly bad at this. ”That’s why I thought you kissed me in the first place too.”

We’re both terrible at this. It’s laughable.

“There’s none of that plant near us,” I point out as I look over to the front door. The one that’s a good twenty feet away. “So, you’d let me kiss you again?”

I’ve only thought about doing it every night since we got all these decorations up.

Peeking at me through her fingers, she sputters a laugh. “Seriously? Right now?”

When she shakes her head, my heart sinks low for only a moment.

“Promise me you won’t hide in the storage room anymore. Your office too. I won’t let my lips near you if you keep running away.” Putting her foot down, she lifts her chin. “If you can, then I’m sure one more kiss can’t hurt us.”

Nodding my head, I step toward her. “Joyce, you’re going to beg me to stay away. Once I stick to your side, you won’t ever be able to get rid of me. I kept my distance because I thought you wouldn’t want me kissing you again. Now that I know you’re alright with it…”

A gasp leaves her lips when I pluck her up from the stool and sit her right on the bar. Need her more to my height.

Tucking my body between her thighs, I cement my promise with a kiss.

There’s nothing more pleasing than feeling her sigh against my mouth. She might struggle to say what she wants, but once she curls her fingers around my shirt, she gives one tug to pull me in her direction.

Even if we just closed up the bar, I know well enough that we’re not going to be leaving any time soon.

* * *

Even if I want to keep my feelings about Joyce a secret, everyone in the bar has to know by now.

Call me a lovestruck fool, but I’m a goner for this woman.

I’ve been lingering near her for so long that I’m falling behind on my own work now. From my office, I can’t go pinching her hip like I am now.

Behind the bar, customers are clueless. If they knew, they’d probably be too busy wondering what in the world such a cute woman is doing messing around with a brute of a guy like me.

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