Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Raemina
It was time to declare it.
I had a massive crush on my boss’s son.
Every shift I worked, my eyes sought him out. Was he in? What was he doing?
It was a fucking huge damn distraction I didn’t have time for.
“Fuck!” I yelled as I stumbled into my apartment after another disastrous day. This shit was really throwing me off my game.
Trish popped her head out from the kitchen. “Another bad day?”
“How’d you guess?” I dropped my bag to the floor, and it landed with a loud thud.
Trish’s eyes widened. “I’ll grab the wine.”
“Why? Why do I have to have a massive crush?” I threw my hands in the air and stomped to the living room. “He’s everywhere, T! I can’t concentrate!” Plopping down on the couch, I curled into a ball, tucking my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
“Damn girl.” Trish said as she sat down next to me with an open bottle of wine and two glasses. She set the stemless wine glasses on the coffee table and poured us each a half a glass. She handed me mine and picked up her own before taking a sip. “You’ve got it bad, huh?”
“It’s so stupid.”
“You know when you can’t have someone…”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. But I can’t even focus on my classes. I failed a test today.”
Trish almost choked on her wine. “What?” She sputtered.
“Yep. I studied too. I made flash cards, quizzed myself, and thought I knew the material. I start the quiz and bam, my mind is blank and I’m imagining Gunner naked and fucking me on the bar.”
Now Trish actually choked on her wine. She coughed and laughed at the same time as I sucked down my wine, hoping maybe it would help. Ha, fat chance. “On the bar? Can you imagine Grizz’s face if he caught you?”
My cheeks flamed red. “No. Are you crazy?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing.”
“I feel like I am.” I finished my glass and grabbed the bottle, pouring myself another hearty portion.
“Slow down there, killer. You don’t want an even worse night.” Trish said as she eyed my glass while I sucked more down.
“I need to figure this out. I’m hoping wine helps.”
“Ha. Wine never helps. You’ll end up calling him and asking him to come fuck you just to get it out of your system.”
A spark ran through me. Wait, a minute…
Trish placed a hand on my arm. “Rae, hold on. I see that gleam in your eye. I was only kidding.”
“You might be on to something.”
“No, trust me. I’m not. It will make everything worse. Believe me. Remember Scott?”
I chuckled. “Yes. But you said it was the best sex of your life.”
“At the time. Now, I’ve had better. And if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t do it again.”
“I know, I know. You had to quit. But I think I could do it. I could get him out of my damn mind and move on.”
“You know sex fucks shit up. You will grow even more attached. You’re not one to have sex without feelings.”
“Stop talking like you’re my best friend or something. What else do you suggest I do? I can’t lose my job, I can’t quit my job, but I can’t keep staring at this gorgeous man and picture him doing me up against a wall.”
“Maybe you should find someone else to fuck while fantasizing about Gunner.”
I looked at her as if she’d grown two heads. “And deal with two men inside my head? Hell no!”
“Okay, then here’s my solid advice. Use some of your vacation time. I know you have plenty banked and take a few days to yourself. Use it to study and forget about this guy for a while. When you go back, you will have forgotten all about your crush.”
I mulled over her words. It wasn’t a bad idea, but I wasn’t sure it would work. Because I’ve never felt like this around anyone before. Not any previous boyfriends or crushes. There was something about Gunner I felt deep in my soul.
And I wasn’t so sure a break would do the trick.
He’d still be there, looking as fine as ever.
Instead of a week, I requested a long weekend off and didn’t leave my apartment once, besides sitting on the back deck for some fresh air.
I studied and made up my failed test, caught up on work, and even got ahead in a few classes.
Yet not once did Gunner leave my head.
He was always there. Whether I pictured his face, or thought of his name, or wondered more about him, my thoughts always turned back to him.
It was hopeless. Utterly and desperately hopeless.
On my first day back at work, I noticed the sign out front was fixed, the B in Broken finally lighting up after months of being out. The front door no longer creaked when I opened it, and the broken latch on the cooler clicked in correctly, no longer needing a fix.
New lightbulbs installed, wonky shelves fixed, and no more sputtering in the ice maker.
It was like being in a twilight zone. Grizz never bothered much with repairs, saying it gave the place character.
He probably didn’t want to budget in the costs, but with Gunner around, it all got done. Impressive.
When I stepped into the office to punch in, running fifteen minutes late as usual, I thought I’d walked into the wrong room.
Grizz sat behind a neat desk, no more piles of papers scattered around, some littered on the floor.
No more stuffed filing cabinets or wading through shit to get to the time clock.
“What the hell happened in here?” I said, coming to a complete stop and laughing as I looked around. “This can’t be your office.”
“Watch it there, young lady.” Grizz teased. In the few years I’ve worked here, he was like a surrogate father to me, being miles away from my own family, and we easily joked with each other.
“I mean it. Where’s all your shit?”
Grizz scratched his beard and laughed wholeheartedly. “My son came through. Apparently, the boy doesn’t like a mess.”
“Wow, I guess not. This place is changing by the day.”
“He’s not touching the decor. I already told him the trophies are staying.”
“Good call,” I said as I punched in.
“How was your long weekend?”
“It was good. I got a lot of studying done.”
“Glad to hear it, but more than glad to have you back.”
“Thanks, Grizz.” I offered him a smile before leaving. I headed for the lockers in the back hallway and as I rounded the corner, I slammed into something hard. Something very hard. “Shit! Ouch! What the hell?” I yelped as I rubbed my arm.
His scent hit me first. The woodsy, piney smell with a touch of mint tickled my nose and instantly, I knew I didn’t walk into something but someone.
Gunner.
Shit.
“We need to stop meeting like this.” His low growly voice washed over me and my body hummed to life.
I chuckled nervously. My stupid traitorous body betrayed me, my nipples hardening under the soft fabric of my bra, the heat between my legs turning scorching hot and aching with need. My breath caught in my throat, and I squeezed my legs together.
Nothing helped.
I met his gaze and almost melted into a puddle of goo. “Sorry. I just need…”
Gunner’s brown eyes darkened to almost black as they moved up and down my face, to my lips and back up. He dipped his head lower, closing the miniscule of space between us.
Alert! Alert!
Alarm bells rang in my head, but I didn’t move. Couldn’t move.
Closer…closer…
I was no longer breathing.
It was only him and me, in this moment, away from everyone else…no one would have to know.
Closer.
“I want to kiss you.” Gunner whispered.
I inhaled sharply.
A grin tugged at the corners of his lips. He ran a hand down the side of my face.
My heart pounded in my ears, my blood roaring like thunderous waves, drowning everything around us out.
His lips grazed mine.
It’s happening…it’s really happening…
“Rae! There you are!” Kendra, another waitress, voice broke through and I jumped backwards, quickly spinning around and wiping my sweaty palms on my pants. She looked around me, her mouth forming a small o-shape at the sight of Gunner. “Hi G. Didn’t see you back there?”
G? What are they on nickname terms now?
The ping of jealously hit me out of nowhere and I didn’t like it. Not even a bit.
Knock it off, stupid heart and brain. I barely knew the guy.
“Sorry, I’ll get out of the way.” Gunner said as he slipped out behind Kendra and disappeared.
“Hey Kendra, I’ll be out in a second. I’m running more late than usual.” I said as I opened my locker and grabbed my apron.
“No worries. One of your regulars is looking for you and he won’t stop asking.”
I groaned. “Ugh. It’s like we become their makeshift wives or something.”
“Tell me about it.” Kendra said before walking away.
I tied my apron behind my back.
Well, so much for ignoring Gunner.
It was looking damn near impossible.
All of my plans sucked.