28. Kristin
28
KRISTIN
“ Y ou’ll have to help me find something to wear,” I said to Hannah Jane before downing the shot that Bridget slid my way. I didn’t even care what kind of liquor it was.
Will caught my eye from across the bar. He and Chase were playing pool, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off me. He paused and watched me take the shot in one gulp. I wiped the sheen whiskey off my lips with the back of my hand, then flashed him a grin.
He gave me a wink that said, good girl. A zing of excitement rushed from my nipples straight to my pussy.
I squirmed on top of the barstool.
Hannah Jane snorted. “Girl, with the way he looks at you? You don’t need my help. You need birth control.”
I slung back a second shot. “All covered there. I don’t take any chances in the baby department.”
“Okay,” Bridget said, hustling from the register to where Hannah Jane and I sat along the U-shaped wood bar. “What are we talking about?”
“Staff Christmas party at the inn,” Hannah said, sipping her old-fashioned. “I finally got management on board. They’re gonna let me throw a fancy-ass party instead of the usual Christmas cookies and non-alcoholic eggnog.”
I cut my eyes to Bridget. “Yeah, little Miss Miranda Priestly over here turned it into something I have to buy a dress for. Like, a fancy dress.”
“It’s black-tie! It’s going to be so much fun!” Hannah protested.
“Fun for you and only you,” I said. “Not all of us are prepared for red carpets at a moment’s notice.”
“I’ve never once walked a red carpet, thank you very much. That would be Maddie.”
“And who dresses her for those events?” I countered.
Hannah Jane rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m doing Luca a favor. If I didn’t dress her, she’d show up to the James Beard Awards in cutoffs and a tank top that has Brad Paisley lyrics on it.”
Speak of the devil.
Maddie strutted through the shabby screen door that served as the main entrance to Jokers. She had on a pair of cutoffs and a ripped-up black tank top that read All You Gotta Do Is Put A Drink In My Hand. It was November and forty-two degrees outside.
The girl gave no fucks.
“Eric Church lyrics, but you were close,” I said to Hannah.
“Is Will coming to the staff party?”
Oh shit. I hadn’t even thought to mention it. I’d never had a date for the end-of-year party before. “I’ll have to ask.”
“Come hell or high water, Isaac will be there,” Hannah said staunchly. “I swear, that man doesn’t know how to delegate.” She turned to Bridget and rambled on about Isaac’s travel schedule.
Maddie wiggled onto the barstool beside me. “There’s my sweet little peach! How’s my baby unicorn?”
I laughed. “You sure you’re not confusing Zoey and me?”
Maddie tossed her nearly white hair to the side and smirked. “You’re the most adorable thing. It’s no wonder Will is all over this,” she said, twirling her finger in my direction .
I looked down at my jeans and well-worn cowboy boots. I wore a flannel shirt over my tank top, but now it was tied around my waist. My gray tank had a slight tear that split the neckline between my breasts. I felt frisky when I was getting ready and decided to wear a push-up bra. My tits looked fantastic tonight. It was solid girls’ night attire.
At least, Will seemed to think so. I wasn’t blind to the way he checked me out when he picked me up from my house.
Maybe I could sweet-talk him into a quickie behind the bar before we went home .
The bell above the door rang again, and Steve and Erica barreled in, all bundled up. A gust of chilly air chased them inside, sending a shiver up my spine.
Steve took one look at Maddie and shook his head. “Put some damn clothes on before you get fuckin’ pneumonia.”
Maddie giggled. “Well, hello to you too, Detective Grumpy Pants!”
Steve narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard. “You pre-gamed, didn’t you?”
“Possibly,” Maddie said, smirking. “What’s it to you?”
“DeRossi’s outta town. Did you drive?”
She rolled her eyes. “I took an Uber, thank you very much. And before you get your crotchety boxers in a twist, Chase is taking me home.”
Erica patted Steve’s shoulder and told him to sit down before his blood pressure skyrocketed. A little late for that in my opinion. She pulled an elastic off her wrist and finger combed her big curls into a bun on top of her head.
“How’s it going?” She surveyed the room, confused. “Where’s Mel?”
“Sorry! I’m here!” Mel said as she ran in. The screeching door slammed behind her. “God, I’m so tired. I was twenty minutes from clocking out, and things had been quie?— ”
Steve cut her off. “Don’t you fuckin’ dare say the Q-word. ”
I craned my head around and caught a glimpse of Steve’s badge clipped to his belt. “Are you on call?”
He nodded, begrudgingly sipping the sweet tea Bridget gave him.
Steve, Melissa, and Chase were superstitious about saying the word q-u-i-e-t or s-l-o-w. According to them, all hell would break loose the minute someone let it slip.
“Like I was saying,” Mel continued. “I expected to get off work without a whole lot of fuss, but there was a big structure fire off of Bridge Street in Morehead. Multiple vics with burns and external injuries. A few of our guys got banged up, too.”
Steve frowned. “Everyone good?”
Mel nodded. “Yeah, nothing too serious, thank goodness. They should all be discharged within a few hours. It made triage a pain in the ass, though, with them all coming in at once. And firefighters are awful patients.”
Steve snickered.
“The only patients worse than firefighters are medical professionals,” she said, then pointed an accusatory finger at Steve. “And cops.”
“I’m a fuckin’ gem of a patient,” Steve said. “Besides, when was the last time you had to stitch me up?”
Erica snorted. “Sure, you’re a champ with an injury, but heaven forbid you get the man flu. You’d think you were on your deathbed.”
Steve glared at his wife.
Erica grinned in return while munching on fried pickles. Her feet hung from the barstool, swinging back and forth. With a hand resting on her baby bump, she looked like the happiest pregnant lady in the world. She was freaking glowing.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Will said as he walked over from the pool tables. He bracketed his arms on either side of me and leaned in for a kiss.
I could taste the beer on his lips.
I’d never been with a man who kissed me in front of people. In the past, I didn’t like public displays of affection. But this was different. I wanted the world to know that William Solomon was my man.
“Hey yourself,” I said against his lips. “Finish your game?”
Will grinned as he pulled away. “Yep. Kicked his ass.”
“Did not!” Chase said, hollering from the other end of the bar. “You won by two.”
Will mouthed, “Kicked his ass.”
The bar was filling up, so I hopped off the barstool so Will could take my seat.
He sat down and hooked his fingers in the belt loops of my jeans, dragging me in between his knees. He was so damn tall and took up so much space.
“Y’all aren’t rowdy tonight,” Will observed. “Who died?”
Maddie took that as a challenge. To her, those four words were the equivalent of hold my beer.
“Grandpa’s right!” she squealed, hoisting one knee on top of the bar.
“Whoa, now,” Chase said, grabbing her waist. He pulled her down before she could bust a move. “Luca made me promise to keep you from getting shitfaced and doing something stupid.”
“Don’t do anything that’ll land you in the emergency room,” Mel said. “The night staff is a shit show. Trust me. You’re better off being stitched up here in the stock room using tequila as an antiseptic.”
“And you’d be paying for that alcohol,” Bridget chimed in. “Keep your shoes off my bar, Mrs. DeRossi.”
Maddie didn’t remain deterred for long. I saw the wheels spinning in her evil little mind and I should have known something awful was going to come out of her mouth.
“Will, did you know that Kris has never had a lap dance?” she asked.
Will chuckled and glanced down at me. “That right, Sunshine?” His velvety rasp was more intoxicating than a fifth of whiskey.
“At my bachelorette party, Kristin had to take a phone call when the male dancers showed up.”
Heat flushed my cheeks, and I was red as a cherry. “Mad, get to the point before I bury myself in a hole out back.”
Maddie eyed Steve and Erica. “I think Steve and Will should see who’s better at darts. Loser has to give his woman a lap dance in the middle of the bar.”
Steve frowned, but Erica lit up like a bundle of dynamite.
Will grinned. “I’m pretty decent at darts, but … I don't wanna disrespect Bridget or the other customers who are just here to unwind.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop being such a boy scout, Grandpa. Luca’s out of town, and I’m bored as hell. Please , I need some entertainment.”
Steve piped up. “You know, there’s a thing called Netflix. It’s magical.”
“Do it!” Bridget said, shouting from the other end of the bar while she pulled beers for a few old timers.
“See?” Maddie grinned. “Even Bee’s on board.”
Will looked at Steve and shrugged. “Prepare to lose, Pelham.”
We all crowded behind the two of them as they went head-to-head, throwing darts.
“I’m not gonna lie,” Hannah Jane whispered to Erica. “I want Steve to win. I know what he’s hiding under that shirt.”
Erica hid her laugh behind her hand. “Lord, I can’t even imagine him trying to give me a lap dance with all this going on,” she said, smoothing a hand over her baby bump. “I don’t have much lap left, but I kinda wanna see him try.”
Mel snorted. “We’ve all seen Steve shirtless. Will has to pay his dues.”
Steve hit a bullseye and took the lead. Maddie and Bridget cheered as he walked to the wall and pulled the dart out of the center of the board.
Will’s last turn came around, and he needed a bullseye to beat Steve by one point. Part of me wondered whether he was going to throw the competition to spare me the embarrassment.
Part of me wanted him to win.
Erica squeezed my hand in anticipation.
Will closed his eyes. He let out a slow, calculated breath, then threw a bullseye. He turned and gave me a wink. With a deeper drawl than usual, he asked, “You ready for this, sweetheart?”
Maddie situated a chair right in the middle of the dance floor for me.
“Sit your cute butt down,” Mel said, laughing as she pushed me down into the chair.
Bridget changed the song on the jukebox to an old Trace Adkins tune. His deep voice rumbled through the busted speakers as everyone crowded around.
Will strutted toward me, a devilish grin on his face. His worn jeans stretched tight across his ass and thighs, and his heavy boots scuffed across the dusty wood floor.
I cringed. “Lord have mercy, please don’t throw out a hip or something.”
Will sucked his lower lip between his teeth, then dragged it back out.
“Don’t hurt yourself, Solomon,” I teased. “I hope you take vitamins for, like, bone loss and stuff. At your age…”
Will reached up and spun his ball cap backward. “You got a mouth on you, Sunshine. ”
“Sorry,” I snickered. “Alcohol makes me fun.”
He grabbed the back of the chair as the song ramped up. The hairs on his muscled forearms tickled my cheek.
I glanced over to gauge the girls’ reactions, but Will kicked my ankles apart with his foot.
“Eyes right here, sweetheart,” he commanded, drawing my attention to his denim-covered erection. He rolled his hips in a smooth circle, inches from my face.
I shrieked and cupped my hands over my mouth.
He reached up and slowly popped the buttons on his shirt, one by one, in time with the music. He shrugged the dress shirt off his shoulders and pulled his undershirt off in one smooth motion.
I giggled. “Is this a look, but don’t touch dance?”
Will wet his lower lip and gazed at me through hooded eyes. He could make bank moonlighting as a cowboy stripper.
“I’m all yours,” he growled, dropping to grab the edges of the seat.
I flinched. He was a breath away from the crease between my thighs, and all my friends were watching. My core burned with lust and unmet desire, but he didn’t move closer.
Instead, he used the edges of the chair to show off his taut biceps. He pumped up and down, completing a handful of push-ups before rolling his body upright like a snake.
My awareness of the crowd around us vanished. I reached out and trailed my fingers between his pecs to his riveted six-pack.
He kicked his boot up onto the edge of the chair. His muscles flexed as he thrust his pelvis in time with Honky Tonk Badonkadonk like a fuck-hot ranch hand.
I slid my fingers down the path of dark hair that disappeared beneath his belt. Will leaned down to kiss me as the song faded to a slower tune.
“Holy fuck,” Maddie said, her jaw hanging open. “Methuselah’s got moves. Damn, Kris— he’s hotter than chicken grease. ”
“Geez,” Will laughed as he pulled his crisp white undershirt back on. “I’m like a year older than Luca.” He shot me a wink. “I’m barely robbing the cradle, here.”
“Way to be a good sport, Father Time,” Maddie said, laughing as she and Will fist bumped. “You make AARP look sexy.”
With the dog and pony show over, the rest of the girls ran back to the bar for drinks. Steve looked down and poked his abs, grumbling about still being the ripped one.
Before I could turn, Will caught my hand and pulled me into his arms. His palm covered my waist, and his hand swallowed mine.
“Dance with me?” he asked. The rumble of his voice soothed me. I relaxed in his arms as we swayed.
“You were a good sport about all that,” I said as he spun me under his arm.
The song changed to a faster tempo, and we wordlessly moved into a two-step. Will led me without bulldozing me, boot-scooting across the dance floor.
“I could say the same about you,” he said, smiling. “And for the record, it’s fucking hot when you blush like that. You’ve got this innocent thing going on during nights like this, then you turn into a confident little goddess in the bedroom. I love both sides of you. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of it.”
Will pulled me closer and splayed his hand across my back. My breasts flattened against his muscular body. I turned my head and rested my temple on his chest as we slowed to a sway.
Before Will came by the house to pick me up for girls’ night, the kids questioned why he never stayed at our place. I’d never let it be an option because it felt like a million roadblocks were in the way. The kids’ feelings, my lack of a bed, the single bathroom we all shared.
But mostly, it had been my pride.
One by one, Will took a wrecking ball to all my excuses. And he did it while he distracted me with the most selfless love I’d ever felt.
I felt like Cinderella, dancing the night away with her prince while humming, So This Is Love.
“What are you thinking so hard about, Sunshine?” Will said, murmuring against the top of my head.
I could trust him, I reminded myself. Will was the most honest, gentle man I had ever known. Trust him, Kristin.
“Will you stay with me tonight?” I asked quietly. “If you can’t because you have things to do tomorrow morning, or if you just don’t want to, I get it?—”
He shut me up with a kiss. Supple and soft. Will cupped my jaw, stroking my cheek with his thumb.
“Is that a yes?” I asked when we broke away for necessary oxygen.
Will’s nose bumped against mine, and my lashes fluttered closed. “Sweetheart, I thought you’d never ask.”