Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
After the eighth bar in Harlem, Carolina is still nowhere to be found.
“Fuck!” I shout, tugging at my hair. “It’s already past one. What if she’s finished her shift? Why didn’t we ever ask her where she works?”
Clay exhales sharply. “Because we’re total idiots, remember? That’s why we’re doing this in the first place.”
“What’s the next spot? We’re continuing, right?”
“Of course we are.” He checks his phone and says, “Next up is that dive called Donny’s.”
I grimace. “Let’s hope we don’t catch an STD just by walking in.”
Clay chuckles as we head over, and thankfully, the drive is short. With each passing minute we don’t find her, my nerves rise to a new level.
He opens the grimy door for us. As we enter, I scan the poorly lit bar through the crowd of rowdy, drunk patrons and spot Carolina standing next to a tall blonde girl.
“Wa… sh out, the cops’re here!” a customer slurs loudly.
Both Carolina and the blonde turn their heads our way. Shock spreads across Carolina’s face before she swiftly turns and disappears through a door behind the bar.
“Yep, you fucked up.” Clay laughs beside me. “I’ll chat with the blonde. You go find our girl.”
I give him a sour look for referring to Carolina as ‘our’ girl but head toward the bar anyway. I wait until Clay starts flashing his dazzling smile at the blonde, who’s already giggling, and I slip through the door Carolina just used.
I find myself in a kitchen where two guys are staring at me.
“Carolina?” I ask. The bigger of the two guys nods in the direction of another door. I thank him and navigate my way through it to find her standing with her back to me in a corridor, her forehead resting against a locker.
“Carolina…” I begin, but she jumps, whipping around to face me.
“What are you doing here?” She hisses, surprise flashing in her eyes.
I close the distance between us, stopping when we’re just a few feet apart.
“We’re doing rounds to check the liquor licenses of the bars in Harlem,” I say, and her face falls slightly.
Is she disappointed? “Yeah…” I nod, looking directly into her eyes.
“It’s a good cover, but it took us nine bars to find you. ”
Her gaze widens in surprise. “Why?” she asks, her voice a whisper.
Carolina’s eyes start to well with tears, and a single one trails down her cheek. I reach out and gently wipe it away with my thumb as I step closer. She leans back against the locker, nowhere to go.
“Because that kiss meant everything to me. I need another one. I need a thousand more. And I still think that wouldn’t be enough,” I tell her, my gaze fixed on hers.
Her breath hitches as I gently tilt her chin upward and slowly close the distance between us. Our lips meet, the kiss tender at first, as I give her time to relax into my touch. Her hands move to rest on my hips, and I move my hand from her chin to cup her neck.
My tongue glides over her bottom lip, requesting entrance. Our first kiss had been sweet and innocent, but I want to explore her now.
I need to taste her so bad.
She complies, parting her lips to allow my tongue to meet hers. I can’t help but suppress a smile when I feel how cold her tongue is.
It’s adorable how she hesitates, unsure how to do this, so I take the lead, stroking her tongue with mine. She quickly picks up the rhythm, moving in sync. Then she hums into the kiss. The sound sends shivers down my spine, and I pull her even closer.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I pull back it, resting my forehead against hers and taking a moment to catch my breath. “That was two, at least nine hundred ninety-eight to go,” I whisper, punctuating my words with a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose.
Her giggle fills the space between us. It is a sound I’ve never heard from her before but instantly fall in love with.
A voice laced with a strong accent interrupts us. “Is this officer giving you trouble, carina?” I turn and see that the voice belongs to one of the guys working in the kitchen I saw earlier.
Carolina shakes her head. “No, Matteo. I’m good, thanks.” Her voice is firm, leaving no room for further concern.
He nods, leaving us alone again.
I release a long sigh. “I need to find a quiet spot for you where we won’t be disturbed.” I cringe. “I hope that didn’t sound as creepy as I think it did.”
She laughs before her face turns serious again. “I’m sorry about what happened earlier with Del Moro. I didn’t mean to put you in such an awkward position.”
Is she seriously apologizing to me?
I pull her closer to me. “You’re apologizing?
Carolina, I’m the one who should apologize.
I messed up. I should’ve defended you, whether you wanted me to or not.
That asshole’s opinion means nothing to me.
” I softly kiss her lips, unable to stay away now that I’ve had a taste.
“Our first kiss deserved a better setting. I promise I’ll make it up to you. ”
Her lips curl into a smile, making my heart flutter.
I check the time and ask, “When does your shift end?” It’s already one fifteen.
“Usually, it depends on the customers. But I’d say I’ve got about half an hour left. Why do you ask?” she questions.
“You’re always working this late?” I ask, surprised.
She shrugs nonchalantly. “Most of the time, yes.”
“And on top of that, you’re going to college, interning with my sister, and now working at the tattoo shop on Saturdays…” I pause, amazed. “When do you even sleep?”
Her lips curl up in amusement. “Why do you want to know when my shift ends, Josh?”
I brush a loose strand of hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. “We could offer you a ride home?”
“But it’s only three blocks.” She laughs. “What are you going to do? Wait outside? That might affect my tips.”
I chuckle in response. “No, we’ll come back later to pick you up.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Three blocks.”
I lean in, giving her a quick peck on the lips, and whisper in her ear, “Doorstep goodnight kiss.”
Blushing, she manages a shy “Okay.”
I brighten up immediately. “Really? Okay?”
She grins at me. “Yes, okay. Now get out before my boss catches me hanging out with cops,” she teases.
I grin at her response, giving her one more quick peck on the lips before stepping back. “All right. I’ll be back for you in half an hour, Carolina.”
As I turn to leave, she calls after me. “I’ll be waiting, Officer!”
I chuckle, striding back toward the bar area, where I find Clay still charming the blonde girl. He spots me coming and gives me a raised eyebrow. I simply nod and head toward the exit.
He wraps up his conversation quickly and joins me outside. “So? How did it go?” he asks, glancing at me sideways.
“Good,” I say. “She agreed to let us pick her up after her shift.”
Clay whistles, “Nice, man. That’s progress.”
“I know,” I say, a grin spreading across my face. “Let’s get some coffee. We’ve got half an hour to kill.”
Already having closed everything up, I’m waiting outside the bar when a police car pulls up in front of me.
Josh gets out and opens the back door for me. “My lady.” He grins as I slide in.
“How was your night, kitten?” Clay asks from the driver’s seat.
“Long,” I say, thinking about the rollercoaster of emotions I went through. “Yours?”
“Pretty entertaining, like a kitten scavenger hunt. Although I must say, some bars around here are just plain dirty.” I don’t miss the cringe in his voice.
I huff. “I bet Donny’s is the worst.” We quickly arrive in front of my building, and Josh gets out to open my door for me. “Bye,” I say to Clay, looking at him through the rearview mirror.
“Take your time…” he winks at me, “… and don’t forget, your tongue has to move counterclockwise.”
“What?” I blurt out, my eyes widening.
Clay turns in his seat to look at me. “I could give you some lessons so Josh doesn’t think you kiss like a dead fish. You know what happened with the guy who was into Sophia.” He’s obviously teasing, but a pit of worry sits in my stomach.
Josh leans in and gently grabs my hand, pulling me out of the car. “Don’t fill her head with your bullshit, Clay,” he says, closing the car door with too much force.
He guides me to the door with his hand on my back before he pulls me in with one arm and kisses my forehead, lips brushing against my skin. “Don’t listen to him. I fucking loved kissing you. I could kiss you all day. In fact, I think I promised a goodnight kiss.”
He takes my head in both his hands and brings his lips to mine, lingering for a sweet moment in a tender kiss.
Then, he tilts my head a bit more and lets his tongue glide over my bottom lip.
I open for him, and our tongues meet. I try to remember what Clay said about clockwise, but Josh breaks the kiss and pushes me against the door with his body, his knee pressing between my thighs.
“When I’m kissing you, I’m the only one you think about,” he whispers before diving back in, kissing me harder and more passionately than ever, making me forget everything. I’m dizzy when he breaks the kiss again, giving me one last peck before whispering, “Sleep well, my Carolina.”
“Night,” I manage to breathe out.