First Day Jitters #3
“I’ve also been told whiskey is your favorite,” Richard said, grabbing a fancy bottle from the highest shelf while Nate came to join us.
Richard lined up four shot glasses, taking advantage of the dead moment at the bar.
He filled each and handed them off to the bartenders, then kept one for himself. “To our newest member.”
I did a happy dance before we all clanged glasses. “Bottoms up!” I gracefully downed my shot, giggling when the others grimaced or half-assed theirs.
Nate coughed before asking, “How’re you so good at that?” He was grimacing the most out of everyone.
“Easy! I barely have a gag reflex,” I said.
“Anyway, I’m used to it. I love to swallow.
” I smiled right at Dennis, who started choking on his drink.
“Thanks for the shot, Richard. It was a fun first day. I think I’m gonna like this job.
” I set my shot glass beside the others as Dennis regained composure.
“Good.” Richard awkwardly cleared his throat. “I’m glad. I send out schedules every Monday. This week you’ll have all the same shifts as Sean for training, but starting next week you’ll have your own shifts. Day two of training is tomorrow. See you soon.” He winked before heading in back.
“Why is he winking at you?” Ari frowned, but I only laughed.
“Joking, I’m sure.” I collected my earned tips before we all said bye to Nate and headed off into the night. Ari had driven herself and Sean, so Mateo, Dennis, and I piled into the backseat for a ride.
“I’m gonna be squished to death between you guys,” I complained.
Ari and Sean were having a pleasant conversation up front while I was stuck between Dennis and Mateo.
“Stop manspreading, you’re in my bubble.
” I smacked Mateo’s leg back to his own side.
“You too.” I tried to smack Dennis’ knee but he caught my wrist. His grip held when I tried to wrench my hand back.
“You really wanna do this?” he asked.
“You really wanna do this?” I mocked him. “Yes, fuckface. Move over.”
“No, I don’t think I will. I’m comfy. Actually…” He dropped my wrist and moved further into my space, pressing our thighs together. “Much better.” His laugh was shrill as I shoved his leg away once and for all.
“We’re here,” Ari’s singsong announcement saved me from dying of annoyance.
“Finally.” I climbed out the moment Mateo freed a path and followed Sean and Ari upstairs.
“I want a snack,” I said the moment we went inside.
I went to find one while Ari settled on the couch and the guys got situated in the dining room.
It wasn’t until I came back with a bag of chips that I saw a huge pile of cash atop the table.
“What’re you guys doing?” I tilted my head.
The guys were sorting through the pile. “Want some?” I held the bag out to Ari, who’d come to stand beside me.
She reached in to partake in the delicious snack.
“Really, what’s with all the money?” I asked.
Dennis was counting and dividing it into three uneven piles.
“Let’s just say we had a bet going.” Mateo smiled, making his adorable dimples show.
“A bet on what?” I narrowed my eyes at Dennis’ resulting smirk. He kept counting while Sean looked up, his naturally black eyes landing on me.
“Would you be mad if we said it’s on you?” Sean grinned as Mateo started laughing. “‘Cause it is. We bet on a few things.”
“Like what?” I asked. The bag of chips fell from my hand, but Ari caught it and kept eating. “What the hell did you guys bet on?”
“You. Can you not hear?” Dennis ignored my ‘rude!’ and kept counting.
“Is that why you stayed for my entire shift? I thought it was for moral support!”
“Am I not allowed to multitask?” He shot me a cunning smile.
“I was there for moral support,” Ari said.
“Thank you, Ari.”
“How many guys asked her out?” Dennis asked, ignoring us completely.
“I counted seven,” Sean said. “And a woman.”
“I saw two more while you were busy. And we can’t forget Benji.” Mateo snickered at my groan.
“At least fifteen guys flirted with her in front of me,” Sean said. “Maybe twenty? I lost count toward the end.”
“Closer to twenty,” Mateo said. “Plus the same girl, I think. Seemed like she was flirting.”
“She was flirting,” I said. I knew exactly who they were talking about. She was one of my first customers after Sean had set me free.
“And then the five or so guys who gave out their number,” Mateo said. “That’s not technically asking her out, but I say it counts.”
“She didn’t mess anything up, though. So you guys get that.” Dennis pulled more money from his wallet and slid it toward the middle.
“You bet I would mess everything up?”
“Not everything. Just some things.” He laughed as I crossed my arms. “Stop being mad. You didn’t, right? You proved me wrong. Be happy.”
“I hate you.”
“You love me,” he said smoothly. “How much did you make in tips?”
“Why?”
“I may or may not have bet that you’d make more in one shift than Sean made all of last week.”
“I’m mad you guys didn’t let me in on this. What’d you each bet on?” Ari grabbed a chair and sat beside Sean.
“Aurelia!”
“What? I know you better than anyone. I would’ve cleaned house.”
“I bet that she’d be asked out at least five times,” Sean said.
“I bet she’d get hit on by at least twenty men. And that she’d do everything perfectly fine and not get fired.” Mateo seemed pleased with himself. “I believe in you, Emy.”
“You already know mine,” Dennis said. “That she would mess up a few times but still get more tips during training than Sean did in a week. So,” he turned back to me, “how much did you make?”
I stared at them all, trying to decide how to feel. Shocked by their audacity, that’s for sure. “I can’t believe you guys. Twenty men? Five times? What the fuck do I look like?”
“Uh.” Mateo and Sean exchanged a worried look.
“You totally underestimated me,” I said. This was downright insulting.
“Three more guys asked me if she was taken after they saw us talking,” Ari said. “And I overheard two girls trying to figure out if she’s straight and if they should ask. One was too nervous to ask and her friend was hyping her up. They didn’t ask, but that would’ve been one more.”
“I made a lot in tips.” I pulled a wad of cash from my tight pocket. “This isn’t including card tips. How much did you make last week, Sean?”
“Probably not that much.” He eyed the stack in my hands. “I guess we were all wrong.”
“No shit, assholes. Next time, have a little more faith in me.”
“I was right about one thing.” Dennis smiled and started sliding the money toward himself. “The tips. I get all of this.”
“Nah-uh! I was right about the not messing up.” Mateo put his hands on the pile.
“We were all right about one thing,” Sean said. “Nate’s definitely interested in her.”
“You bet on that, too?” I sighed. “First of all, he’s not.”
“Definitely is,” Ari said. “I could see that a mile away.”
“Second of all, go to bed.” I turned to her. “I don’t need you trying to get in on their rude bets.”
“I am kinda sleepy.” She yawned and glanced at the time. “It’s already midnight? Yeah, I’m going to bed. Goodnight, guys.”
With that, she left the room. I trailed behind, eager to discuss the day.
We giggled and gossiped together while removing makeup, changing to pajamas, and doing everything else for the night.
I was getting happier the more I thought about the day and how much I already loved the new job.
We headed to Sean’s room, where she’d already set up camp.
“Are you going to bed too?” she asked hopefully.
“Nope. I’m wide awake. I’m gonna see what the guys are doing. Goodnight.” I left the room as she snuggled into bed, then skipped to the living room and hopped to a stop in the doorway. Dennis was reading on the couch while Sean and Mateo were playing poker at the table.
“I’m back.” I smiled around the room, bouncing on my toesies. I was getting hyper again. If it had ever left. I couldn’t remember. “I’m not going to sleep tonight.”
“Not at all?” Dennis set his book aside.
“Nope. I’m too excited to sleep.” I sat beside him, toying with my hair. I’d thrown it up to wash my face and decided to leave the updo for once.
“Your hair is different,” he said, eyeing my ponytail. “I could have fun with this.” His fingers laced through my ponytail and gently tugged. Suddenly, a memory popped into my head.
“You lied to me.” I shoved a finger at his chest.
“Oh, yeah?” He raised an eyebrow in slight interest, moving my hand.
“One of the many times you broke into my room. Early on, when I was still trying to get rid of you. I was going through different ways to kill you after you pissed me off. Remember that? You told me you can’t behead a vampire and then you beheaded Kiro. You’re a liar.”
“You can, but that’s not how I killed him. If you want the order of torture, I’ll tell you.”
“No, thanks. I don’t want those details.” I shook my ponytail free of his grip. “I have another question. The very first time you broke into my room and told Ari to close the door or you’ll kill me, were you really gonna kill me?”
A few seconds passed before he said, “Probably not.”
“Probably not?” I echoed. It was not the answer I’d been hoping for.
“No, Vixen. I wasn’t gonna kill you. I already told you, I bound you for a reason. It has nothing to do with hurting you.”
“Are you ever gonna tell me what it is?”
“No.”
“Please?” I put on my cutest face to no avail; he went back to reading, placing his free hand atop my thighs while he tuned me out.
My legs tingled when he started tracing patterns.
I shifted and looked around, hoping to find a distraction from my straying thoughts, but even Sean and Mateo’s loud game of poker couldn’t tame them.
They were running wild. Thinking about his hand on my thighs.
About where it had been a couple days ago while I was tied up in his coffin.
“What’re you reading?” I leaned forward to get a better view, pressing my chest against his arm.
He half closed the book to show its cover.
Of course, it was about the ten most notorious serial killers in the world.
“You’re so,” I paused, trying to think of the word.
“I dunno. It’s like you murder people all the time, but it doesn’t even seem like you do because you don’t care.
And that makes me not care because you’re so okay with it that I guess I’m kinda okay with it now, too?
Not that it matters. I’m sure you don’t care what does or doesn’t bother me. ”
I stopped talking because he was smiling.
The sexiest one—the smile that came with the topic of murders and torture.
I couldn’t control it any longer. There was a throbbing between my thighs that I was tired of ignoring.
I leaned forward for a kiss, lacing my fingers through his hair when he responded.
All the background noise faded as he deepened the kiss.
All I felt were Dennis’ hands on my waist, leading me to straddle him. He grabbed my butt at the same he pulled my hair, bringing a squeal of delight as I broke the kiss. And then we were kissing again, my hands sliding down his shirt while his moved up mine.
He grabbed my chest and playfully squeezed, earning a small giggle as I started kissing down his neck. I gasped as he pinched my nipples, then caressed my chest while my fangs grazed his neck. I didn’t stop kissing and nibbling his neck until a throat cleared.
“Sorry.” I detached from Dennis, smiling sheepishly.
“I’m not.” Dennis pulled his hands from my shirt and smoothed it down. “I forgot you guys were there.”
“Yeah, we figured.” Mateo rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t care or anything. Just thought you might.”
Sean was shyly looking away. I didn’t care that Mateo was in here. In fact, I kinda liked it. But I did care with Sean. That was Ari’s man, or soon to be, at least, so I needed to be appropriate around him. To an extent, anyway. I could never be fully censored. It wasn’t in my genes.
“Sorry again.” I kissed Dennis one more time before moving off his lap.
He smiled smugly as Mateo muttered ‘lucky asshole.’ I tried not to laugh and placed my legs across his.
I would stay off him as far as straddling goes, but my legs were comfy.
I sighed as he resumed tracing patterns across my thighs.
My breath caught as his hand moved up my thighs, brushing against my shorts.
I really should’ve worn something beneath them.
“Hands off. We’re being appropriate.” I pushed his hand away.
“I’m starting to wonder if you’re an exhibitionist,” he mused.
“You barely noticed? I like being watched. It gets me off.” I paused before adding, “Kinda like you with dominating me. Speaking of, I thought you don’t go on bottom?”
“For sex. As long as I’m controlling where you are the rest of the time, it’s okay.”
“Mmm.” I bit my lip, contemplating. Now that I thought about it, he had been the one to move me into a straddle. Ugh, the things I wanted to do with him right now.
“We could always…” his eyes strayed past me to his room.
“No. I shouldn’t.”
“You still don’t trust me with your rule?”
“No, it’s not that. I trust you. But it’s different this time.
With you. It’s just,” I stopped talking.
The truth was, I knew minds could change, even if he didn’t plan on it.
Too many people had viewed me differently after sleeping with me.
None of them had been relevant, which was even more reason to be extra careful with him.
“Just what?”
“Can you hear me?” I asked, praying he couldn’t.
“No. I’m trying to figure out what you’re thinking,” he said. “I do know you’re lying.”
“I won!” Mateo shouted. I jumped in surprise, making Dennis laugh.
“What the fuck? You never win!” Sean yelled. I twisted at the sound of cards and chips flying off the table. “We’re playing again. I want my money back.”
“You can’t have it.” Mateo started picking up chips while Sean stood to collect the cards. “I win for the night. We’re done here.”
“Bullshit. You call rematches every time I beat you. It’s my turn.”
“Stop being a sore loser.” Mateo laughed at Sean’s resulting stream of profanity. They were already setting up a new game.
“I changed my mind. I’m going to bed.” I moved my legs from Dennis’ lap and stood. I was getting a little sleepy, but mostly I wanted to escape before I gave in and had sex with Dennis again.
“‘Night, Vixen.”
“Goodnight.” I smiled at him. “Goodnight guys,” I added, hoping Mateo and Sean could hear me over their ruckus. They both distractedly said goodnight as I got Frankie and left to join Ari in bed.