Liana
“Jill, this was your last time, love. I told you, if you kept harassing Steelo, I’d have to ban you.”
“Steelo was harassing me. Askkk em,” she slurred. “I been coming to Bloom’s before you had titty milk on ya breath and this is how you do me. Fuck ya!”
“Now Jill,” I said, bending her arm behind her back to escort her out. As I was about to kick open the door, a black dress shoe that shone like the moon caught my attention. I followed the shoe up and came face to face with a set of beautiful, wide eyes and a sly grin.
A gorgeous man stood before me, but I kept moving with my mission. I was on a strict no-man policy. Let me not forget.
“Watch out or get hit in the process.” I hip checked the door open and walked Jill out into the night air. “Jill, don’t bring your drunk ass back until you understand that Steelo is off limits. Take that shit to The Watering Hole.”
I stepped back inside, wiped my hands, and the man was still standing there, one brow up, amused.
“Damn, who’s Steelo?”
“The jukebox,” I said, pointing behind me.
He glanced at the jukebox before looking back at me. The small nod he gave told me enough. He was going to like the place.
I stepped back and squinted. “Hm. Fresh fish on the line, ladies,” I yelled out.
The bar hooted and hollered as he brushed his waves down, trying and failing to hide his grin.
“Welcome to The Bloom!”
Saturday nights had a whole personality and I had learned in three years to move with it instead of against it. There would be more people kicked out. Mostly regulars. It was like the theme of the bar. And I loved it that way.
By nine o’clock, the barstools were full, the booths in the back were loud, and the music was the perfect mix of Southern Soul, Country, and R they landed and stayed put. Nails clean. Dimple on the right side.
I shook my head and finished making his drink.
I had a policy. I built that policy out of the rubble of six years and a lamp upside a man’s head. It had kept me safe for three years, and I was not about to let a dimple and steady eye contact dismantle it overnight.
I set the drink in front of him and walked away because that was the job. Tend the bar. Mind my business. Keep moving.
The problem was, my body had already betrayed me.
Ever since he grabbed my wrist, a door I had locked from the inside had started coming open.
Warmth kept spreading through me at the worst possible moments.
My thoughts lingered too long. My attention drifted back to him without permission.
That deep, raspy, southern drawl was going to have me doing exactly as Roya suggested.
My body hadn’t reacted to a man in years. Not a flutter. Not a pulse. Then Jaheim Harrison walked into my bar with that calm ass confidence and those watchful eyes, and suddenly my good sense was fighting for its life.
I hoped that didn’t mean anything.