he’s completely drawn to. He lets her relax into his side.
Kirsten starts saying something to Tristan, but I’m not paying attention. I feel Tabby’s thigh right next to mine and all I can think about is her. Being next to her. The heat from her body touches me and I want to wrap myself around her. I reach my hand under the table, and when I graze the hand at her side, she flinches and her breath hitches. She doesn’t move away from me, so that’s a good sign. The whiskey gives me courage and I don’t want to stop. I can’t stop.
My hand grazing her knee feels so familiar and I want more. She tenses a little and I feel the beat of her heart in her knee. Or is that mine? This used to be so natural between us and I want to keep going.
I lean close to her so that my lips are near her ear and whisper, “Let’s go talk someplace.”
She trembles at the sound of my voice, and holy shit, I’m instantly hard. Fuck, inappropriate response.
“Okay,” she says and stands. I scoot out of the booth without looking back at anyone. I place my hand on her lower back and guide her to a secluded booth in the back of the bar. She shivers in response to my touch. I twitch inside my jeans.
We sit across from each other and don’t say a word for a few minutes. She seems relaxed. Drunk, but relaxed. I smile at her.
“Wow, that’s the first smile I’ve seen on your face in a very long time.” She grins.
“Yeah. Well, I wish things would have gone…” What am I trying to say to her? That I wish things were different? Better? I continue, “Well, a little differently the other day. I need to apologize again for scaring you. It’s not what I intended.” What I want now is so much more, all of her.
Her eyes harden a little as she stares at me. “Alex, let’s not talk about it again. I don’t want to re-live it. Okay?” She looks toward the other booth to see Tristan and Kirsten leaving.
She giggles. “Well, that didn’t take long.”
“No, I suppose it didn’t.” Okay, light conversation. I can do this. “You know, Tristan talked about her a lot when we were on the road. I think he’s been looking forward to seeing her again.”
She smiles again. “Sorry, but I’m not spilling any of my private conversations with Kirsten about him.”
“Oh? So there are conversations. I think that bodes well for Tristan.” I wink.
I want to erase the other day, so it’s like it never happened. This little chat may help do that.
“So, do you still work at the diner?” I ask. More small talk.
“Oh. Yes, every once in a while. Maybe a few days a month. I’ve tried to quit, but they won’t let me.” She chuckles and looks down at her hands. My eyes follow hers and I just want to wrap my hands around hers to feel her warmth. When I look up, she catches my stare.
“You’re a good waitress, always very friendly.” Fuck. I shouldn’t have said that. She met Seth in the diner, and I don’t want her to think I’m being a dick. “You know, you are very attentive.” I’m drunk and I should just stop talking.
“Well, the diner is always good for a few bucks. I love the people there, especially Dottie. Also, Kirsten has been really great to me, and I basically run the bookstore. I’m the store manager now.”
She seems very proud of herself. She’s never been proud of herself or anything she’s done. She really has changed and I’m proud of her. I need to tell her.
“I’m so proud of you, Tabs.” I reach across the table and place my hand over hers. She pulls away and fidgets in her seat. I’m upset that I may have overstepped my bounds, but I just want to touch her. I wish she’d let me.
“Thanks. Really.” Her eyes grow glassy.
“So, what were you and Kirsten talking about at the bar? You both looked so intense.” I’m being nosey, but I seriously want to know.
She looks nervous, and I can tell she doesn’t want to talk about it. “Um…” She stops and shakes her head. “Whoa! I’m a
Kirsten starts saying something to Tristan, but I’m not paying attention. I feel Tabby’s thigh right next to mine and all I can think about is her. Being next to her. The heat from her body touches me and I want to wrap myself around her. I reach my hand under the table, and when I graze the hand at her side, she flinches and her breath hitches. She doesn’t move away from me, so that’s a good sign. The whiskey gives me courage and I don’t want to stop. I can’t stop.
My hand grazing her knee feels so familiar and I want more. She tenses a little and I feel the beat of her heart in her knee. Or is that mine? This used to be so natural between us and I want to keep going.
I lean close to her so that my lips are near her ear and whisper, “Let’s go talk someplace.”
She trembles at the sound of my voice, and holy shit, I’m instantly hard. Fuck, inappropriate response.
“Okay,” she says and stands. I scoot out of the booth without looking back at anyone. I place my hand on her lower back and guide her to a secluded booth in the back of the bar. She shivers in response to my touch. I twitch inside my jeans.
We sit across from each other and don’t say a word for a few minutes. She seems relaxed. Drunk, but relaxed. I smile at her.
“Wow, that’s the first smile I’ve seen on your face in a very long time.” She grins.
“Yeah. Well, I wish things would have gone…” What am I trying to say to her? That I wish things were different? Better? I continue, “Well, a little differently the other day. I need to apologize again for scaring you. It’s not what I intended.” What I want now is so much more, all of her.
Her eyes harden a little as she stares at me. “Alex, let’s not talk about it again. I don’t want to re-live it. Okay?” She looks toward the other booth to see Tristan and Kirsten leaving.
She giggles. “Well, that didn’t take long.”
“No, I suppose it didn’t.” Okay, light conversation. I can do this. “You know, Tristan talked about her a lot when we were on the road. I think he’s been looking forward to seeing her again.”
She smiles again. “Sorry, but I’m not spilling any of my private conversations with Kirsten about him.”
“Oh? So there are conversations. I think that bodes well for Tristan.” I wink.
I want to erase the other day, so it’s like it never happened. This little chat may help do that.
“So, do you still work at the diner?” I ask. More small talk.
“Oh. Yes, every once in a while. Maybe a few days a month. I’ve tried to quit, but they won’t let me.” She chuckles and looks down at her hands. My eyes follow hers and I just want to wrap my hands around hers to feel her warmth. When I look up, she catches my stare.
“You’re a good waitress, always very friendly.” Fuck. I shouldn’t have said that. She met Seth in the diner, and I don’t want her to think I’m being a dick. “You know, you are very attentive.” I’m drunk and I should just stop talking.
“Well, the diner is always good for a few bucks. I love the people there, especially Dottie. Also, Kirsten has been really great to me, and I basically run the bookstore. I’m the store manager now.”
She seems very proud of herself. She’s never been proud of herself or anything she’s done. She really has changed and I’m proud of her. I need to tell her.
“I’m so proud of you, Tabs.” I reach across the table and place my hand over hers. She pulls away and fidgets in her seat. I’m upset that I may have overstepped my bounds, but I just want to touch her. I wish she’d let me.
“Thanks. Really.” Her eyes grow glassy.
“So, what were you and Kirsten talking about at the bar? You both looked so intense.” I’m being nosey, but I seriously want to know.
She looks nervous, and I can tell she doesn’t want to talk about it. “Um…” She stops and shakes her head. “Whoa! I’m a
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