“You look like you could use a drink,” Logan says without looking back at me. He’s mixing a rum and coke in front of him and before I know it, he pours it into a plastic cup and hands it to me. “Here, take this to the cooler and relax for a minute.”
I reach for it. “The cooler?”
“Yeah, it’s sort of our thing here. We can have a drink or two after a certain time, but we usually take it to the cooler to catch a break.”
“Why?”
“Why not? Just go.”
I stare at him hesitantly for a minute.
“Just do it.”
Glancing between him and the drink, I finally give in. It’s been a long night and one drink isn’t going to hurt anyone.
I push the door to the cooler open and step inside only to freeze when I see Kelsey standing inside with her back to me. She turns when she hears the door, setting down the cup in her hand. Her eyes dart to the matching clear cup in mine.
“Starting this habit early, are you?”
“Looks to be the thing,” I say. “What are you drinking?”
“Reds,” she says, picking up her cup and finishing it. She steps for the door, but I stop her.
“You don’t have to leave just because I’m here.”
“I’m not. But it might look weird if someone realizes we’re both in the cooler for longer than five minutes.”
“It hasn’t even been one minute; give me a couple more.”
She rubs her arms and nods.
“Sorry I ran out on you the other morning. Something came up, but it was a dick move.”
“Yeah, a little bit. Especially since you left me with the dishes.” A hint of a smile touches her lips.
I laugh. “I did do that, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, didn’t you ever hear the rule you cook, you clean?”
“I may have heard of that. I promise next time I’ll clean up my mess.”
Our eyes lock and her face lights up. Her lips press together as she holds back a smile, but she still nods. “Okay.”
I step toward her, because there’s no way I’m going to pass on this chance with her. My hand grazes her arms and goose bumps fill the surface, a mixture from my touch and the temperature inside the cooler. I know it’s cold in here, but all I can focus on is how Kelsey’s body feels against mine and the way her eyes shine as she looks up at me. I have been dreaming about this since the moment I came back. I lean forward and she closes her eyes. The cooler hums mute the sound of my heartbeat. Her hand rests against my cheek, and I can feel the closeness of our lips, almost touching but not quite yet, and that’s when my cousin decides she wants to join us.
“I don’t know where they are, but I’ll bring you a case,” she says, holding the door open with her back to us. I grab my cup, placing it inside Kelsey’s empty one, and step back from her. She smiles and heads for the door.
“Oh there you are,” Sara says, glancing between us. “What are you guys doing in the cooler? Are you crazy? It’s cold in here.”
As if she were trying to make a point, she shivers. “Ethan, grab a case of Bud bottles while you in here,” she adds quickly before exiting. Kelsey follows right behind her.
With a grin, I grab the brown box. Sara just caught two people in the freezer and acted like it was no big deal we were hanging out in here. Either they all sneak off for drinks a lot or she is a total space case.
Warm air hits me and Sara is waiting for me on the other side, leaning with her back against the bar and her arms crossed.
“Week one, Ethan,” she says, shaking her head. “Seven days and you’re already sneaking into the cooler to do what? Play kiss face with my best friend. This is a real business, Ethan. I would think that after attending those business courses and getting a degree you would have figured that out by now. Behavior like that doesn’t work for me.”
“Hey, I didn’t plan for that to happen. She was already in there. I had no idea.”
“And what? You thought you two would just warm each other up?”
“Sara, it wasn’t like that,” I say with a defensive tone.
She releases a long sigh before hanging her head in front of her.
“Look, I kind of had a feeling things with you and Kelsey would, well…I don’t know. I just had a feeling and it turns out I was right.” She looks down and fidgets with her hands. “Kelsey is my best friend and you’re my cousin. Promise me you will get to know Kelsey better before you jump into anything. I don’t want either of you getting hurt.”
Get to know Kelsey better. I will do everything I could to make this happen. And I am not going to waste any time doing it. I want her. I want every part of her.
There’s just one problem. I still haven’t figured out how am I going to make a relationship with her and get my father off my back?
“Absolutely,” I say when she gives me hug. Sara heads in Logan’s direction, passing Kelsey as she does so. My view lingers a bit as I watch her rinse some glasses in the sink.
If I do what my father wants and Kelsey finds out, I’ll never stand a chance with her. If I continue this with Kelsey, I’ll never get the kind of relationship with my father that I want. One has to mean more to me than the other, and it scares me that losing an opportunity with Kelsey weighs on me just as much as strengthening what I have with my father.
Chapter Twelve
Ethan
Come on, come on. Stop talking already.
I watch in complete creeper fashion until the moment Mrs. Mulligan closes her front door. Then, I quickly head for Kelsey’s. If mornings together are all we have right now, then I am going to make damn sure I am at her house to make breakfast for her every day. I laid awake thinking about my situation a lot last night and I came to a conclusion. I won’t let anything happen to Sara’s bar, and my father isn’t going to hear a word of it because I’m not going to let him find out. I’m going to lie to him. Sara will keep the bar, I’ll end up with Kelsey, and my father will be off my back. It’s the perfect plan.
Kelsey spots me from the doorstep. That’s one smile I could get used to seeing every day. I take the porch steps two at a time.
“Hey you.”
“Hey yourself.” She quickly looks away as redness fills her cheeks. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and then gestures for me to come inside. Damn, she’s beautiful.
“I was thinking, if you have time today, I could cash in that rain check and we could hang out.”
Hang out, really? Was that my best line?
“Look Ethan, last night in the cooler was…well, I don’t know exactly. But you didn’t even try to talk to me the rest of the night—I actually think you were avoiding me, and I’m not the kind of girl who likes to play games. Either you like someone or you don’t. If you like them, you act like a normal human being around them. If you don’t like them, don’t lead them on.”
She crosses her arms, which pushes up her chest. The other day she had a wicked cute “I just woke up” look. Today, she’s completely ready in a pair of blue jean shorts, a pink tank top, and a plaid shirt. Her hair is curled and pulled to side and her soft brown eyes are the best part about her. When I look into them, that’s when I realize I’ve been caught staring. I do nothing to hide my pleased reaction.
Her hip pops to the side and she rests her hand on it.
“Really, Ethan? I just gave you the ‘no games’ speech and you chose that moment to check me out.” Kelsey rolls her eyes and starts to open the door. I grab her wrist and turn her to face me.
“No games. Not this time. I’m sorry. Give me one more chance and I won’t screw it up. Not this time. I promise.”
Taking in a deep breath, Kelsey’s gaze roams down and then back up my body. I’d be lying if I said those eyes didn’t make every inch of me crave her. When she pulls her bottom lip into her mouth and bites on it, it takes every ounce of self-control not to kiss her.