69
1291 Words
ZANDERS
“C
an I buy you a drink?” Leaning over Stevie, I rest an elbow on the bar with a perfect sightline down her cleavage.
I’m not trying to look, but I’m not not trying either.
“It’s an open bar,” she laughs.
Holding up two fingers to the bartender, I point towards Stevie’s almost empty beer, asking for another round.
And as I do, my gaze falls back on the pretty flight attendant at my side. She’s stunning as she always is, but seeing her all glammed up and dressed to the nines, the way I typically am, she’s on a whole other level tonight.
This sky-blue dress plays perfectly off her light brown skin, and it hugs every one of her curves that I’ve become all too obsessed with.
But at the same time, I miss her wild curls and her baggy thrifted clothes because, at the end of the day, that’s who she is.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” I take a swig of my fresh beer.
“Your entire team is here, and I don’t want to get in trouble.” Her voice is hushed, reminding me once again that this thing between us, whatever the hell it is, is forbidden.
Which is why over the last four hours of this gala, I’ve kept my distance, knowing there are far too many news outlets here reporting on our night. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried to steal a passing look or two, but Stevie’s blue-green eyes rarely met mine.
Leaning on both elbows, I bend down close to her, wanting to get even a small touch of her skin but also attempting to make it appear as if I’m just grabbing a drink at the bar.
“So, ‘Vee’, huh?”
“It’s a family nickname.”
“My family nickname is Zee. Vee and Zee. Aren’t we f*****g adorable?”
A small laugh escapes her.
“Do I get to call you ‘Vee’?”
A single, perfectly sculpted brow lifts. “Will that keep you from calling me ‘sweetheart’?”
“Not a chance.”
I earn another laugh.
“You can call me ‘Zee’ if you want.” My voice is quiet and not so confident.
Her eyes dart to mine. “Do you want me to call you ‘Zee’?”
I shrug my shoulders, shyly nodding.
She bites down on her lower lip to hold her smile back, and my eyes trail the movement. And just that little seductive act turns me on like you wouldn’t believe.
Moving closer, my lips ghost her ear. “But I’d rather you scream it.”
Pulling back, I watch as her eyes go wide then fall to my lips before shifting her focus from me once again.
What the hell is going on?
“Are you okay?”
She swallows deeply, nodding her head.
“What’s wrong?”
She turns my way, her entire face softening. “Why didn’t you tell me that half of this organization is because of you? I thought it was Maddison’s this whole time. Everyone thinks that.”
Shrugging, I pull my beer back to my lips. “I tried to tell you a couple of times, but I knew you’d find out eventually.”
“Zee...”
My eyes dart to hers as a small smile takes over my lips. I like hearing that name come out of her mouth.
“Why don’t you let people see the real you?”
“It’s a long story. It’s hard to explain.”
“I want to understand,” she says. “Because right now, I’m confused as hell about who you are.”
“You know who I am.”
“Do I?”
Does she? Sure, she’s seen more than most people, but she doesn’t know everything. She doesn’t know why I put on an act for everyone else. She doesn’t know that I’m afraid.
She’s seen the asshole, player, rude, arrogant side plenty. And I’ve only shown her bits and pieces of the uncle, the caring, the loving, the protective side. It’s no wonder she’s confused.
“Go on a date with me.”
“What?” she asks with a startled laugh. “Zee, I cannot. We cannot go on a date.”
“Why not?”
“Because...because I work for you, and I’ll get fired if anyone saw us together.”
“I’ll make sure it’s a private place.”
“Zee, you don’t date. Stop being ridiculous.” She tries to laugh it off as if it’s a joke.
“Go on a date with me.”
I would add a “please” to the end of that, but I already sound desperate, begging like this. But let’s be honest, I am.
“You said you just wanted to hook up again.” She slightly shakes her head in confusion. “This was just physical, and it was supposed to be only once.”
“I changed my mind.” I turn around, leaning my back against the bar so I can look at her. “Stevie, go on a date with me.”
“I don’t...I can’t.” Her words stumble out of her mouth without conviction, and I’m not sure that she wants to say them or even that she even believes them, for that matter.
So, I change my tactic. Because even though I know there’s a big part of her who doesn’t understand me or thinks that I’m suddenly changing my mind by wanting a date with her, I have a feeling there’s an even bigger reason why she’s saying no.
And he just so happens to be the guy hanging around her brother all night.
“What happened with your ex-boyfriend?”
“Why are you so f*****g observant,” she nervously laughs.
“Eight years of therapy, sweetheart.” I quickly tuck her hair behind her ear to see the earrings that decorate it, but I make my movement quick as to not get caught. “What did he say that your brother doesn’t know?”
Nervous eyes bounce between mine before she releases a shaky exhale. “It’s not even what he said about me. I guess it’s how he made me feel.”
“How did he make you feel?” I keep my tone soft and my eyes locked on her, making sure she knows no one else in this room matters.
“Like I was an option, and not even the first one. Like I would only be his pick if he didn’t have better opportunities waiting for him. I just... I didn’t like feeling like I didn’t matter. I wanted him to choose me.”
I turn around, so we both face the bar again, my shoulder touching hers and our hands grazing, holding our respective beers. Our mutually ring-covered fingers look good next to each other, so I reach one out, skimming hers because that’s all the physical comfort I can offer in this room with too many eyes.
“And your brother, who seems like he’s protective as hell, by the way, he’s still friends with him?”
“Ryan is trying to help him get a job with a sports network here.”
“Here? Chicago?”
Nodding, Stevie continues. “Ryan doesn’t know the details. I haven’t told him. He and Brett played basketball together in college, and they were equally loved on a campus that worshipped the team. Everyone wanted a piece of them, but I just wanted to be chosen by the guy I was in love with, you know?”
I stay silent, coaxing her to continue.
- Writer
