Page 54 of Love Potion

My stomach flutters. “If you want to, I’m all over that.”

“I want to.”

The door opens and Kit enters. “Hey, guys.”

“Hey,” we both answer.

“Anything new?”

“We’re hiring,” Jerryn says. “Lowen has more details.”

“Sweet.” He studies us for a second. “Is that all?”

“For now.” Jerryn winks at me.

Getting through our shift is going to be a test of my patience, but for now, I have to push back my excitement and focus on the job. Jerryn wants to kiss me again, and I can hardly wait.

SEVENTEEN

JERRYN

It’s nearly closingtime when it finally slows down enough for me to think about things with Bane. He wants to date me. A smile tugs at my lips. I’m more than a little surprised. All this time, I thought the worst thing I could do was indulge any feelings toward my best friend. To hear him tell me he’s interested, even knowing what he does about me, is truly startling.

There was a time when all I wanted was to be an option for him. How long ago was that? Ten years? Maybe more. It was the night I came home after what was supposed to be a weekend at my boyfriend Paul’s apartment, but I only made it to Saturday afternoon before the subject of our sex life came up. It turned into an argument that ended with Paul saying hurtful things and me riding the Link home with tears in my eyes.

I fill two water glasses with ice as the memory replays in my head. Bane was at home playing a video game when I walked in. Since he wasn’t expecting me, he was butt naked on the couch, but he was so concerned over why I was home early, he didn’t pause the game or even bother to cover up as he hurried over to me.

We talked until I fell asleep in his arms. He kept telling me I was a catch for the right guy, and in my heart, I wanted him to be the right guy so badly that it took a whole year before I went out on a date again.

But Bane was a different guy back then. He was using apps and hooking up pretty frequently. I convinced myself that no matter how I felt about him, I was never gonna be the guy who could make him happy. Not completely. So I blocked it out, kept him safely in the friend box, and focused on trying to find a suitable partner. Funny that it led me right back to Bane.

His hands land on my shoulders, squeezing gently. “Hey.”

I turn my head slightly. “Hey. Let me drop off these waters.”

He nods, releasing me while I take the glasses over to my last table. They’ve already paid and are waiting for a car to drive them back to their apartment. The bar is in shutdown mode as tables get wiped down and tickets are closed out. Soon we’ll stack the chairs on tables and mop the floor. Ridley is already closing down the patio since no one’s out there. Five customers linger, but Salem is great at shooing them towards the door in a friendly way.

I return to the bar area, where Bane is helping Jax by washing some glasses. He glances up, winking and smiling at me, and my stomach flutters. In less than an hour, we’ll be alone in his room. He’s gonna kiss me again.

And then… what? I don’t know. I know what I’m hoping for, but I don’t know if I’ll actually be able to execute. Maybe tonight will be one of those times when my body reacts to the action.

I lean on the bar, smiling at Bane. I’ve never told him about the brief moments when I do feel the things I hear about so much. My dick gets hard, my body heats, and for those few wonderful minutes, I feel like a regular person. I told a doctor years ago and he offered me meds. That was not what I wanted.I wanted to know why I didn’tfeelit, not how to keep my dick hard.

“Ready to get out of here?” Bane asks.

“Yep.”

“Cool.”

We walk to the back together to grab our jackets and double check that everything is done. We stayed longer than planned tonight because an unexpected large group came in for dinner. Normally, we stagger the times when everyone leaves, but the guys won’t be far behind us.

After a quick round of goodbyes, Bane and I walk out the front door and head towards home. My nerves kick up the closer we get, but I have to remember this is Bane. He’s my best friend above all else.

“I want to tell you something.”

Bane nods. “I’m all ears.”

“You said you wanted me to see you as an option.” I slide my hands into the pockets of my jacket. “It’s not that I don’t—or haven’t, I should say. It’s because I didn’t think there was any way you would…” I stop myself as the words feel like they’re tumbling from my mouth.

---