Page 58 of Crash and Burn
"Can I assume you guys were going to try and pretend nothing had changed?" Mason waved his hand in the air, gesturing between the two of us emphatically.
Grant didn't seem likely to answer, so I did.
"We wanted to prove to you we could still act normal while working together, even though we're in a relationship now," I told him.
A worried line appeared between Mason's brows.
"It's true that relationships between coworkers don't always work out," he said.
This time, Grant hurried to speak up.
"Liz and I have talked about that," he said. "We've both agreed our friendship comes first. We're mature enough that if things don't work out we can continue being friends and keep working together."
Mason looked at me for confirmation. I nodded.
"Believe me," I said. "As much as I have feelings for Grant I don't want to screw up our working relationship. This thing we've got going with the bar is important to me and I don't want to mess that up. We're both adults. We'll make sure nothing affects our work."
"I don't know if it's as easy as all that," Mason said. "But I know how much you guys have been panting after each other. I'm just glad you're finally giving this thing between you a chance. It was exasperating, watching you two dance around each other like you didn't want to rip each other's clothes off at any minute."
My face turned hot and the tips of Grant's ears went pink. I had wondered if others had been able to guess what was going on between us. I guess we really had been that obvious.
It didn't matter anymore, though. Grant and I were together. I didn't have to hide my feelings for him anymore. It was freeing, making my heart feel light and airy.
"I'm going to go to the kitchen and get some cleaning supplies," I told the two of them. "Better clean up before the customers start coming in."
I turned to Grant, wanting to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but I settled for a pat on the shoulder. It was chaste enough that anyone who didn't know us would have thought it was simply a friendly gesture between coworkers.
The evening went by quickly, and Grant and I were busy with taking orders and making drinks. Mason helped me out on the floor and Evan came in halfway through the night when things got busier to help keep Grant from being swamped.
The pace was busy enough Grant and I only had a few spare moments to trade secretive looks and subtly brush each other's hands. Some of the women sitting at the bar flirted shamelessly with him — and a couple men, too, at that — but he reserved his genuine smiles for me.
Grant paused in mid-conversation with one of the customers as our eyes caught one another's. His lips tilted upward and he nodded his head to the side as if to say,I can't wait to get out of here.
I shared the sentiment wholeheartedly.
The night felt like it dragged on forever, but finally the bar closed and Grant and I were able to take off to my place.
“If I thought it was torture before, this might be even worse,” I said as we kicked off our shoes and entered the apartment. “Wanting you and not being able to have you really sucked when I didn’t think you felt the same way. Wanting you and not being able to have you when youdowant me the same way is a special kind of hell.”
Grant wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on the top of my head.
“Doesn’t the anticipation make it that much sweeter?” he asked.
“No, the anticipation makes me that much hornier,” I said. “I want sex.”
He laughed at my blunt demand.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer for the sex.” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “I need to do a couple things first.”
“Quick things, I hope.”
“I need to transfer some money from my account to my mom’s,” he explained. “I made a lot of tips this month and rent’s due soon.”
That was one of the reasons why I didn’t get jealous when women at the bar flirted with Grant. I didn’t mind him giving them a smile or a wink. The bar patrons tipped higher when the bartender indulged them.
And I knew Grant needed those extra tips, just as much as I did. Even more so. I only had to pay for my own expenses, but Grant had to help out his mom and his sister, too.
“How’s Sammy doing?” I asked.
