Crazy Stupid Love (Crazy Love #1)(4)
I try to seem completely unaffected by the fact that he’s clearly been watching me, at least enough to know what I’ve been drinking. Honestly, just the thought causes my stomach to twist in knots and sends my heart galloping inside of my chest.
“Good guess,” I observe, lifting the glass hesitantly to my lips before taking a small drink, just needing a reason not to speak considering how flustered I feel.
“You work here?” I ask, slowly lowering the glass back to the bar, trying to figure out how in the world I would have missed him behind the bar considering I have spent a good deal of my night watching the people that were crowding it.
“No, I just randomly pretend I do so I can talk to beautiful women,” he says, tilting his head back on a light laugh when he sees I take him at his word. “I’m kidding.” He shakes his head, his smile revealing perfectly straight white teeth.
“Oh.” I flush again, embarrassed by how gullible I must seem but even more affected by the fact that he just implied he finds me beautiful.
“Yo, Deck.” The bartender steps up next to the man in front of me, resting his hand on his shoulder as he leans in to say something under his breath.
Immediately his gray eyes dart towards the stage where the D.J. is set up, scouring the crowd before apparently finding what he’s looking for.
“You’ll have to excuse me...” He turns his attention back to me the moment the bartender walks away.
“Kimber,” I answer, realizing he’s waiting for my name.
“Kimber,” he says the name slowly, smiling with the way it flows from his lips. “It was nice talking to you, Kimber.”
“You, too,” I say, not getting a chance to say anymore before he’s heading out from behind the bar, immediately disappearing into the crowd.
I turn my eyes to the left just in time to see Harlee skipping towards me, spinning mid-hop managing to bump into a few annoyed people in the process before finally reaching me.
“Best night ever!” she exclaims, dropping her arm over my shoulder. “Angel, girl let’s get this show on the road,” she screams behind her, moments before Angel appears.
My stomach immediately drops when I realize they are ready to leave. I was all but begging my way out of here twenty minutes ago, and now the last thing I want to do is leave. I didn’t even get a chance to ask him his name, other than hearing the bartender refer to him as Deck.
The weird thing is I can’t figure out why I even care. It’s not like I plan on ever coming back here again. Though the idea of doing just that definitely crosses my mind as I follow Angel and Harlee out of the bar, unable to resist glancing behind me one last time in hopes of catching just one more glimpse of the man who quite literally rendered me speechless.
Chapter Two
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Decklan
“Seriously dude, again with this shit.” I kick Gavin’s leg nudging him awake. “How many times have I asked you to take your shit home?” I hover over him as he fights to pry his eyes open, the brunette passed out across his chest not even budging. “This is our place of business, not a f*cking motel.”
“Drank too much. Couldn’t drive.” He finally manages to get his eyes open enough to peer down at the naked woman on top of him.
“Then you should have put her ass in a cab and crashed upstairs,” I say, referring to the apartment above the bar that has been my home for the past four years.
I moved up there after me and Gavin sunk every dime we had into buying this bar, unable to afford the lease on the building and a place to live at the same time. Of course, back then it was a complete dump. Nothing like the hot spot Gavin and I have managed to turn it into. I could have moved out a long time ago, but honestly, it’s not a bad space, and I like being so close in case anything happens.
“And crash on that lumpy ass couch of yours.” Gavin stretches, sliding the woman from his chest as he pushes into a sitting position.
“And this is any better? You realize how many nasty f*ckers walk on this floor?”
“Yeah, but at least down here I have something to make the sleeping arrangements more accommodating. Man, she’s out,” he says, gesturing to the woman now lying face down on the floor. “Besides, it’s not like you haven’t done it before.”
“Fucked in here, yes. Slept on this nasty ass floor, f*ck no.” I shake my head. “Shay hasn’t even cleaned yet. You’re literally laying in filth.”
“Just the way I like it.” He smirks, nudging the woman next to him. “Hey. Hey.” He repeats, shaking her by the shoulder.
She lets out a small groan but makes no attempt to move.
“Hey.” He continues shaking. “You gotta go...” He pauses. “Fuck, dude, I don’t know her name.” He laughs, scratching the side of his head.
“I don’t give a f*ck what her name is; get her the f*ck out of here,” I demand, stepping past them to slide behind the bar and gather the money from the previous night’s business.
Laying the cash on the counter, I immediately grab a lowball glass and the nearest whiskey bottle, pouring the liquid to the rim before putting the bottle back. Raising the glass to my lips, I take a deep inhale and then pour the contents down my throat. The burn is horrific but just what I need; something to dull me a bit.