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But the way that Lance is looking at me now has my heart racing faster. And it isn’t even because he’s a movie star and I am in a place where millions of other girls would love to be. I don’t see him that way at all. He’s just the Lance on the other side of the bar who keeps trying to let me know that he likes me.
“I’m going, Molly,” Bob finally slurs, as he staggers up from his seat, reminding me that there is a time when this bar needs to close. He usually leaves towards the end of the night which drags my eyes to the clock. “See you tomorrow when…” He pauses to hiccup. “When you’re open. Have fun with Luke.”
All we can do is ignore his comments and laugh together. Especially when he gets both of our names wrong. I mean, he sees me every single day, he might as well live here, so he should know me. But he doesn’t, and it tickles Lance that his name is incorrect when everyone knows who he is.
“Well, that was something else, wasn’t it?” Lance sucks back the rest of his beer. “Bob is hilarious.”
“Hilarious when he isn’t ranting, sure.” I roll my eyes. “But he isn’t the worst drunk I’ve had in here.”
I start cleaning up, waiting for Lance to say his goodbye, but he doesn’t. Instead, he grabs the chairs and places them on top of the table for me as if he’s my assistant rather than a movie star. I give him a curious look but decide not to say anything about it. I don’t know what is going on with him but this story with Ashley has given him a kick up the ass. I don’t know where tonight is going to lead but I don’t want to halt it. I kinda need to see what’s happening, where he’s going to take me, even if it’s slightly terrifying.
“So, anything else that needs doing?” he asks me with a smile. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Are you trying to live out your bar tender dream?” I press my hands on my hips and stare at him curiously.
“Something like that.” When he sees that I’m not buying it, he decides to be more honest with me. “Actually, I was hoping that you would let me walk you home? If you don’t mind…”
“You want to check that I take the flowers home?” I feel like I have to make a joke, so I don’t get all uncomfortable. “Because I wasn’t planning on leaving them in the beer mug.”
I feel a serious intensity coming from Lance along with a silence that speaks volumes. He isn’t taking my joke because he really does want to walk me home. I think that’s the only reason I find myself nodding.
My heart races as I finish up my work under the knowledge that I won’t be walking home today in my usual bubble of silence. It continues to pound as me and Lance leave the bar and I lock it up behind me. I’m not sure what to say as we walk briskly together through the streets, barely even talking to one another.
I know that I need to say something, I really should try and make this less strange, but I’m all raw and muddy inside. I feel all confused and I don’t know what way this is going to end up.
“Well, this is me.” I let out a little laugh because it doesn’t take us long to get to my place. “Now you can see that it only takes me a couple of moments, so if you were worried about my safety…”
“This wasn’t so much about your safety.” He steps a little closer to me and causes any other words to fall out of my mouth before I can even think about saying them. There is an intense desire dancing behind his eyes which I simply melt under. “It was about spending some more time with you, because I don’t know if you know this, Millie, but I like you a lot. I think you are wonderful, and I still want to take you out on a date.”
Before I can respond, his hand has surprised me by hooking around the back of my neck, his lips are edging closer to mine, and that chemistry which has always sizzled between us explodes in an eruption of fireworks like nothing I have ever felt before. I find myself leaning in to him, finally connecting so we are a part of one another, rather than just breathing one another in, forgetting about all the reasons why this shouldn’t be happening. Instead, I lose myself in the magic of this fantasy moment coming to life at long last and I have to admit that kissing Lance in real life is so much better than I ever could have pictured. It’s phenomenal, he’s everything.
