Page 34 of Icy Pour

“My anger got the best of me…again. I couldn’t help it. I’m so sorry I punched him.”

“I’m not. Bastard deserved it.”

“You…you heard what he said?”

I wince. “He wasn’t being subtle about it. I’m sorry I didn’t come over sooner; I didn’t want to egg him on.”

“Bob is a piece of work. And he’s not welcome in our bar anymore.”

My heart flips in my stomach. “Our bar, huh?”

He shrugs, his lips twisting into a crooked smile. “Unless you plan on going somewhere after what happened tonight?”

“Now why the hell would I do that? Here I got my very own flannel Prince Charming defending my honor. Not to mention…you are the one who keeps running.” I palm his cheek, melting as he leans into it. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but there’s nowhere you can run or hide that I won’t find you. In case you missed the memo, Walter, you’re mine.”

His eyes go wide, his brows nearly at his hairline. “I’m…I’m yours?”

“Yeah.”

“But what…what if⁠—”

“No,” I say, my voice firm. “There are no buts. No what ifs. You’re mine, and I’m yours. I’ve always been someone who’s been sure of what I want. I knew I wanted you the minute I walked into the bar. The moment you over-served Bethany’s drink. The instant you slammed that terribly poured beer on the bar in front of me, I knew you were mine. But the moment when you angry kissed me after you fired me? That’s the moment I knew I wanted you forever. The moment I knew without a doubt in my mind I was in love with you.”

A single tear runs down his face, mirroring the snowflakes melting down the windshield. “What if I told you⁠—”

“Walt, you don’t have to say it back. I just wanted to⁠—”

“No,” he interrupts me this time, his voice soft and deep, hitting so low in my belly I nearly melt like a damn snowflake myself. “I…I’m trying to be better about saying what I feel. And if I’m being honest, I knew it from the damn minute you walked through that door and rang that damn bell that I didn’t want anyone else. I love you, Johnny.”

I cradle the back of his neck, crashing my lips against his. He grips my shoulders, scooting closer as we open to each other, our tongues not colliding, but doing a dance we’ve become quite familiar with. Like the steps have always been there waiting to guide us across the dance floor if we ever gave our feelings a chance to lead. He leans in further, and I pin him down on the seat, getting ready to straddle his hips when⁠—

BEEP!

We both pull back and laugh our assess off at my damn elbow accidentally honking the horn.

“I guess that was probably for the best.” The last of his laughter softens into a smile. “Something tells me we would have gotten arrested for indecent exposure and lewd behavior had the police walked up.”

“You’re probably right. I wasn’t planning on stopping until I showed you just how much I loved you.” I clutch my stomach after laughing so hard. “Speaking of the police…you worried Bob’s gonna do anything?”

Walt’s jaw clenches before he shakes his head. “Bob? Hell no. That man has more unpaid parking tickets than Wisconsin has dairy cows. If he goes down to file a report, all he’ll face is a hefty fine.”

I snort. “Fucking Bob.”

“Exactly,” he says as his forehead wrinkles. “Hey, I hate to ask you this since I ran out, but…did you happen to close up the bar?”

“Rich and Sandy hung around to make sure everyone paid their tabs and locked up. I’m supposed to call them here in a few to check in to see if you came back.”

“Your friends are good people.” He smiles. “Good people we should head back and say thanks to so they can get home before the snow picks up.”

“Yep. I’ll meet you there. Let’s get out of here and make sure your bar’s still standing.”

“Our bar, Johnny. If you want it to be?”

I choke back the tears that’ve been ready to fall all night. “Yeah, boss. I’d like that.”

I open the door, step out into the snow, watching him scoot back into the driver’s seat as I hesitate closing it.

“Hey, you know the great thing about interrupted kisses?”