Since we were so busy, I couldn’t take my break at the same time Stellan had his first one, so he sat on one of the stools and sipped water from the bottle I’d placed in front of him. I tried to make my way over to him numerous times in his half-hour, but the crowd that gathered at the bar grabbed their drinks then clustered around Stellan in hopes of snagging a few moments of his attention.
An odd sense of pride swelled in my chest as I watched him interact with his fans, and periodically, his eyes would stray from whomever he was chatting with that moment to seek out mine. We’d share a small, private smile before returning back to our tasks at hand, only to repeat the action a few minutes later.
During their break, I also noticed Stellan made sure to direct fans toward his other band members to ensure they got equal recognition. Mina and I pulled beers, mixed drinks, and popped numerous tabs, and by the time I could take a breather, the band was back onstage. On my days off, a part-time employee named James filled in, but the fact Mina trusted me to be her right hand during our busiest nights proved she had unwavering faith in me, and I appreciated that. Not to mention, the tips I’d been depositing in my bank account had my tiny quail-sized nest egg growing so it looked more like a chicken’s. A few more months, and hopefully I’d be able to put a deposit on a nicer apartment.
The band had been back onstage for a while, and I’d found myself humming along as I served the customers who’d trickled up to the bar. Most of them were seated as they sipped their beverages, ate some food, and listened to the band. Or chatted with their friends and companions. I’d just handed a martini to a customer when the lights in the room dimmed even lower, and then I heard the opening chords of a very familiar song coming from Stellan’s saxophone. A spotlight came on at the same time Baylor backed him up with some soft drums, and everyone else stopped to watch Stellan work his magic.
I was frozen to the spot as he played the most beautiful rendition of Latch by Sam Smith that I’d ever heard—and he was playing it for me. I could hear the words in my head in time to the music, and I wondered if he was trying to convey them to me the only way he knew how—through his instrument.
My jaw hung open, my eyes wide, as a lump formed in my throat. And as his body moved in time with the music, with his eyes closed and hair hanging loosely around his shoulders, I had to refrain from leaping across the bar and tackling him right there on the stage.
Emotions consumed me as I watched him play, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the man on the stage to see if anyone else was as affected as me. As he played that last note, his back bowed while he held the sax in the air, causing his hair cascade down his back, I knew... I was in big trouble.
The feelings I had for Stellan Abernathy were too much, too soon, and nothing I had ever experienced before. I was on a speeding locomotive with a one-way ticket to heartbreak. And even though I knew I needed to get off the ride, I was enjoying it way too much to put the brakes on. I just had to hold on tight and hope it didn’t hurt too much when the inevitable crash happened.
But before I could think too much about my runaway feelings, the house lights came on signaling the band’s second break. Before Stellan could even put his sax down, I turned and looked at Mina.
“I’m taking my break.” My voice was husky, and her eyebrows shot up at my tone.
“Please do. The sexual tension radiating off you two is crazy, and I’m close to spraying you with the soda water to cool you off.”
I couldn’t even chuckle at her response because the cause of that tension was approaching. His heated gaze was trained on me, and his clenched jaw told me he was also fighting for control since we were in a crowded bar.
More people were trying to vie for his attention, but that time he ignored them. He was a man on a mission, and I shivered because I was his target. When he walked to the end of the bar, I lifted the passthrough, then grabbed his hand in mine. It seemed like an eternity rather than a matter of seconds before we were alone in the break room. But as soon as the door shut behind me, Stellan pressed me against it and devoured my mouth.
The kiss was intense and hungry as our mouths mated, tongues danced, and hands wandered. Slipping his hands under my shirt, Stellan brushed his callused fingers over my smooth skin. My stomach quivered at his touch as I groaned into his mouth, and I dug my fingers into his ass to pull his hips tightly against mine. I knew I needed to slow down, since I was in the break room at work, but lust won out in the battle against logic. In that moment it didn’t matter that I didn’t have a spare change of clothes and limited time. I just wanted him.
“Wait,” Stellan rasped as he wrenched his mouth from mine. “We need to stop.”
“Why?” I knew I sounded whiney, but it couldn’t be helped. My cock ached for him.
Stellan laughed softly and cupped my cheek. “Because we’re at work.”
Fuck, he used my unspoken logic against me. I blew out a breath and released his ass to run a hand through my hair. “You’re right. That song…” I trailed off.
“Did you like it?”
I shook my head, and when I saw the instant hurt in his eyes, I rushed to explain myself. “I loved it. How did you know that’s one of my favorite songs?”
The disappointment in his gaze was replaced by something I couldn’t describe. “I didn’t. It was the one that came to me, and the words…”
“Are absolutely perfect,” I finished for him when he didn’t.
I wanted to ask if he meant them, but I didn’t want to risk ruining the moment between us. We had limited time in the breakroom, so why waste it by talking about feelings when whatever was going on between us was still brand new? There would be plenty of time for that—later. Much later.
“Even though the kiss earlier showed it, I told the band about us,” Stellan said.
“I wondered about that. Are they okay with it?”
“Why wouldn’t they be?”
I shrugged, the movement causing my chest to rub against his. “I wasn’t sure if there’d be some sort of conflict of interest or something.”
Stellan rubbed his thumb over my lips. “No, it’s okay. More than okay, actually. Maverick said I’m playing better than ever. You’re my good luck charm.”
My lips parted at his statement, and he slipped his thumb inside my mouth. Instinctively, I wrapped my lips around the digit and licked against the skin before sinking my teeth into the pad of his thumb. His chest rumbled against me as he groaned.
“You’re so fucking tempting, Foster, and it amazes me how you have no idea.”
I pulled off from Stellan’s finger and looked at him with hooded eyes. “Then show me.”
With another moan, Stellan’s tongue was back in my mouth as we shared another fiery kiss. We ended it quickly to collect ourselves, and after retreating to the bathroom to smooth our hair and make sure our clothes weren’t a mess, we returned to the bar.
“Hey,” I said, stopping him with a touch to his arm.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For playing that for me.”
“Of course. And that song?”
“Yeah?”
“I meant it.”
And once again, I was shocked speechless by my knight in tattooed armor.