See Her (Turn it Up #1)

Chapter 10

10

MAYZIE

I wake up gently and roll onto my back, stretching my stiff muscles.Ugghh, I’m in my clothes and I’m… on top of my covers.I sit up, finding my throw blanket is over me, and it takes a groggy minute or two to figure out what led to me falling asleep like this.My brain jumps to last night, and the last thing I remember is sitting on my couch, watching a movie with Jack.I was tired and felt a little sleepy from the beer, and sure enough, I don’t remember anything after that. Not the movie finishing, or him leaving.And I sure as hell don’t remember coming to bed on my own.

Warmth floods through me when I realize he must have brought me in here.I go back and forth from feeling crestfallen that we still haven’t kissed to pleasantly thrilled at the idea his arms were around me. Too bad I slept through that part.The fact he’s not here doesn’t have me too worried though. I fell asleep and he went home, obviously after carrying me to my room and laying me down on my bed like a gallant knight, no less.

After discarding the clothing I slept in and trading it for some comfy yoga clothes, I shuffle into my kitchen. I need coffee, stat.

As the pot starts brewing, I head over to my computer to do my morning ritual of checking my emails and seeing if there are any available jobs I can snatch up and work on this week. Opening the lid of my laptop, I grab a pen and reach for my notepad, faltering when I see the note scrawled on the top sheet.

Thanks for having me over. I had a nice time with you, as always. I hope it’s okay that I put you on your bed. I just wanted you to be comfortable.

Call me later,

Jack

P.S. You have the sexiest snore ever

What?! Oh, no. Why did he have to hear me snore? And the thing is, I only do that very occasionally when I’m seriously exhausted.Of course he would be around to witness one of those few occasions.Now I’m vacillating between feeling deeply touched and deeply mortified. I look at the clock and see it’s around eight in the morning.I wonder if it’s too early to send him a text.I decide to just go for it, getting up to find my phone.I pick it up and tap out a quick message.

Me: Thanks for putting my sorry ass to bed, and sorry for passing out on you.And I don’t snore! You were imagining things.

I rise to retrieve a mug of the newly brewed coffee and let my mind wander.Jack carried me to bed.I was in his arms, and he saw my room.We may not have kissed, but there is something romantic about what he did.I hang on to that thought and smile as I add a ton of sugar to the life-giving dark liquid. I try so hard to search my memory for any kind of sensation that might have come from Jack wrapping his strong, protective arms around me. I try to at least imagine it, and I’m blissed out just by the thought.

A while later, after I’ve showered, I’m just getting started on work when my phone pings with a text from Jack. I wonder when he woke up.

Jack: Don’t be sorry, we both crashed out. And you most certainly do snore.Don’t worry, I love it.

I stare at the text, smiling for a moment, and I’m just about to set my phone down when I see the three dots dancing below the previous message. I wait a moment, my body tightening with excitement that he has more to say.

Jack: Come see me at work later?

Okay, some kind of weird chemical reaction just racked my body at the idea that he’s asking to see me.

Having afternoon plans with Annie would give me a good excuse to play hard to get, but there’s no way I want to do that.

Me: Sure! I’ve got plans with my friend, but we’ll swing by ??

Jack: Great, I’ll see you then – xo

XO?

“I swear this has to be the equivalent of when women hold off on sex with guys,” I philosophize out loud to Annie as we walk down the busy midtown street. “He’s going to kill me. I’m going to die of lady blue balls.” I drop my arms at my sides, huffing out a sigh as the twit laughs in stride beside me .

“It’s like he keeps getting close, but not close enough for you to get that satisfaction,” she jeers between giggles. “And your little heart is going to explode like a guy’s balls when he’s denied sex for too long!”

I toss her an eye-rolling deadpan as we get closer to The Cedar. “Do you think he’s playing games?” I ask, feeling the insecure, neurotic old me trying to creep in and infest my psyche.

“Ugghh,” she grunts out. “Mayzie, don’t you start!” I see her look pointedly in my peripheral. “He’s probably taking it slow because he cares. Think of all the guys that have rushed things in the past. It’s always crashed and burned right after takeoff – with no survivors,” she points out. She’s making me feel so much better with every word.

When we walk through the big wooden door, I look around, just taking it in for a second.I’ve been here only a couple of times, and it’s been a while.Its format is like an ale house with exposed pipes and beams and high ceilings.The bar lines the right side of the big open room, with a large space full of tables on the other side of it.Straight back against the farthest wall is a stage for when bands play, and I’m imagining what it’s like when Turn it Up is up there, playing for a packed house on a Friday night. Jack hasn’t mentioned any upcoming shows, but the visual has me excited to see his band play sometime soon.

I look over in the direction of the bar and see Jack placing a beer in front of someone.He looks up, giving me a smile and a wave. There’s another guy tending bar with him that is just as tall, but seems to prefer to keep his body in John Cena form. They’re both in black slacks and grey short sleeved button-down shirts, so I assume that’s their uniform. No complaints from me.

“Oh, he is seriously cute, Mayzie,” Annie says from beside me. “No wonder your thong’s in a twist over him.”

I sigh and look at her with hopeless eyes, once again using our nonverbal form of communication that only she and I can understand.“I know, babe, but seriously, just get out of your head. And if it’s bothering you that much, just ask him where he thinks things are going.” I open my mouth to protest my reservations about that, but she cuts me off. “If the conversation makes him wig out then you have your answer, and we can determine that he’s a tool that doesn’t know what he wants, and therefore, he’s not worth your time,” she concludes with conviction. “Just go say ‘hi’. I’ll meet you over there. I gotta go to the ladies’.” She walks off to the back-left corner of the room to the hallway that leads to the restrooms as I draw in a breath and make my way over to the bar.

Jack

I see Mayzie walk in immediately, probably because I was watching the door like a hopeless idiot for the last ten minutes. It’s amazing how the background noise seems to fade in my own head when I see her.She’s with a blonde who I’m guessing is her friend, Annie, who seems to excuse herself and heads in the direction of the restrooms.I try to keep my excitement in check as she makes her way through the tables and over to the bar.

“Hey, you. How was your day?” I come over to stand in front of her as she takes a seat on a stool.

“It was good,” she says cheerfully. “Got some work done, Annie and I did a short dance class, grabbed lunch, and did some shopping.How was yours?”

I notice she’s in black yoga pants and a grey hoodie over a royal blue tank top, and my mind immediately tries to conjure images of her moving her gorgeous body in a dance studio.

“Eh, boring. Slept late, then I only had a few hours before I had to be here so I just messed around with my guitar a bit and picked up the house.” And thought about you .

She looks a little nervous, or like something’s on her mind as she gets comfortable on the stool.

“Everything alright?” I ask her as I draw a beer for a patron a few seats down.

Her eyebrows go up and her grey eyes brighten, as if trying to correct her expression.

“Oh yeah, I’m good,” she assures me with that kryptonite smile, before closing her eyes pulling in a breath. “Actually, I kind of wanted to talk to you about something.”

Oh shit, tell me she’s not checking out.

“Of course,” I tell her tenderly, trying not to give away my trepidation. “Can I get you a drink first?”

She proves once again that she’s my kind of girl by ordering a beer, and I deliver the pint glass in my hand to the waiting customer before drawing one for her.

As I hold the glass under the spout of our best micro lager, I notice Tyler striding by me in Mayzie’s direction.

Oh hell no…

In the couple years we’ve been working together he’s become a good friend, but he’s a total ladies’ man. I’m not too far away that I can’t hear what he’s saying, and sure enough, he goes with his classic opener.

“About time a pretty customer came in.”

Dammit!

I’m trying to get another guy’s beer in front of him and take his payment as fast as I can.

“Can I get you a drink?” Tyler continues.

“Oh, no thanks, I’ve got one coming,” Mayzie answers, being polite. I hand the guy his change and grab her beer.

“Good, glad to hear it,” Tyler says, leaning one arm on the bar as I come up behind and around him. “I’m Tyler,” he says as he holds out his other hand, “and you are?”

“Spoken for,” I say firmly, as I place Mayzie’s beer in front of her and lay my hand on her wrist, all while giving Tyler the look from h ell.He has the good sense to show a hint of embarrassment.

“Oops,” he says, rolling his eyes.

Mayzie smiles coyly and looks from me to him, giving him a wave. “I’m Mayzie. Hi.”

“Nice to meet you. I’ll be over there,” he points to the other end of the bar. “Let me know if this guy gives you a hard time,” he says, walking away.

I shake my head and turn to Mayzie, talking low so Tyler doesn’t overhear. “He’s a good friend, but he can be a total hound sometimes.”

She softly laughs into her drink as she brings it to her lips.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” I ask, leaning in and folding my arms on the bar, showing her I’m ready to settle in for a quality visit while bracing myself for what I don’t want to hear.

“Actually,” she sets her beer down while licking her upper lip, and my dick strains against my slacks. She faintly waves a hand at the space Tyler just vacated. “It’s kind of about that, the spoken for comment?”

“Yeah?” I crinkle my brow.

“Yeah, I was kind of wondering what’s going on. You know, with you and me?”

“Oh,” I nod, thoughtfully. “It’s funny; I kind of wanted to talk to you about it, too.”

Her eyes flicker between mine, her lips slightly parted as she patiently waits for me to continue.

Moving her beer aside, I lean in closer. “I know things have been moving slowly and that’s on me,” I begin, resting my hands on her arms.

“Well, in all fairness, it’s been on me, too.” She lifts a shoulder with a small smile.

“You mean to tell me you would have jumped my bones if I stayed with you last night?” I grin, raising an eyebrow at her.

Her eyes go wide and her mouth drops open before she drops her head back, beautiful laughter coming from between her lips. I only watch and smile, enjoying every second, until the seat next to her is promptly filled by her blonde friend.

“Making my girl laugh,” she observes with a pointed smile. “I like you already. I’m Annie,” she says as she holds her hand out, and I release Mayzie to give it a shake.

“I’m Jack, nice to meet you. Can I get you a drink?” I ask, and Tyler barrels in right beside me once again.

“I got it,” he declares, resting an elbow on the bar and leaning in towards Annie, quirking his signature pick-up smile that he likes to call the panty combustor .

“Tyler, this isn’t your section,” I remind him, giving him a dubious look.

“Which is why this blonde bombshell should come down to mine,” he says, taking Annie’s hand. When she doesn't immediately stand, but instead raises a sharp eyebrow at him, he continues, “So the two of you can keep talking, of course.”

Annie looks to Mayzie and they exchange a look that can only be deciphered among females before sighing and standing to follow Tyler down a few seats to his section.

“Where were we?” I murmur, turning back to Maze.

“You were taking things slow,” she reminds me, her smile flirty.

“Yeah… it’s been killing me, baby,” I tell her. “But for the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve met someone I don’t want to rush getting to know.”

She blinks then, and I swear when her eyes open again, they’re even brighter. “Neither do I.”

“But I don’t want anyone else snatching you out from under me either.” I lean a little closer, trying not to actually picture her underneath me. Hopefully, we’ll get there soon enough.

A shadow passes over her eyes so fleetingly I almost miss it before she responds. “I wouldn’t let anyone do that,” she assures me. “But what about you?”

“I won’t even think about it.” I shake my head at her because I have n’t even looked at another girl since hearing her melodious laugh in the café that day. Mayzie presses her lips together in a smile, like she can’t contain the joy this brings her, and she looks down briefly before letting those pretty eyes flash back up to me.

“That mean you’re going to kiss me soon?”

“Hell yes, I am.” My voice comes out husky and I can’t help it. I’m turned on as fuck.

She looks around the bar, taking in a few of the patrons that have become interested in our close proximity and the bedroom eyes we’re making at each other. “Okay, maybe our first kiss shouldn’t be here,” she laughs nervously.

“Probably a good idea,” I reluctantly agree. “Because once I kiss you, I’m not going to be able to stop.”

I fucking love how those words make her lashes fly open, widening her eyes and brightening that smile.

“But you’re mine now,” I add. “Okay?”

“Okay,” she smiles, a lovely shade of pink blooming on her cheek bones as I lace my fingers through hers and place a kiss to the palm of her hand.