Relentless Rhythm (Tempest #4) (27 page)

He eyed me for a long moment. “You know I really wanna give you another ride right now?”

I laughed, feeling carefree for the first time, in…well…years. “You just had me, Rhythm Man,” I reminded him.

“Not enough.” His hand brushed against mine on the center console. I shivered. Just. From. That. “Planning on remedying that real soon, I promise you.”

Coasting on a Panamera high, I entered the Mine through the employee door smiling widely with Dizzy trailing behind me. He hooked his fingers in my belt loops and pulled me backward.

“I’ll see you later.” He kissed a spot below my ear.

My lips curled as delicious warmth flowed through me, but I froze, my smile faltering when I turned the corner and ran smack into my boss. I threw a guilty glance over my shoulder.

“Hey, Tan” Dizzy dipped his head scooting past us as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

When I turned back to Tan, he gave me a look that told me he hadn’t been fooled. “Sorry I’m late,” I mumbled, cheeks flushing as I headed straight to the storage room to grab an apron.

It was Saturday night, and we were crushed, but I didn’t mind. I’d never had more fun at work in my life, despite all the shit hovering over me. Dizzy stuck around, but he didn’t smother me, giving me my space. He played pool for a while. He danced a little, but even out on the floor, his eyes remained on me.

About midway through the night, Bridget and King showed up. The hulking drummer cleared a path for her through the crowd in front of the bar. He glared at the guy I’d just served a rum and coke, “Drink up,
pendejo
. The lady
needs your chair.”

The guy took one look at King and made his drink a shooter. “It’s all hers.” He nodded to King as he vacated his seat.

“Hi.” Bridget climbed up onto the stool and put her elbows up on the bar.

“Hi back.” I smiled at both of them. “That was smooth,” I told King. “I’ve never seen anyone leave a seat on Saturday night so fast. Drumming. Rapping. Acts of chivalry. I didn’t know you had so many talents.”

“You have no idea,
mujer
.”

“What can I get for you two?” I asked while working on an order.

“Oh, nothing.” Bridget shifted in her seat. “I just wanted to stop in and check on you. King was coming over anyway and Justin’s watching Carter for me,” she rambled. It was cute. “I wanted to find out how your dad is doing.”

Whoa.
Another one like Avery who seemed genuine and sincere and whose actions proved it. “Not well,” I confided as I added the last beer to an order. “It’s a waiting game now. A long goodbye that’s about to end. It’s hard to let him go though,” I admitted finding I didn’t mind sharing with this woman whose light blue eyes seemed to say she understood.

“I’m so sorry.” Her face softened more, and she grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I lost my Meemaw recently. It was very hard on Carter and me. It’s still hard.” She tucked a long platinum lock behind her ear, and I could see her throat moving as she swallowed. “Like I said. If there’s anything Justin and I can do. We wanna help.”

King had been silent, but I could tell he’d been listening intently to our conversation. “I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you, too.” For once the handsome drummer’s eyes were absent their usual humor.

“Oh?” I asked, setting up a shot glass and pouring the Maestro Dobel he preferred into it. Bartender’s instinct. I had a feeling he was going to need it.

“Might wanna pour yourself one, too.” A shadow crossed his face. He gave Bridget a side glance. “You too,
mija.
”

“No thanks.” She shook her head, but touched his clenched hand as if to encourage him to continue.

“My older brother Adrian.” He tipped his head back and swallowed the drink. “He got messed up with drugs, involved with the wrong people. He started to deal, in
La Raca Prima
, a pretty rough gang from our old neighborhood. They made a lot of enemies. Adrian died taking a hit meant for his
Jefe
.”

“I’m sorry,” Bridget and I said at the same time.

King’s eyes refocused. He reached for the second shot I’d automatically refilled and threw it back.

“Need another?” I asked him holding up a finger to the woman down the bar who was trying to get my attention.

“No. I’m good.” He bumped a fist over the left side of his chest. “I keep
mi carnal
in here. Everywhere I go, he’s always with me. Adrian was a happy guy. Always smiling. Always making others laugh. ‘Life’s too short to be hung up on shit,’ he always told me, and he was right. I try to remember that most of the time.” King dipped his chin making eye contact and his point with me and Bridget. “You both should too.
Comprende
?”

Because nothing in my life since I’d hooked up with James had gone the way I’d wanted, I decided to take King’s advice to heart and savor every single drop of happiness with Dizzy. I was going to drink deeply from the cup of my good fortune so that I’d have reserves to draw upon later. I knew what we were sharing now was too good to last.

If I’d only known how suddenly it would all spill away.

“You don’t have to do this,” she told me as she ducked into my car.

“Yes I do.” I squeezed her hand because I could now and because I had to. It’d been hours since I touched her and that was just too damn long.

“Alright.” She gave me a grateful smile, settling back into her seat and removing the mask she’d worn at work to hide her stress.

“What’d Bridget and King say to you?”

“She wanted to offer her sympathy. She’s so thoughtful.”

“My sister’s fond of her as well. But what about King?”

She glanced over at me, her expression so serious I guessed though I could barely believe it. “He told me what happened to this brother.”

King rarely mentioned Adrian. I suspected that his death was the reason King had so much anger beneath his devil-may-care exterior. Not once to my knowledge had he ever shared that stuff with anyone outside our tight circle. Seemed my sweet bartender was working her way into more hearts than just mine.

“You sure you remember the way to the hospital?” she asked me through a sleepy yawn.

“Yeah, babe. I think I can manage. Why don’t you close your eyes for a minute? I’ll wake you when we get there. Promise.”

“I like your promises, Dizzy Lowell.”

“I like you, April Reynolds.” I brought her hand to my lips, kissing her knuckles then trailing my nose along her softly scented skin up to her elbow. “Close your eyes. Don’t give me that all come take me look or I’ll have to pull over and be your back seat rhythm man. You get me?”

“I get you.” She gave me a flirty smile that turned comical when she yawned in the middle of it. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the glass. Before I hit the next light, she was out of it. Her lips parted, her breathing soft and steady. She looked so peaceful, the lines of worry washed away in her slumber.

I drove slowly hoping to give her more rest, but after the second time around the hospital, I reluctantly pulled into the drive. I exited the car quietly handing the keys to the valet and opened her door. Her head fell forward and her eyes popped open, her gaze a little dazed.

“Morning Sunshine.” I swept the round of her smooth cheek with my ringed thumb. “Need me to carry you in?” I grinned. “I don’t mind.”

“No. No.” She unlatched her seat belt and scrambled out of the car. She swayed, but I caught her. She held onto my forearms for a moment. “I’m ok,” she insisted releasing me. “You don’t have to come in. I just promised my mom I’d stay with him until she comes back with my brothers in the morning.”

“That’s fine, but I’m coming with you.” I silenced the protest I saw coming with a rough kiss. She struggled at first worried someone would see us I’m sure, but I didn’t care. It didn’t matter anymore. She was mine, and I was going to keep her. She just hadn’t come to that realization yet.

When I ended the kiss her fingers were fisted in my shirt. “Save some for later, babe,” I teased, dropping a quick kiss on the top of her head. “For now, we stick together, no more protests.”

She tucked herself into my side as we walked into the building, and my satisfaction surged even higher when she put her arms around my waist. It still amazed me the way her touch made me feel. She was my sweet remedy, the first dose of the cure to my nightmare past.

As soon as we stepped into George’s room, she went to his side. My chest grew tight as I stood in the doorway and watched her shower affection on a man who no longer felt it. She stroked his hair, kissed his forehead, hugging him tightly against her.

I moved behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders in support of her. She spun around and flung herself at me. “Oh, babe.” I wrapped my arms around her when I saw the deep sorrow etching her face. “I’m so sorry.” She burrowed into me. The way that made me feel was indescribable. I wouldn’t have moved whether we stood like that for five minutes or a lifetime.

Eventually, she stirred, leaning back, wiping at her cheeks, and mumbling an apology for falling apart. She looked more dead on her feet now than she’d looked after her shift. I noticed a convertible chair in the corner that had a pillow, a folded blanket, and a pair of pajamas on it. “You need to get some rest while you can,” I told her. “Go into the bathroom and get outta your clothes and put these on.” I handed her the pj’s and gently nudged her toward the door. “You’ll be more comfortable,” I added when she looked as if she was about to argue.

She nodded, and I patted her on the rear to get her moving. When she came out, I had the fold out bed all set up. Her hair was down. She looked so cute I could hardly resist her.

I crawled in first and held out the covers. She scooted in. I drew her into my side. I’m sure she could feel my hard on pressed against her ass, but that was just something we’d both have to ignore. I’m sure the ICU nurses had seen it all before, but for once in my unprincipled life I decided to let discretion rule.

A shake and a familiar voice hissing my name woke me. I cracked open my eyes to find my mother staring down at me with a shocked expression on her face. I came instantly awake though my body still wanted to snuggle back up with the warm man beside me.