Free The Refrain (The Bridge Series) by Ashley Pullo Page A

friend Adam. We have a friendly bet in the works about the origin of the bar’s name!” Chloe winks at me while Dennis shakes my hand.
    Dennis leans against the bar and rubs his chin. “Let’s see, I started as a bartender in 1991 and back then it was known as B&T – bridge and tunnel. But people started getting all sensitive in the ’90s and took offense to the derogatory meaning of B&T. So the owners at the time decided to do a very elaborate revamp of the bar, including a new name . . . The Bridge won in a coin toss.” He smiles proudly. “So who won the bet?”
    “I did,” I say. Chloe lowers her head to hide her adorable smile.
    “Good for you – be sure to collect on your prize,” Dennis says.
    “I will.”
    “Chloe, you can leave as soon as Devon gets here. It’s a slow night and I know it’s not your normal shift. Oh and hey, stop by tomorrow and we can do a sound check.”
    “Dennis, the stage looks fantastic and having weekly music is going to be a big draw. What about a flyer? I can have Nat make a ton of copies,” Chloe suggests.
    “I’ll leave that up to you! Nice meeting you, Adam.”
    Dennis walks toward a dark hallway, stopping to chat with a couple at the end of the bar. Every guy at some point in their life wants to own a bar and drink with their buddies, and I might be slightly jealous of Dennis’s gig.
    “I’ll be right back, lo-ver.” Chloe takes two glasses of white wine to a table of young women. They stare quizzically as Chloe nods in my direction. The women smile simultaneously and the one with the black hair and really tight sweater gives me a finger wave. Fuck, what did Chloe tell them?
    Chloe saunters back over to me and puts her arm around my shoulders. “Tracey and Kristen say thank you and would love to have you join them.” She laughs.
    “Is that funny to you – do you honestly think you can ever make me uncomfortable?” I run my hand over her round ass as she leans into me and strokes the back of my neck.
    “Follow me,” she whispers into my ear. I watch Chloe walk toward the dark hallway, her long hair swinging against her back.
    I leave some cash on the bar and follow behind her. She’s walking straight toward the unisex bathroom, fuck yeah . . . but then makes a sharp left to a concealed doorway. I catch up to her and place my hand on her back.
    “Where’re we going?” I ask.
    “I need to grab a case of tonic water and I thought you could help,” she says quietly.
    Chloe slides open the large black door, revealing a narrow staircase. I close the door behind us as she flips on string after string of white Christmas lights, giving the shoddy basement an ethereal glow.
    “Hit the lock, will ya,” she says, descending the stairs. I slide the steel bar across the door and watch her float down the old staircase.
    She stops at the base and turns to look at me, her alluring eyes seducing me. “Are you coming?”
    I descend each step slowly, knowing exactly where this is going and wanting to enjoy every single second. I reach the base of the stairs and put my hands in my pockets. She smiles as I walk toward her, stopping within in an inch of her body. “Where’s the water?” I ask, knowing there’s no water.
    Chloe wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. She sucks obsessively on my bottom lip – the spot I surrendered to her all those weeks ago. I slide my tongue deeper into her mouth, causing her to gasp and release her unnecessary grip on my neck. Her hands move to my belt, hastily unfastening the buckle. I bite her lip – she unzips my pants. She slides her fingers into my boxers, gently stroking my cock.
    “I don’t have a condom,” I say.
    “I’m going to Toronto for a few days,” she answers.
    God, she confuses me. I move us toward a stack of empty wine crates, knocking a few over in the process. Chloe pulls my pants down and drops to her knees. I run my hands through her hair, guiding her mouth to my dick.
    “Give me your