Free The Carver's Magic by B. L. Brooklyn Page A

vision and push my fire back down. I watch as Cory ignores the guy next to her and gives Beth a strange look. Beth shook her head before reading the order Cory has scribbled down.
    The guy probably turned twenty-one recently. He has a stupid, drunk smile, greasy, disheveled light auburn-brown hair, sporting an expensive diving watch and a golfing shirt. The rich and stupid I like to call yuppies. It was obvious that he was tossed.
    Beth told the guy to sober up and Cory was ignoring his advances once more. Forcing myself to detach from Cory and the scene, I walk to two girls with platinum blond hair.
    "Good evening ladies. What can I get for you?" I asked, as I wipe down the condensation from their current drinks that I didn't make.
    The one wearing a red halter-top wanted a Bay Breeze and the other blonde, with a silky olive shirt that shows plenty of cleavage, wanted a Whiskey Sour.
    I began making the drinks, doing a few spins and grins for the girls. As I top off the Whiskey Sour I turn towards the end of the bar and caught Cory watching me with her lips pressed together. She is ignoring Beth who was placing drinks on her black drink tray. I hold her stare for another heart beat before I winked at her. Averting her eyes, I didn’t miss the blush creeping up her face.
    Cory dropped off a few drinks at another table before stopping in front of the poser and sliding two bottles of beer in front of him. He picked up the bottle and took a swig, and spit it out just as fast. Cory didn’t turn around and I didn’t like the conspiracy that was starting to form in my mind.
    I was going to have to keep a better eye on Cory. Not that she did much without me noticing. My eyes just found her easily. All night-long I kept a weathered eye on her. I noticed the poser left shortly after he paid for the two beers he didn’t drink. I also noticed that her and Beth kept having little spats when they thought no one was looking. And of course I noticed every single time Beth threatened a patron.
    It was a long night indeed.
    * * *
    The bar is closed. Finally. I wipe my hands on the white towel hanging on my apron and decide to take the trash out while Beth is sweeping the floor. On the way back in I wash my hands in the bathroom before I make my way to the bar to check on Beth. I pull the apron back over my waist and tie it off at the same time Cory walks into me. I see her about to fall so I grab her waist and hold her still.
    Blushing, she says, “Thanks.” But she is not looking at me. I would be a liar if I said she doesn’t fit perfectly into my hands. I would be an idiot to not notice how good she feels this close.
    I am about to let her go and walk away, but she looks up at me and I am stuck once more. She is holding me with her eyes. It is clear how unsure she is, and yet, I also notice her eyes darkening.
    "Hey Carver!" Louie, the bouncer, calls from somewhere behind me, “You forgot to lock the back door.” I don’t miss how tense I feel Cory go in my hands. I reluctantly let go of her waist, and apologize to Louie. Cory is standing like a statue staring at me, as if she is looking at me for the first time.
    "Carver?" She repeated, in a whisper.
    I smirk, "Shane Carver." Holding back the desire to pull her to the storage room and kiss that look off her face, because right now something is off. Something is different about her and the way she is looking at me, as if I have become her favorite meal. The look is causing a new burn, starting low and hot. If I was able to ignore the pull I had towards her before, I am not going to be able to ignore it now. Now I have to make a fully conscious effort to take a step back.
    Louie walks up to me and grabs my hand in a half hug. It was a customary greeting for Louie. "Hey I saw Enora tonight. Are you still…?" He didn't finish the sentence, letting it hang in the air as if it might offend me he was asking about her.
    I shake my head and notice that Cory is no longer in front of me.