Fear of Falling

shook my head in disbelief. CJ could really be a douche.
    “Hey, it wasn’t like she was a virgin. Not the way she hopped up and down on my…”
    Before I could stop him from elaborating further, Kami walked in with Lidia, one of Dive’s servers. The girls were laughing about some private joke and didn’t even bother to look our way when they passed. Not even a wave or a smile. Not even a nod in my direction. Kami fucking ignored me like I wasn’t even there.
    “Dude, you totally just got the brush off. Damn!” CJ chortled, once they had disappeared into the back to clock in.
    “Shut up and drink your damn beer,” I replied, slapping one down in front of him with more force than necessary, causing it to slosh out of the bottle. I didn’t care if he was right; he didn’t need to point it out.
    When Kami walked behind the bar, her black apron causing her tee to ride up a bit around her hips, I could feel the shift in the atmosphere. The air was thick with unspoken words and unasked questions. I’d never been the type to not say what was on my mind. Not anymore at least. But with CJ sitting just feet away and the Hump Day crowd filtering in, I didn’t know when I’d get the opportunity.
    “Hey, Kam,” CJ shot out before I got the chance. I turned and pegged him with a murderous scowl. I knew exactly what he was doing, and if he wasn’t careful, he would be outside on his ass. CJ was family, but he knew me well enough to know when to shut the hell up.
    “Hey CJ,” Kami smiled. Then she turned her gaze to me, her mouth settling into a tight line. “Blaine.”
    “Kami,” was all I could muster without wrapping her in my arms and dragging her to the back, caveman style.
    She flew into helping customers and straightening everything in sight, obviously trying to busy herself to avoid talking to me. I didn’t get it. I thought we had left things sorta decent. But the way she barely looked at me had me second-guessing everything that went down between us two nights ago. Had I imagined it all? Had I only dreamt that she had been straddling me, fisting my hair, while I tried to slide my tongue over every bit of her neck and mouth?
    She had felt it. I know she had. The craving. The need. The sheer madness of desire that made me want to rip off her clothes and taste every inch of her. She wanted me that night just as bad as I wanted her. Yet, now, she acted as cold and distant as a stranger.
    Like I said. Bullshit.
    It was nearing the end of the dinner rush when Lidia made her way to the bar, propping herself on a stool and bubbling with excitement.
    “So guess what my boyfriend just told me?” she asked Kami. “His cousin from New York is coming into town on business and will arrive this weekend. He’s some hot-shot, young investment banker and, ohmygod , totally hot!”
    Kami poured the overly zealous waitress a soda and set it in front of her. “Okay?”
    “Well, I thought it’d be a good idea if we hung out tomorrow night. You know, the four of us?”
    “Kami works Friday night,” I interjected before good sense could stop me. Shit.
    Kami’s green eyes plunged into mine, a mix of surprise and embarrassment in her gaze. They held me where I stood, testing me, challenging me to say more.
    “Anyway,” Lidia scowled, before turning back to Kami. “They’ll be here to see A.D. play and then we’re hanging out after work. So what do you say? He is really cute, Kami. And rich!”
    Kami flashed a nervous smile before looking down and fiddling with the container of sliced limes. The image gave me a welcomed flashback of the night we met. Her tongue on my neck, slowly licking the salty trail. Her lips on mine, the barrier of lime the only thing stopping me from drinking her in… I got hard just thinking about it. Almost as hard as I was when she unknowingly sucked my bottom lip into her mouth.
    Crimson painted Kami’s cheeks as if she was recalling the same memory, and she quickly pushed the container away. “Geez, um, Lidia, that’s really sweet of you to ask, but–”
    “You’re not seeing anyone, right?” Lidia asked, cutting her off.
    Kami chewed her bottom lip nervously, as I looked on with rapt attention. “Um, no, I’m not…”
    Bullshit. Total. Fucking. Bullshit.
    “Good! What’s stopping you?”
    I waited for her answer, every second passing slower than the next. Her shaky fingers worked over a paper napkin, absentmindedly tearing and folding. She was panicky and reverting to