Charmed by the Bartender (Modern Love, #1)

by Piper Rayne

“If I told you there’s no telling the things I’d have to do to you to keep you quiet.”

“Good. I know the first guy let you down, but don’t worry… I’ve been told I lick pussy like a boss.”

Chase’s brother made his way to the top of my shit list years ago, when he stood me up on a blind date, and he hasn’t budged from that spot since, but she doesn’t need to know that. I can grin and bear it for the sake of my friend.

I feel like this is Cole.

“Whitney, I see you’ve met my brother.” He clamps Cole on the shoulder and looks at me with a smile.

Damn. I was right.

“You think I don’t notice the way you check me out every time you see me?”

Relationships are all about compromise.”

“Just because you don’t know what you’re missing doesn’t mean it didn’t leave any scars,”

“When someone who’s supposed to love you treats you as if you’re disposable, it’s difficult not to see your value as less than nothing.”

“You are so much more than nothing, sweetheart. You’re the opposite. You’re everything.”

“It’s okay to lean on someone,” he mumbles against my skin before pulling back to look at me. “Sometimes. When it’s the right person.”

“I want you to pick me up tomorrow at eleven so that we can go check out the last few of the locations. Can you do that?” “Consider it done,” he says and does an exaggerated bow. “Stop bowing. I’m not royalty.” He scoffs and shakes his head before running a hand through his hair. “To the right guy, you are.” Without another word, he pivots on his heel and heads deeper into the pub, leaving me stunned and speechless.

“You’d be a fool to let this one get away, Cole. Better man up before someone else makes a move.” Maybe I don’t like Ashley as much as I thought.

“You haven’t told me anything else about that night,” I call out before I can stop myself. “You still owe me today.” Cole’s heavy footsteps sound on the hardwood flooring and he comes around the corner from the hallway I know leads to his bedroom. “Would you like me to tell you or show you?” He cocks an eyebrow.

“It means you were drunk, horny, and intent on having your way with me. You got your hands on my unicorn cock—your words not mine—but once I realized just how drunk you were I put a stop to things and tucked you into bed. Hardest fucking thing I’ve had to do in a long time, believe me. I didn’t want you waking up in the morning and regretting anything that happened between us.”

Cole and his unicorn cock are like a gift from the Gods.

You see, folks, denial isn’t just a river in Egypt. It also has an outpost right here in San Francisco.

Everywhere you look there appears to be more than one of us. We can see ourselves from so many different angles and I’ve been taking full advantage—watching on as Cole’s expressions change, the way the muscles in his arms bunch and flex under the fabric of his thin, maroon Henley shirt, how his ass moves when he takes a step forward. Being able to see all that multiple times from multiple angles without him knowing has been amazing.

“You are something else, Miss Knight.” I grin. “Well, thank you, Mr. Webber.” “I’ll be getting mirrors installed in my bedroom. On every surface.” I laugh. “It’s cute that you think I’m joking.” He leans forward and places a chaste kiss on my mouth. A thought occurs to me. “Do you think they have cameras in here?” My eyes widen. “Honestly, I could care less. That was worth it even if they do.” “We probably just scarred that poor girl for life.” He chuckles.

“Sometimes things just happen—good and bad—for no other reason than they just do.”

“May we get what we want. May we get what we need. But may we never get what we deserve.”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” I slipped my phone back into my purse. “How’s that?” Her gaze slides over to my grandpa and a reverent smile forms on her lips. “The same way your grandpa looked at me when he was falling in love.”

“You know, hearing him out might help you feel better. Let you move on.” “I’m already moving on.” Lie. “I hardly miss him at all.” Bigger lie. “I have no desire to see him at all.” I wish that was true.

What he did was wrong. But people do some stupid things when they’re scared, Whitney.

One thing I’ve realized through all of this is that just because someone hurt you doesn’t mean that you get to stop loving them. On the contrary, it only hurts because you do still love them so much. Love isn’t a switch that you can turn on and off at will, which is why as Cole stands there feasting his gaze upon me in a fitted charcoal suit with white dress shirt open at the collar, my heart flips in my chest. Because the sight of him still draws a reaction from my body even though I swore I never wanted to see him again.

“Sweetheart, I am so in love with you. It’s been hell without you and I don’t want to do it anymore. I need you in my life and I’m not going to take no for an answer. You may not forgive today, or even tomorrow. But I’ll be here waiting for you the moment that you do.”