Picture Us (Turn it Up Book 3) Read online

  I give him a silent nod as I roll up my other sleeve before undoing the first few buttons of my shirt that feel like they’re starting to strangle me. After being here all day, I am ready to get out of here. While I haven’t decided what to do with my night yet, I know it’s time to take my leave from here. One of the key factors that keeps me loving my job is not overdoing it or living at it like some burned out managers do.

  I pull my keys out of the front pocket of my jeans and turn towards the door when two mystically familiar hazel eyes catch my sight. It’s a distant memory, but a prominent one. I remember those eyes; the ones that look like bourbon when you hold it in a glass as bright sunlight filters through it. That’s exactly what her pale hazel eyes remind me of. And I remember telling her that when I met her three years ago. It wasn’t even a line. It was just an observation I pointed out to her. Yet it was the one time her reaction was one of silence as a small hint of a glow illuminated her cheeks. None of the flirting and flattery I pulled out of my arsenal made her blink, but the one time I put it away and just casually mentioned that her eyes looked like Jim Beam held up to the light, that was when I saw the shift.

  Annie. Mayzie’s friend.

  My former co-worker, Jack, plays in a now-famous rock band, but once upon a time, they were only locally known. They’d most often do a show here at The Cedar on his off nights. He fell head-over-ass in love with Mayzie and she’d come up here to catch his shows or visit him while he was working, and sometimes, she’d have Annie with her. The alluring woman who’s just walked in and is standing at a table as she shrugs out of her black jacket, revealing a dark red flowery dress that clings to her from the waist up but flows delicately around her svelte legs. Those mesmerizing eyes crinkle at the edges and twinkle behind her lashes as she smiles at one of the handful of friends she walked in with. She takes a look around the entire room like she’s in awe before pulling out a chair and smoothing her skirt down her backside as she sits. Yes, my cock felt that, but I’m ignoring him as I continue to stare and collect my thoughts.

  I take in Annie as she picks up the drink menu and furrows her brow just slightly as she skims over it, her lips still holding a faint smile as she listens to her friend chatter beside her. I let myself bask in the montage of memories I have of every session of light small talk we shared. Every time she brushed off my sweet talk with a confident and dazzling smile and an endearing eye-roll. She’d smile and joke with me, but no way would she ever give in to my attempts to flirt or come on to her. Then, when Jack’s band Turn it Up got called up to the big leagues, he and Mayzie went on tour, and by default left Annie with not much of a reason to come around here anymore.

  Her hair, which still looks like a cascade of caramel drizzled with honey falls in her face as she looks down at the list. She does a small head toss to shake it out of her eyes and I swear the movement happens in slow motion. Like some freaking L’Oreal commercial.

  I know what you’re probably thinking; that her shutting me down all those years ago gives me some existential need to prove myself, that this guy likes the thrill of the chase and just wants what he can’t have and all those other player clichés. Well, I’ll have you know you are absolutely right. My serious intrigue with Annie has a lot to do with the fact that she is one of the few that has been impervious to my charms. I don’t usually get much of a challenge from the ladies I pursue, so yes, in a way she’s like the uncatchable fish that I want to feel the satisfaction of finally catching. But also, it makes her something of an enigma that I want to get to the bottom of. It makes me want to find out more about what it is that sets her apart from the others. Unlike all other females I’ve chased, I want to know her.

  Back then, she’d wave off my flirting and just talk to me like she would any other human. When I take women out, sure there’s conversation, but it’s light and heavily laced with flirting and innuendos insinuating where we both want the night to end up.

  I don’t even realize that I’m caught up in my own little reverie when my senses snap back to reality. Everything resumes moving in real time and I can once again hear the cool, poppy music playing through the sound system. I realize that I’m rooted to the spot, staring like an idiot. Shit, I’m just like Jack when he was hot for Mayzie. Pull your shit together! I inwardly scold myself. I’m good, I’m in control. No, I’m really not. I’m walking toward her table and I didn’t even decide to do that. My legs are just carrying me over without my permission. It’s fine. I’ll just say a quick hello; it’s been a while after all.

  I stop a foot from her table and my mouth opens of its own accord.

  “Hi Annie,” I greet her, and am relieved my voice didn’t come out sounding like Mickey Mouse. She looks up at me in surprise, her mouth slightly open but still in a relaxed smile. Those light amber eyes come up and widen when they meet mine. Her gaze holds mine a moment and her lips part a little further before she gives me a slight tilt of her head.

  “Tyler,” she states my name on a sweet exhale. Something in the atmosphere warms and seems to swirl around just the two of us as we hold our stare, neither of our smiles wavering. And I realize in this moment, that I’m not going anywhere…

  Leading the way, Emma pushes through the front door of The Cedar and I immediately look all around the expansive room. In a lot of ways, it looks just how it did before when I used to come here with Mayzie for Turn it Up shows, with a big and open ale house/brewery feel to it. It’s just gotten a facelift, making everything look sleeker and the atmosphere has more of an intimacy to it. The bar is brightly lit while the rest of the place is dimmer, with candles set on the tables and in the booths. A song I love by The Head and the Heart pulses through the speakers as we make our way through the place, looking for a table.

  Once we’re seated, we pass around the drink menus and settle into easy chatter. My mind is going crazy over the list of creative and original cocktails this place now has to offer that I’ve never heard of. There’s no way I can try all the ones that I want to without blacking out tonight. I continue to scan between my favorites when I hear a deep, velvety voice that seems to be reaching out to me from the past.

  “Hi Annie.” I turn my face in the direction of the voice and am greeted by a crotch. It’s a very nice crotch, clad in dark blue denim and capped off with a nice black belt. And it seems to know my name. My eyes move beyond the crotch to find tanned manly forearms with black shirt sleeves rolled up on them. I like where this is going. I continue up a lean, muscular torso before I’m staring into the dark brown eyes of…

  “Tyler,” I say back to him, unable to keep the happy surprise out of my voice. We stare for a moment, before I blink and remind myself to talk. I stand so that we can greet each other on the same level, and he holds his arms out just a little, enough to invite a hug, but not force one on me. I lean in and we give each other a brief and gentle squeeze, just enough for me to feel the firmness of his chest and catch a whiff of his manly scent that sparks a match in my core, reminding me how long it’s been since I pressed myself against a guy. When I lean back, I take him in. He’s changed his physique, but definitely not for the worse. Three years ago, he sported a much beefier bod. He’s a lot more slender now, but by no means less fit. “Where’s the rest of you?” I joke, gesturing at his torso and he chuckles. It’s bashful, and very unlike the borderline cocky guy I remember who used to bartend here with Jack. I have to say, I’m charmed by it.

  “Ah, you know… life,” he answers, adopting a casual stance in front of me. “Things change and you have less time to spend at the gym. I just work out to stay in shape now.”

  I fully approve of this shape. “Well you look good,” I affirm with a smile that’s probably showing more enthusiasm than I mean it to.

  “Thank you,” he answers, smiling back. “You look… amazing.” Ever the flirt. But I’m not complaining. “Mind if I sit?” he asks, gesturing to the empty chair at the head of our table.

  “Yeah of course,” I welcome him as we
both sit. “Oh, these are my friends,” I wave my hand at the group awkwardly. “Everyone, this is Tyler.” They all greet him with a blush and/or a shy wave.

  “Nice to meet you ladies,” he greets, nodding and smiling at each of them. “Mayzie’s not here, she on tour with Jack?”

  “Yeah, she just left a couple days ago.” He nods at my answer.

  “So how do you two know each other?” Emma asks, leaning forward and looking between the two of us.

  “He used to work here with Jack,” I answer.

  “Oh, actually, I still work here,” he corrects me.

  “What? Well then get your ass behind the bar and make us some drinks then,” I tease.

  “Ha,” he laughs. “Not my role anymore. I can get someone else on it pretty quickly though.”

  “Oh? What do you do here, then?”

  “I’m the general manager now,” he answers. He looks proud yet modest. It’s kind of sweet.

  “Wow,” I exclaim. “Tyler, that is so incredible.” Seriously, I’m impressed, and it launches me into a slew of questions, like how he got there, if he’s enjoying it, and what life is like now for him. For every question I ask, he returns one about my business and asks if I’m happy and what else I like to do with my time. He’s genuinely interested and listens so attentively. Before I know it, we’re immersed in comfortable conversation and I’m enjoying the hell out of it. And it’s kind of a turn on whenever a staff member comes by to ask him something and he confidently directs them.

  Our conversation is so easy and fun I don’t even notice the time passing by.

  “Be honest,” he says, after we’ve been comfortable for a while. He folds his arms together on the table and leans in. “Did you refuse to go out with me back then because you thought I was a bad guy?”

  “You don’t do relationships. And I don’t do guys who don’t do relationships.”

  “But do you think I’m a bad guy?”

  I hesitate. From what I can tell, no he isn’t. But then again, I’ve never been on the receiving end of his escapades. I need more information.

  “Tell me this,” I inquire, as he tilts his head up and raises his eyebrows, welcoming my assessment. “When you go home with a girl, are you on the same page? Or do you tell her whatever she wants to hear to seal the deal? Do you let any of them think there’s a chance at a future?”

  His chin drops slightly and he looks off to the side with a hint of humility in his eyes.

  “I made that mistake one time, I admit,” he says nodding and looking up at me.

  “One time?” I parrot, searching his face for any hint of regret.

  “Yeah, one time. I was a seventeen-year-old asshole that had a lot to learn. And it was…” he blows out an uncomfortable breath. “Well, what followed was not worth the night of fun I got out of it.”

  “And why not?” I challenge because there is a right or wrong answer to that. In my opinion, anyway.

  “Because I hurt somebody, which they didn’t deserve, and I kept dealing with it the wrong way, digging the hole deeper and deeper.”

  “Avoiding her calls? Ducking her when she came around?”

  “Yeah. Just twisting the shit out of the situation, dragging it out and making it more painful for the both of us by the day.”

  I nod gently, taking in his admission. “But you don’t do that anymore?” I smile encouragingly at him, trying to show him I’m not holding one human mistake against him, especially when I can see he harbors remorse.

  “No,” he shakes his head as he sits back and lifts his beer to his lips. He swallows and sets it back down before continuing. “The guilt and the anger at myself made me feel shitty enough not to repeat that.”

  “Thanks for being honest. You know you could have just let that one isolated incident slide and not mentioned it. After all, my question was in the present tense,” I tease, arching a brow at him. “But you went for full honesty. That’s… commendable.”

  He doesn’t respond for a moment, instead just pinning me with a searching gaze. His dark eyes burrow deep and I almost feel naked under his stare. Maybe that’s his intent.

  “So,” he finally speaks, just before I start to squirm. “How did you know that about me back then? That I just have fun and avoid relationships? Because I only tried to get you to go out on one date with me, and we never even got as far as expectations.”

  I roll my eyes with a grin. “Please. The first words out of your mouth to me were a come-on.” His mouth drops open in a surprised smile. “Besides, you don’t think I saw you laying your game on thick with every other interested female that moseyed up to your bar? I came with Mayzie to a lot of Jack’s shows, remember?”

  “Alright, alright,” he nods, having the decency to look at least slightly embarrassed as he looks away, taking another pull on his beer. When he sets it down again, he sobers his expression, clearly intent on a recovery. “So… I’ll ask again. Do you think I’m a bad guy?”

  “No,” I say honestly, shaking my head so he knows I’m sincere. “There’s nothing wrong with having fun, just so long as you’re making sure the other person is having fun too.” His smile lifts further.

  “I do. Always.” His tone is firm but flirty and his eyes hone in on mine again. Jeez, they’re like pools of chocolate with a hint of caramel in them. I admit that turning him down in the past was no easy feat, with those eyes of his just begging to be drowned in. That’s probably how he gets so many willing participants. He hypnotizes them with that voodoo stare. His full lips don’t help matters either.

  Ugghh! I’m so horny it’s pitiful, and my TurboVibe is just not getting the job done anymore. It can’t look at me with eyes that resemble dessert, or roll its sleeves up to reveal muscular, manly forearms, or smell like a thunderstorm at the lake.

  “So, go out with me now.” Tyler’s voice snaps me out of my own private mourning of my vagina’s lack of a social life. My eyes snap back up to his face. While his tone was deep and assertive, the look on his face is as casual as if he’d just suggested I try the new Mexican restaurant down the street.

  My lower jaw drops. “Uh… what?”

  “Go out with me. Tonight. Let me take you out.” His stare is unwavering, like he’s daring me to blink first, and - what the fuck? I’m squeezing my butt cheeks together.

  “I’ve told you on many occasions I’m not…” I shake my head, trying to find a way to nicely turn him down. I don’t want to be just another entry in someone’s bang book.

  “Annie,” he states my name and gives me a look that tells me he’s about to enlighten me. “It’s true I like to show women a good time. The problem is, you keep assuming that the good time is exclusive to the bedroom. It’s not. Brace yourself: I go on dates. Now let me take you out on one.”

  “I’m out with my friends,” I protest, waving my hand at the surrounding chairs that have mysteriously emptied.

  “Annie,” Emma leans down over my shoulder from behind me, and I reluctantly pull my eyes away from Tyler’s alluringly confident gaze to look up at her. “We’re calling it a night. Need a ride?”

  “Look at that, your schedule just cleared up!” The relentless flirt gives me his panty-dropping smile.

  “Uh…” I look from her to Tyler, who simply raises his brows at me, not seeming bothered that my vocabulary is evading me.

  “Or are you…?” She glances to Tyler and then to me. I obviously need to make a decision here before I miss my out.

  It’s been seven months since I’ve had sex, kissed, touched, hung out, anything with a guy, let alone a good looking one that I actually know. Kind of.

  Fuck it.

  “No,” I look up at Emma with convincing certainty. “Thanks. I’m going stay and hang out a while.” I look back to Tyler who looks pleased.

  “Okay,” Emma leans down to give me a little side hug. “Call if anything changes,” she murmurs quietly in my ear before turning to head out.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Tyler sugg
ests after polishing off his beer.

  “Why? I haven’t been here in a while; I want to take it in,” I protest, glancing around at the whole establishment. “It’s so different now, in a good way. I like the vibe.”

  “Thank you,” he smiles appreciatively. “A lot of effort went into the revamp. It’s just,” he tilts his head and his chocolate eyes plead. “I’ve been here all day. Don’t you like to get away from work at the end of the day?”

  “Well, my studio is the spare bedroom in my house so I never technically do get away from it.” I roll my eyes with a smirk.

  He draws his eyebrows together and looks down at the shiny lacquered table top for a second as if considering something, before looking up with an assured smile.

  “You should come here and take photos of the bar,” he suggests.

  “What, like a before and after?”

  “Yeah,” he says enthusiastically. “We haven’t updated the bar’s website yet. We’d probably just display the ‘after’ part, but I could talk to Cliff. I bet he’d hire you.”

  “Is he the owner?” I ask.

  “Yeah. I’ll ask him, and then you can shoot on location for a change.”

  “Sounds great! I’d love the extra work. Thank you,” I reply sincerely. I really appreciate the opportunity he’s giving me here. It would be a good way to branch out a little.

  “No problem at all,” he says, giving me flirty eyes. “So, can we get out of here now that we’ve established you’ll be back?”

  I sigh, reluctant to leave but trying to see this as a fun break from the norm.

  “Sure. What do you have in mind?” I pick up my drink to finish it off as he lowers those illegally long eyelashes. Gawd, does he ever turn his flirt off?

  “Oh, I have an idea. I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it too.”

  I have yet to decide if this is a really good or really bad idea as I allow him to take my hand and lead me out the back.