Unexpectedly busy and the money in the till reflects it.

And I might just be tired enough to get a good night’s sleep. That is if I can get Chase out of my head.

She showed up. She showed up and shot the shit with Nix and laughed with the regulars. She didn’t freak out that my time was spent more often than not on my customers.

That’s a rarity.

When the door to the bar opens, I cringe, realizing I forgot to turn the lock after Aubrey left.

“Sorry. We’re closed . . . Chase?” I ask when I look up to find her standing in the doorway with a coy smile on her lips.

“I can leave if you’re closed,” she says and hooks a thumb over her shoulder.

“Don’t you dare even think about it,” I say as I come out from behind the bar, suddenly nowhere near as tired as I was a few seconds ago. I head straight for her, turn the key in the lock myself, before turning to look at her. “Did anyone ever tell you it isn’t safe to go to bars at two in the morning?”

I itch to reach out and touch her. To see if that crackle of tension sparks when I do.

“I wasn’t aware that Destiny Falls has a rampant crime problem that I need to be worried about,” she says as her eyes dart down to look at my lips before meeting mine again.

“It doesn’t.”

“Then there’s no need to be worried.”

“True.” I reach out and tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. The hitch of her breath tells me she’s fighting the same need I am. The same craving. “What are you doing here?” Fuck, I am so damn glad that she is.

“I told myself that I needed to stay away from you.” Her voice is barely a whisper.

“Why would you do a crazy thing like that?” I place my hands on either side of her neck so she’s forced to look up at me.

“Because I can’t stop thinking about you.”

The pressure that had suddenly built in my chest eases. I offer a soft smile. “That makes two of us.”

“What I’m trying to say is that this isn’t normal for me. Coming back here after I already saw you tonight simply because I can’t stop thinking about you.” She gives a shake of her head as if she’s frustrated. As if, even she doesn’t understand why she’s feeling how she feels. “I typically don’t want people. I want the sex and pleasure they give but am not a big fan of doing more than the cursory time with the people who help provide it. Is that cold? Yes. Do I own it? Always.”