Fragmented ✔️

29. Wildflowers

"You ready to go yet, babe? Can't be late," Matt shouted as he walked past the bathroom in his and Zaire's apartment.

"One minute. I have to pee." But in reality, I was halfway through doing my makeup. Curling my hair had taken longer than I expected, so hunched over the sink, I rushed to add eyeliner on my upper eyelids. Thank goodness I had opted for magnetic fake eyelashes over glue on ones, or I would have seriously made them late for work.

Matt had managed to take some days off over Christmas, but in exchange he was working New Year's Eve. With Zaire manning the doors of the Speakeasy on the same night, CeCe and I preferred to celebrate New Year's with them in the bar.

"Hurry up, Bea! You're taking ages." Zaire pounded against the door. The banging was followed by a yelp of pain a few seconds later. "What the hell, man."

"She said she'd be a minute, so give her a minute."

"I need to use the bathroom. Whose flat is it?"

I steadied my hand and traced the black lines, surprising myself by getting them right on the first try. Five more minutes. That was all I needed if they stopped arguing. I ran my fingers through my hair to loosen the curls and zipped up my makeup bag.

"I'm out, I'm out." I hopped down the hallway as I yanked my high heels on, bracing myself against the wall in hopes I didn't topple over. "What do you have to do? Your hair?"

"Haha, hilarious. Resident comedian in the house." He brushed past and neared his face to mine, his expression closed off. "Not," he said then laughed, squeezing my shoulders before disappearing behind me.

Matt's gaze swept down my body and lingered on my bare legs. His fingers followed the hemline of my black sequin dress along my thigh and dipped under the fabric. "Fuck me, this dress! Wish I didn't have to work. Not sure I can stay away. Much rather strip it off here and stay in bed all night."

"But you have to work." I stepped closer, jutting my bottom lip out, and placed my hands on his chest.

"I have to work... And lock up. It's gonna be a long night." His forehead rested against mine and I inhaled the scent of his aftershave mixed with the mintiness of his recently brushed teeth.

I wanted the same thing.

"Bonus though, no big boss tonight, just a couple of managers." His thumb grazed my plunge neckline, and he wiggled his eyebrows, his eyes clouding over with lust. "Can sneak off a couple of times. Might even dance with you," he murmured into my neck and kissed along my jawline.

"Now that'll be something. No boss hey and locking up. Maybe I can blow you behind the bar when everyone leaves."

"You'd like that?"

I pulled my lip between my teeth and nodded. I couldn't get the image of him bare at the bar with me on my knees in front of him. He could see it behind my half-lidded eyes. Eager hands fisted the fabric at the waist of my dress and released when Zaire barged into the room, grabbing his jacket and announced we had to leave before the staff complained about being out in the cold.

"Later," he said in my ear and gave my bum a light pat as we left the apartment.

***

A small crowd trickled into The Basement an hour after we unlocked the doors. Zaire was in his usual spot upstairs, letting partygoers into the ticket only event and Matt, along with a couple of his colleagues, worked behind the bar.

CeCe met up with us before opening and was scheduled to perform later in the evening, but before that was my drinking buddy. Occupying one of the booths closest to the bar, we lined up a handful of shots alongside a couple of cocktails Matt had mixed especially for us.