One night was all it took: Season 3 "One second was all it took"

Nerves

I can feel a bit of tension and anxiety riding through my body. I am not nervous, but there is always a small amount of fear inside of me. "I'm a little nervous and have no idea why. What makes you love me the way that you love me? Like...I know I have asked this several times. I also know it is such a random question, but I see other people madly in love. Very few last. What makes you think we will last? Before we get married, I want to know exactly what makes us... 'us' and it's important."

She coughs a small laugh and shakes her head. Her lips are drawn back, and she almost seems confused. "You..." Her smile grows larger. "All it took was one night with you. And I knew we were in love. Even with trial and error...small failures, I love you, Lacey. I guess there is no other way to explain it. I feel like with you...the world stops spinning. Every time I am away from you, I feel empty. When one of us comes home, I feel full again. I could drive to the end of the world for you and bust through any wall to get you out. You are my everything."

"Awe!" I interrupt. I feel warmth on my face as she serenades me with these words of love. "Babe! I did not mean for you to say all of that. I was simply curious. You are my everything too! I could not do this without you! I never imagined planning a wedding this year or finding my 'one' the way I did. I honestly thought that right now I would still be buried deep in my work and maybe have a few new bartenders. I never would have imagined, meeting you, growing up with you, going to Europe, running a nightclub, almost getting shot...ugh! The list goes on and, amazingly, we have gone through all of this together!"

She slides her hand down my arm and intertwines her fingers with mine. I feel this amazing warmth flow over me as she smiles and leans in. She softly presses her lips against mine. I can feel the warmth radiating from her face. I slide my hand up her neck and cup the side of her face. She is my everything. I need this woman more than I need life itself. I never in a million years imagined feeling the way I feel for someone like I feel for her. Our hearts were meant to be connected like they are. We were destined to meet.

I gently pulled away from her lips. I gently slide my finger across my lips. I have this half smile on my face that wants to burst into a full happy smile. I happily exhale. "Everything has happened because it's supposed to. We met that night for every perfect reason. Neither one of us was expecting to fall in love...especially the way we fell in love."

She smiles and slides her hands against my hips. "What's crazier was I wasn't supposed to go on that trip with them. I was never supposed to be here in the first place. I was supposed to be in Morocco with my ex-boyfriend. Derek was not even supposed to come that weekend. He was scheduled to put on a small show in the mountains somewhere. I have no idea where, but we all were supposed to be doing our things. What is crazier is, if I put a set of odds on me coming to this town when I did..." She takes a deep breath and exhales. "Babe! I swear the odds of me coming that weekend was like one in five million...and I am serious."

I step back. I feel this small revelation and shock over her statement. "Wait!" I shake my head and lower my eyebrows. I can feel the confusion drawing on my face. "No one was supposed to be here that weekend? I remember every second of that weekend. You're telling me it was fate?"

She shakes her head and raises her hand. "I wouldn't say fate."

"No!" I interrupt. I take a quick breath and shake my head. "I was supposed to go to some stupid convention thing for Roger when he owned the bar. It was that weekend, and I blew it off. I did not want to go. Babe! This is almost creepy." I can feel my chest rise as I release a tiny laugh. "Even weirder was Jared was the one that caused me to talk to you. I was going to ignore you."

She's sucking in her bottom lip and a smile forms on her face. "And the fact that I fingered you in the bathroom while not even knowing your name..." She pauses and takes a deep breath through her nose. She slowly exhales from her mouth and her eyes connect with mine. "That was a little much. But I would never take it back. If that is what it took to get where we are now, I'd finger you a thousand times over."

I suck in on my cheek and hold back the smile that wants to form on my face. "I like when you talk dirty to me...But I have a bar to tend to. How did we even get on this conversation?" I quickly glance at the clock. "I mean...I like it when you talk sweetly to me. But damn!"

She exhales and raises her hand with mine. "No, but seriously. I have a surprise for you. You need to be off work by six tonight. I need you at the house by no later than six-thirty and I mean it. Your work can be handled by anyone else."

I keep my hand pressed to hers and follow hers up and down while she moves it. I am chewing on the corner of my bottom lip. "Yes, mother!" I playfully say. She quickly wraps her arm around my waist and pulls me in.

Her eyes lock onto mine while her freshly minted breath blows across my face. I smile and lean my head back. She lightly kisses my neck. I shudder and pull away. "No!" The tone in my voice sounds childish. But she has me feeling like a playful kid right now. "You don't get to tease me. Or I will ruin you...sexually."

She lightly drags her tongue up my neck and to my ear. She lightly blows on my ear. "Let's both admit, I'd be the one to ruin you sexually." I feel her teeth lightly bite down on my ear and it drives a wildfire inside of me. I want her now, and I am going to have to keep my composure. I cannot let her think she can just win with me.

I slide my fingers between her lips and my face. I feel like I am prying her off me. "Stop!" I quietly gasped. "You're going to make me take you back into my office. And I do not have the time right now. I do not have underwear either. You and me..." I release a satisfying breath. "We tend to get a little wild."

"Oh, I know." She is slowly sliding her finger down my chest. She is biting down on her lip and her eyelids are lowered. She is giving me a very seductive look. "It doesn't mean I won't still try and be playful with you." She quickly shivers and pulls away. "Ok! Be at the house by seven-thirty at the latest! I'd prefer earlier."

I stand and watch as she turns around and slowly walks away from me. Her body moves smoothly with every step she takes. "Sounds like a plan," I say. I continue to bite down on my nail. "I love how you shake your ass while walking away from me. You are purposely doing that. I love you...bitch." I playfully say. She glances over her shoulder and flashes a smile at me.

She pushes her hand against the bar doors. "Don't be late beautiful." She stops and slightly turns her head toward me again. She does not say anything this time. She just smirks and walks towards the bar.

I lean against the wall. I bite my lip and release my giant smile. I am growing curious as to what she has planned. I did not know she had anything planned. I just expected this to be another work-filled day.

I shake my head and push it off the wall. I glance at my office door to make sure it is closed. I swallow and step toward the bar doors. I push through them and head toward the cash register. I glance over at Erika and Bailey. Two of my newest bartenders. I did not think we needed them, but Rya had a valid point. I am getting married soon, Jared must have minor surgery and we will need the help.

I grew confused. I watch as the two of them keep busy with random tasks from the task list. But I am confident that neither one of them worked today. "Hey, guys!" I grab their attention. "Were either one of you supposed to work today?"

Bailey smiles and sets her glass down. "Nope. We both were called in. I guess Jared, Rya, and Gemma all have some events to attend. We had no problem working it though. Aren't you supposed to attend the event?"

I slide the drawer out for my daily count. I smile and lower my attention to the drawer. "Yep. I have to be there at seven-thirty." I glance up at the clock even though I know Natalia just left a few minutes ago. It is already five-thirty. She knew she did not give me a lot of time. I am not mad, but I am very curious.