Closing Time

6.

My heart stilled in my chest. I felt my entire body freeze up as I heard that voice. My feet didn't get the memo as they quickly turned me around to face the familiar smirk and dark eyes.

"Lou." I exhaled whatever what was left in my lungs.

"Ryleigh." He nodded. His smirk got wider as he took a step towards me. "What a surprise seeing you here."

"R-Right." He blocked my way to the door. I could feel a chill off of him. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Confronting you..." He took another step forward. "... about why you left me hanging last night. I thought we had a date, Ryleigh."

I raised the clipboard to my chest to shield myself as he took another step forward. "I-I told you I had a day off." I felt some strength return to me as I said those words. "I'm human, Lou. I need a day off."

"No, you don't." With one final step, we were finally face-to-face, only the clipboard. He towered above me, his eyes had gone fully dark once again. I could see faint veins cunder his skin in the dim light from the open door. "You should have come... just to serve me."

I frowned up at him. My heart started to settle back into a normal pace. I gave him a slight push as irritation contorted my features. "Why the hell would I do that? I get one day off and you're not important enough for me to leave the comfort of my bed and trudge through the night for two hours of chatting and drinking." I paused, my eyes flickered towards the open door. "And where the fuck did you come from anyway? Were you waiting here all night?"

"I've been sitting by the bar ever since this place opened this morning."

I frowned. "No, you weren't. No one was sitting at the bar."

"I was sitting at the bar. You just didn't see me." He snickered as the veins vanished and eyes went back to normal. Leaning in, he grinned. "You even looked right at me."

"I..." That explained the chills I felt when I looked at his seat. "Oh... What?"

"You didn't see me because I didn't want you to see me. Human eyes are easy to fool."

So Dottie didn't see him. Sasha was a bit of an airhead so I doubt got a glimpse either. He barely leaves the kitchen.

"You have some good instincts." He cocked his head. My eyes flickered to his arm that trapped me by the side. "You've learned to sense my presence within just a week of being around me."

"I know I have good instincts." I sighed. I pressed my clipboard against his chest to maintain what little space we had left between us. "It's just a shame I never listen to them."

"Indeed." He leaned into the clipboard. It felt like holding off a boulder. I yielded an inch.

"Don't tell me you want a drink this early." I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. I didn't wait all this while for nothing."

"Yes, you did." It was hard to keep him away. "I came here this early to do inventory, not serve you." I frowned as I placed some force behind the clipboard. "So, get away from me and let me finish my job."

Lou clicked his tongue, his other hand wrapped around the side of my clipboard. A chill went down my spine as his fingers brushed against my mine. "Get away from you? This is just getting interesting."

This lighting made him look pretty amazing. That smile on his lips was quite alluring too. I could j-

The bottles on the shelves rattled as I bumped into them. The sound broke me out of the haze he'd put me in. Irritation filled me as I realised there was no space left between us. The clipboard was still there, pressed against my chest with him on the other side.