Page 19 of Echoes of Desire
Raven fidgets with the water bottle in her lap, chewing on her bottom lip as she mulls it over. “I don’t know,” she says again, her voice quieter now. “I mean... I’ve never worked in a place like this before. What if I’m not what you’re looking for?”
“You’re already more than what we’re looking for,” my meaning far deeper than she’s ready to accept. “But you don’t have to decide right now. Take some time to think about it.”
Blaze leans back in his chair, his easy grin returning. “But don’t take too much time, sweetheart. We’d like to have you on board sooner rather than later.”
And not just as our bar manager.
She lets out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You two are something else.”
“We get that a lot,” Blaze says with a wink.
Raven takes another sip of water, her gaze drifting to the floor as she processes everything. “If I were to say yes,” she beginsslowly, “what would that even look like? I mean, would I have to... I don’t know, sign a contract or something?”
“Nothing formal at first,” I reply. “We’d start with a trial period. See how you feel about the job and how you fit in with the team.”
“And if I don’t fit?” she asks, her voice tinged with doubt.
“Then no hard feelings,” Blaze says, his tone light but sincere. “We’re not here to trap you into anything, sweetheart. This is about giving you an opportunity, not pressuring you.”
Raven nods slowly, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. “Okay. I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all we ask,” I say. “And in the meantime, let us know if you need anything. Even if it’s just someone to vent to about your idiot ex-boss.”
She laughs softly, the sound light but genuine. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Now that the formal stuff is out of the way,” I say with a grin, “let’s talk about something more interesting.”
Raven tilts her head slightly, her curiosity piqued despite the nervous glance she casts between us. “More interesting?”
Blaze chuckles, his grin as wide as mine. “You, sweetheart. You’re what’s interesting.”
Her cheeks flush instantly. “Me? I’m not that interesting.”
I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. You’re sitting here in our club, holding your own against two men who make most people squirm. That’s not exactly what I’d call uninteresting.”
Blaze nods in agreement. “And you didn’t run screaming the moment you found out who we are and what this place is about. That says something.”
Raven’s blush deepens, and she looks down at the bottle in her hands. “I just... I don’t know. I guess I’m used to adapting to weird situations.”
“Is that what this is to you?” I ask, my tone light but probing. “A weird situation?”
She hesitates, then shrugs. “Kind of. I mean, I’ve never been in a place like this before. And you two...”
Her words trail off, and Blaze leans forward, his grin turning mischievous. “Go on, sweetheart. What about us?”
Her gaze flicks to him, then to me, her lips pressing together as if she’s debating whether to speak her mind. Finally, she sighs, meeting my eyes. “You’re... intense. Both of you.”
I smile, letting the weight of her words settle between us. “And does that bother you?”
She shakes her head slowly. “No. It’s just... different.”
Blaze laughs softly, the sound warm and inviting. “We’ll take ‘different’ as a compliment.”
“You should,” she says, surprising us both with the hint of sass in her tone.
Blaze winks at her, clearly enjoying the spark she’s showing. “See, Steel? Told you she’s got more fire than she lets on.”
I smirk, crossing my arms as I study her. “I never doubted it. But fire alone doesn’t explain why she’s caught our attention.”