Page 14 of Obsession on Repeat (Vinyl Hearts #1)

He gave a half-smile. "You mean like a curse? Pretty sure that’s a movie plot."

"This isn’t a joke."

His expression shifted instantly, the teasing gone. Before I could register the movement, he reached for my hand. "I’m sorry. I won’t ask or mention it again."

I didn’t pull away. For some reason, I didn’t want to. "Thank you." I gave his hand the smallest squeeze.

"Does this mean you forgive me?"

"Does this mean I can work Wednesday?"

He exhaled a soft laugh. "Absolutely not."

"What?" I leaned in slightly, half-indignant, half-smiling. "You’re seriously going to pull rank and ban me from helping?"

"You call it pulling rank." He took a slow step toward me. "I call it protecting you from a night you clearly don’t want to remember."

The air between us shifted, lighter one second, heavier the next. I felt his gaze drop briefly to my mouth before he looked away, as if catching himself. I should’ve said something, should’ve looked away, too. But I didn’t.

His voice dropped slightly. "Are you always this stubborn?"

"Only when someone’s trying to read me like a book they haven’t earned the right to open."

He grinned, clearly surprised. "I like that."

"You do? "

"Yeah." His tone lowered. "A lot."

The tension stretched, sudden and breathless. I didn’t move. Neither did he.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Gina’s voice echoed sharply through the hallway.

I jumped back as if something had burned me.

She cocked an eyebrow, popping a large bubble of her gum. "We’re ready to close now, Boss."

Asher stepped away, clearing his throat. "I’ll make sure the back doors are locked." He disappeared past us.

I glared at Gina, who winked, obviously waiting all night to make that entrance. "You good?" she asked, not trying to hide the grin in her voice.

"Totally fine." I smoothed my shirt, and ignored the heat lingering in my face. "Why wouldn’t I be?"

"No reason." Her smirk widened. "Just wondering if I should start planning the seating chart for the wedding."

I shot her a look. "You’re not funny."

"I’m hilarious."

We rounded the corner, and of course, he was already at the bar, leaning casually against the edge, as if the whole hallway incident hadn’t touched him. He glanced up at me. Only a glance, no smirk, no nod, but something about how his eyes lingered made my pulse stutter all over again.

I forced myself to walk past him, calm, collected, totally unfazed. Except nothing about the way my skin buzzed where he’d looked at me felt normal at all.

I did my best to ignore him the rest of the week. Our brief moment in the hallway and combined with the fact I had not heard from him since he had left again, I was at my wit’s end trying to remain sane.

A knock on the door had me grinding my teeth.

Hoping it was a waitress with a tray of drinks, I approached with my empty soda glass and quickly opened it.

I took a step back, surprised to find Vanessa in the doorway with a serious look on her face and a bottle of Jack Daniels and two shot glasses in her hands.

"Are you lost?" I leaned against the door frame. "Your office is upstairs."

"I know where my office is, smart ass." She flew past me, a blur of flaming red hair, and quickly perched on the edge of the couch, placing the bottle and shot glasses onto the coffee table. "It’s almost one, and you haven’t taken a break." She patted the couch. "Now is a perfect time."

"Vanessa…"

"If you want to keep your job, sit your ass down. "

Though the words were teasing, I lowered myself beside her. I watched in amusement as she filled a shot glass, and she threw the liquid back before slamming it down. "I never pegged you for a whiskey lover."

"Even vampires have a taste for something else every once and a while.

" Vanessa filled my shot glass and reclined into the cushions.

She stretched her arm across the back of the couch, watching me as she held the full shot in her hand.

"Gina told me about what happened between your boyfriend and Asher. "

"Yeah, it was a blast." I swallowed the contents of the shot glass, shuddering as the burning liquid coated the insides of my throat. "Does this go on your tab?"

"I’ll put it on Asher’s." She finished her second shot, remaining in a relaxed position as she dangled her empty glass between her index finger and thumb. "I’m sure he won’t mind when it comes to you."

"Vanessa, I—"

"You don’t need to apologize." She lifted a hand. "I didn’t come in here to threaten your job."

I lowered my shot glass to the table and sank deeper into the couch cushions, wary. "Then why are you here?"

"Because I’ve been known to give good advice when it counts—and I’m hoping this is one of those moments."

I blinked. "About what, exactly? "

"Asher's smart. Sometimes too damn clever for his own good, and when he wants something, he doesn’t give up easily."

I shifted uncomfortably.

"I think we both know he’s not only interested in your playlists.

" Vanessa gave me a knowing look. "I’m not saying you owe him anything. I’m saying be honest with yourself.

Whatever you’re feeling, don’t shove it down so deep it turns into regret.

" She gave me a small smile. "I realize that dating an actor isn’t easy. "

"How long have you known?"

"The day you came for the interview I knew all there was to know about you, Rory." She patted my knee gently. "How long have you been dating Sullivan?"

"Almost seven months."

"Do you love him?"

I rubbed my forehead. "Yes, but we’ve been fighting a lot lately. He’s gone again preparing to film another movie." I paused to fill my shot glass again and drowned the contents before pouring another one, chasing it as well. "I’m in way over my head."

"Rory, slow down." She covered my hand with hers where it rested on the bottle, preventing me from pouring another shot. "You’re not in over your head. If I thought you were incapable, I wouldn’t have hired you."

"No, you hired me after you found out personal details about my life. "

"Am I wrong for wanting to make sure my interests were protected?"

Shaking my head, I slipped my hand free. "I don’t have anything to hide."

"We all have something to hide. Do me a favor, and don’t put on a fake face around me, too many people do it too much already for my tastes.

" Vanessa rose from the couch, leaving the bottle.

"Consider the bottle a gift, but a word of advice? Straighten things out before you lose peace of mind. You’re too good a person to let this fast-paced life eat at you. "

She turned at the door, hand lingering on the knob. "As cheesy as it sounds, sometimes what you want isn’t what you need, but don’t forget that every decision you make has a consequence."