Where We Found Our Home by Natasha Bishop
Lincoln
No, no. Don’t even think about it. You don’t need to go to Sasha’s. There’s absolutely no damn reason to go there.
In the past two weeks, I’ve been to Sasha’s at least once after every shift. The gorgeous, sassy, incredibly witty woman who has been haunting my dreams has been in the shop every day, and I’m drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Our interactions have mostly consisted of her waving in my general direction. No banter back and forth like we had that first night.
To top it off, Sasha and Dom opened their big-ass mouths to the rest of my dickhead friends about the incident with Ciara, so they’ve been giving me shit nonstop. I open my group chat with the guys to find them still at it.
Isaiah: Hey hero boy, seen your lady love lately?
Kai: He’s probably drooling over her through Sasha’s window right now
Me: Fuck off
Shane: *inserts gif of Homer Simpson drooling and wiggling his fingers*
Dom: That’s exactly how he looked at her when he was carrying her to the ambulance
Me: There was no drool, asshole
Dom: Little bit of drool
Isaiah: Stop being a creep and shoot your shot
Kai: *inserts gif of Blake Griffin shooting a hey into someone’s DMs*
Me: Damn don’t y’all have better stuff to do?
Shane: I don’t have anything. How bout you guys?
Kai: Nah. I’m free til six p.m.
Dom: My schedule’s clear
Isaiah: Same
Me: Dickheads
Me: I don’t wanna shoot my shot
Me: *inserts gif of Red M&M saying no thanks*
Isaiah: Weak
Me: You know I’m not destitute? If I want to sleep with a woman, I can find a woman to sleep with. It just won’t be her
Kai: *crying laughing emoji* he’s pulling out the SAT words. Got his ass
Shane: *inserts got eem gif*
I delete myself from the group chat because fuck those guys.
But of course my phone pings with another text.
*Isaiah has added you to a group chat*
Isaiah: Where you going? The bell don’t dismiss you, I do
Shane: *three crying laughing emojis*
Me: *inserts a gif of a sad cat*
Dom: Yeah that’s you alright. A sad pussy.
Isaiah: *three crying laughing emojis*
Me: Dom, you ain’t shit. Isaiah, I guess you don’t need my help later then?
Isaiah: Lmao iight iight we’re cool for now
The guys have no idea what they’re talking about. Yes, Ciara is drop-dead gorgeous and yes, I would love nothing more than to spend a night between her luscious thighs. But that’s it. I’m not some lovesick puppy trying to get her to fall for me. Love isn’t in the cards for me. That’s just a fact of life. If the dreams I’ve been having lately are any indication, then I definitely need to let go of any hope of anything happening with her. And yet…
Fuck it. I head over to Sasha’s because I want a goddamn muffin and I’m entitled to it.
“Oh look, if it isn’t my little brother. I’m shocked to see you today,” Sasha mocks.
“You’re a pain in my ass. I come in here to see my favorite sister and this is how you treat me?”
“I’m one hundred percent telling Reggie you said that.”
“Go ahead. She’s my favorite sister when I’m with her, so she won’t believe you.”
“So who’s your favorite sister when we’re all together?”
I shrug. “You’ll never know.”
She rolls her eyes and continues wiping down the counter. “Whatever. Anyway, Ciara isn’t here right now. Just putting that out there.”
“Good thing I’m not looking for her then. Now get me a chocolate chip muffin, woman.” I give her my best impression of a toxic asshole voice, and it works. She looks like she wants to kill me.
She scowls but grabs a chocolate chip muffin out of the case and goes to warm it up for me.
Before Sasha gets back, the door flies open and the woman I’ve been avoiding—yet so desperate to see—strolls in. Today she has on gray bike shorts that make my mouth water, a baggy graphic T-shirt, and Jordans. She looks adorable, and I don’t want to look away.
She startles when she sees me. Do I affect her as much as she affects me?
“Here’s your muffin, creep.” Sasha nudges me with the plate.
I grab it and start to head over to a hightop, but at the last second I detour over to Ciara’s booth.
“Mind if I sit?” She looks up at me for a split second but darts her eyes right back to her laptop screen.
“It’s all yours.” She bites her bottom lip as I sit directly across from her.
“How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thanks.”
“How’s the book coming along?”
“It’s really good. I’m about a quarter way through.”
“That’s really great. Congratulations.”
She looks at me with those chocolate eyes and smiles. “Thank you. Ooh, hold on.” Her fingers start flying across her keyboard, and I’ve lost her to the world she’s created in her head. I take a moment to admire her dedication. I recognize that dedication. It’s the same look I’ve had since I was five years old and witnessed a firefighter carrying a teenage girl away from a house fire that her dad was badly burned in. That was it for me. The moment I decided I wanted that to be my future. I see that same passion burning in her. It’s sexy as fuck. Her eyes are laser focused on her screen, and she doesn’t look at her keyboard once. She pauses and wraps a finger around one of her box braids in concentration, and I imagine her hands wrapping around something else much harder. She bites that bottom lip again that I want to suck into my own mouth. I have to have a conversation with the Big Guy to not embarrass me here. She goes back to typing ferociously for another two minutes before her eyes train their focus back on me. “Sorry, an idea for a scene came to me. I had to get it down before I lost it.”
Fuck, she’s cute.
“It’s no problem. I probably should let you get back to it anyway.”
“I’ll see you around, Linc.”
“Hey, when you become a best-selling author, will you include a dedication to me in your book?”
She giggles, and I have to hold back my groan. “Yeah, sure. It’ll say ‘to the cocky ass firefighter who saved my ass that one time, I hope your arm has healed by now and I expect you to drop me a pin to the meet-up spot when the zombie apocalypse hits.’”
I bark out a laugh. “That’s perfect.”
I wave good-bye to Sasha and ignore her sly grin.
“Pass me the reciprocating saw.” Isaiah motions to the saw on his workbench. I came over awhile ago to help Isaiah with the clubhouse we’re building for Reggie’s kids, Denise and Malcolm, and Nevaeh. Isaiah is an architect, so of course this clubhouse is more involved than I originally planned for, but they’re going to love it. This is where Isaiah shines. I pass him the reciprocating saw then go back to nailing the pieces of already cut plywood together.
“So now that you’re here doing the work and I know you won’t walk out on a project we’re doing for our nieces and nephew, I’m gonna ask you one more time. When are you going to stop being a pussy and ask Ciara out?”
I groan and nearly drop my damn hammer. “Fuck, why are you so invested in this?”
“Because from what Sasha and Dom said, you didn’t look at her like she was just another potential hookup. You looked at her the way you used to look at—”
No. “Don’t. Don’t go there.” I don’t want to talk about Erica. I thought I was doing better. That the hold she had on me had loosened to a dull ache, but spending time with Ciara has that ache increasing until it’s impossible to ignore.
He sighs in exasperation. “I mean what’s wrong with that? You’re not me, bro. This whole meaningless hookups thing is my ministry, not yours. I know she broke your heart and then the unthinkable happened, but you’re meant to have the real deal, Linc. It’s out there for you.”
“Meaningless hookups didn’t used to be your ministry either, hypocrite,” I spit out.
He points his finger in my face. “You’re fucked-up for bringing that up.”
I sigh. He’s right. I don’t want to throw his past in his face just because he’s doing it to me. “Just drop it, Zay. My head can’t process this shit right now.”
“Fine.” A beat passes. “So, how hot is she? Dom said she’s a ten.”
My head snaps up. “Dom said what?”
“Ha! Knew it, you got it bad,” Isaiah says. I scowl, and Isaiah raises his hands in surrender. “You know you should just go visit her at work. It’s not too crazy so you can talk to her but loud enough that you can get lost in a distraction if you want.”
“What work?” I’d never seen her anywhere but the coffee shop. I assumed writing was her career.
“Sasha didn’t tell you? Ciara got a job bartending at Neon Nights.”
Interesting. “Nah, I didn’t know that.”
His lips turn up in a grin. “I know where we’re going tonight.”
“One, what do you get out of going with me? Two, that’s stalkerish.”
“Of going with you to a bar? Umm, drinks and women, idiot. The manager of that place, Sasha’s friend Nina? She’s hot as fuck. I’d love to go home with her. And it’s not stalkerish. Sasha’s basically declared her part of the family now, so you better swoop in there before she gets our parents to adopt her. You’d be really scarred for life if you fuck your own sister.”
Are the rest of our minds this warped? I’m convinced he was dropped on his head multiple times as a baby. “What is wrong with you?”
He shrugs. My brother may be a damn weirdo, but I know I’m a liar if I say I’m not seriously considering going to Neon Nights tonight.
“So?” He stares at me, waiting for my answer.
“I guess we’re going out tonight.”
Isaiah raises his fist in celebration. My dick twitches, and I know the Big Guy is happy about my decision even if I’m still confused.
Later that night, Neon Nights is crowded as all hell, but my eyes immediately find Ciara. She’s wearing the Neon uniform of tight blue jeans with a white button-up tucked in. Her hair is pulled up in a bun with a few strands falling down in her face. Her lush lips are painted a deep purple, and it makes her teeth look even whiter. I want to kiss her until the purple fades from her lips.
She looks around as if she’s looking for someone and then her eyes find me. She blushes as much as her almond skin will allow and looks away. Yeah, I feel it too, Angel. Angel? Where the hell did that come from?
Isaiah pats me on the back, and we make our way over to the bar. There are a bunch of college students grinding all over the dance floor. I’m pretty sure one of the couples is just straight fucking, but the lights are dim in here so more power to them. The Carters’ “Apeshit” blasts through the speakers. The bar itself is completely full. There’s a group of young women downing shots at the far end letting out ear-piercing hollers with each one. A group of frat guys hang around them, watching with hungry eyes.
A guy who looks exactly like Chris Evans in Infinity War is shamelessly flirting with Nina. I don’t know her well. Sasha’s brought her for Thanksgiving dinner a few times, and she seems cool but I do know enough to know that she’s actually enjoying his flirting. Isaiah better get in there quick if he wants a chance. There’s a couple who appear to be my age sitting on the middle stools completely wrapped up in each other. I think I could yank their stools from underneath them and they wouldn’t even notice. I might have to test out that theory if a seat doesn’t open up by the time I get to the bar.
I continue staring at Ciara as I make my way to the stools. She’s a force behind the bar. Men and women alike are drawn to her and not just because she’s pouring their drinks. The men linger, hoping to get a sliver of her attention, and she shoots them all down with grace, which makes me feel good even though I don’t deserve it. The women all hang on to her every word like she’s the coolest person they’ve ever met. They admire her. She’s everything they wish they were. On the surface, she’s got an unmatched confidence that’s contagious. Underneath that, she’s got a vulnerability that makes you want to protect her at all costs. That’s the side I want to dive into. As if the universe is smiling down on me, an older man stands up from his stool and throws a few bills on the bar before walking out. I’m quick to grab the seat and smile at Ciara who smirks as she walks over to me.
I raise my voice so she can hear me above the music. “I heard you were slinging drinks like a badass, so I had to get a front row seat.”
“Well, welcome to the show. Don’t expect special treatment unless you leave a big tip.”
“I can definitely leave you a big tip,” I reply with a wink. She rolls her eyes, and I can’t help but smile. Isaiah finally pushes past the last of the crowd to stand by my side. “Ciara, this is my younger brother, Isaiah.”
She turns to him. “Ahh, you’re the brother. He talks a lot of shit about you, you know?”
“Most of it’s justified I’m sure. Nice to meet you. It’s no wonder my brother can’t stop dreaming of you.”
“Alright, fuck off.” I say as I shove his shoulder, but he just comes right back to his original spot.
Isaiah laughs, talks to Ciara for another moment, before beelining for Nina. The Cap lookalike scowls at him and then grabs his drink and heads over to the dance floor. Nina laughs at something Isaiah says. I hope she knows what she’s in for.
“I like him,” Ciara says.
“That makes one of us.”
“Oh, please. Your whole damn family is likeable, much to my dismay.” She says the last part so low I’m not sure she meant for me to hear it.
“We’re alright. My dad is really laid-back and cool—you can’t help but to like him. My mom is the best woman I know and the queen of our family. You’ll like Reggie too, she’s got that whole—in her words—‘boss bitch’ thing going on.”
She clears her throat and looks away for a moment. I see you, Ciara. She gets fidgety every time someone mentions bringing her into their circle or getting to know her better. The girl’s got walls as tall as a castle. Lord knows I’ve got my own walls surrounding my heart, but something makes me want to tear hers down. Dreams be damned.
“So, what can I get you to drink?”
“Surprise me.”
“Hmm, a challenge. Okay, I see you. Liquor or beer?”
I think I’m going to need some liquid courage to get through tonight. “Let’s go with liquor.”
Ciara saunters off, and I can’t help but watch the gentle sway of her hips as she goes.
Isaiah is caught up in flirting with Nina. He’s always a flirt, but I’ve never seen him so enraptured in just one woman. A woman whose breasts are spilling out of her shirt and who is wearing shorts that barely cover her ass purposely brushes up against him, but he doesn’t spare her a single glance. Interesting.
My thoughts jump back to the sexy siren, Ciara, when she returns with my drink. “Cheers,” she says.
I smile as I raise the glass to my lips. “A whiskey, neat. How’d you guess?”
Her eyes travel slowly down my body, and I’m five seconds from hopping over the bar and taking her mouth when she answers. “Well, you decided you wanted to be a firefighter when you were five years old and never gave up on that dream until you became the Fire Lieutenant sitting in front of me. That’s a man who knows what he wants and doesn’t need to put on airs about it. You don’t crave attention, but you can capture the focus of a room easily. You’re comfortable with yourself, and you’re a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures. Enough said.”
Okay, looks like I’m not the only one doing the seeing here.
“Damn, girl. Color me impressed.” She takes a bow and saunters away again. She grabs her water from behind the counter and raises it to me in a silent cheers.
Cheers. I lift my glass in solidarity and maintain eye contact with her as I take a long swig.
Ciara
This man is killing me, and I’m in desperate need of a new pair of panties at this point. He’s been sitting at the bar all night, staring at me. I can feel his eyes on me no matter where I am, and instead of feeling uncomfortable, I’m feeling an overwhelming sense of…want. I can’t take much more of this tonight. There’s no denying the desire in his eyes, and I’m sure that same desire is reflected in mine every time I look his way. He is downright mouth-watering in his Air Max’s, black jeans that look like they were tailored to his muscular thighs, white T-shirt, and denim jacket. I want to lick him from head to toe.
He walked in here with his brother, Isaiah, who reminds me a little of Bryson Tiller. Isaiah’s been laying the charm on Nina all night which doesn’t surprise me. What does surprise me is the full toothy laugh she gives him. Oh, he’s good. It’s actually ridiculous how good-looking the Cole family is, but my eyes are planted on the anomaly that is Lincoln Cole. Holy shit, Simone may not have been wrong about needing my lady bits serviced because they’re starting to do all the thinking for me at this point.
He gives me the rundown of how much I’ll like the rest of his family when I meet them. Though I have no doubts about that, the thought makes me nervous. I can’t seem to distance myself from the people in this city, and what’s worse is I don’t think I want to. Knowing the danger I could be putting them in by doing so, what does that say about me?
After I serve him his whiskey, I take the opportunity to run to the other side of the bar for some much needed space. I make the mistake of looking over at him again, and he winks at me. He fucking winks! I’m concerned that I’ve soaked through my panties to my jeans now. I just need a second to breathe away from his lustful eyes. I tell Nina I’ll be back, and she nods before calling Julie over from the tables.
I step inside the back room to fan myself and take a deep breath.
A minute later, Nina steps into the room with me and closes the door behind her, taking in my flushed appearance.
“You okay?” she asks.
“Yep. Just needed a moment.”
She gives me a knowing smile. “That Lincoln is hot as hell. Honestly, I thought I was gonna spontaneously combust from the vibes he was throwing your way.”
You and me both.
I fan myself again, and Nina takes pity on me and changes the subject. “Hey, are you sure you’re okay closing with Lindsay tomorrow? It’ll be your first time shadowing a closing shift, but if you’re not comfortable yet I can have Julie switch with you.”
I’m grateful in this moment for Nina knowing I need a distraction to bring my body temperature back to normal and grateful to Julie and Lindsay for covering the bar while Nina babies my ass back here. I’ve never had a man make me feel so off-kilter before.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Where are your parents off to again?” Nina is taking the night off tomorrow to babysit her younger brother and sister while her parents go on vacation.
“Honestly, I don’t remember,” she sighs. “I can’t keep up with their many adventures or trips, which sucks for my brother and sister, but that’s what happens when your parents wait sixteen years between their first two kids and then eight years between the last two.”
I let out a whistle. “No offense, but what were your parents thinking?”
“I don’t think they were. I think they were panicking that my teen years were flying by and they didn’t want to be empty-nesters so they had my brother. I’m pretty sure my sister was an oops baby, but she was the best oops. I don’t know what I’d do without Logan and Jada. I just wish they didn’t have to get the short end of the stick because my parents are in retirement age and want to embrace that.”
“What do you have planned for them tomorrow night?”
“Jada will most definitely have our asses playing every board game known to man, so that will probably take up a good portion of the night. Logan will probably have his face buried in a book for the rest of the night, so it’ll be low-key.”
“That’s the best kind of night in my opinion.”
“You would think that, Loner Girl.”
I throw a rag at her head. “I’m not a loner.”
“You’re kind of a loner. Nothing wrong with that. It just means when you do allow people into your circle, they’ve truly earned their place there. Except me—I just steamrolled my way in because that’s what I do. You have no choice but to stan for me.”
I had to come to this city and befriend the pushiest bitches in existence. Then again, look at the friends I left behind. This is very on-brand for me.
“You have steamrolled me, one graphic tee at a time.”
“That’s the name of the game. You ready to get back out there?” she asks.
One deep breath. Two deep breaths. Three deep breaths. Let’s do this. “Let’s go.”
I spend the rest of my shift channeling the sexual energy from Lincoln into my work. I am Ciara, queen of the taps and bottles, and these boozehounds need their queen to sit on her throne.
Usually at the end of my shift, I ask Frankie to walk me to my car so that I’m not alone, but tonight my lady parts have me doing something very stupid.
I tap him on the shoulder before I lose my nerve. Lincoln spins around, and I speak before he can trap me in his gaze. “Hey there, so since you’ve done nothing but watch my ass all night, I’m willing to bet I’m the reason you came tonight, which means the least you can do is walk me to my car.” I crook my fingers, say good night to Isaiah, and walk away without waiting to see if he follows. I know he will.
I have no idea who this bold woman is who says shit like that to men. Actually, I do. She’s me. The me I used to be before these last two years stripped me of my very essence. I’ve been finding her again slowly—piece by piece—since being in this city and especially since spending time with Lincoln, his family, and Nina. I know it’s incredibly stupid and reckless to trust it, but I have missed this version of myself, and I’m not quite ready to let her go again.
“You are trouble.” He does a quick jog to catch up to me.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
“Okay, quick question. Don’t think about it, just answer. Would you rather be magical but live on Earth or live in a magical land but be normal?”
A surprised laugh falls from my lips because I was not expecting that to be his question, but I’m relieved. “Hmmm. Well, no one wants to be the Argus Filch surrounded by the magic that is Hogwarts, so I’m gonna say magical but live on Earth.”
“Okay. I like it.”
“Okay, my turn. Would you rather have an abnormally big toe or an abnormally big ear?”
He doesn’t hesitate. “Oh, that’s easy. An abnormally big ear. I already got big-ass feet. I don’t need to size up to a damn size fifteen shoe trying to fit my big-ass toe in there. I’m cool with a big-ass ear; it would give me character.”
Size fifteen shoes. Gulp.
Before long, we’ve reached my car, and Lincoln holds the door open for me after I unlock it.
“Thank you, Linc.” I get in the driver’s seat but make no moves to shut the door. Lincoln places one hand on the roof of my car then lightly grabs my wrist and rubs his thumb over my pulse point.
“One more question. Don’t think, just answer.”
“Okay.”
“Will you go out on a date with me?”
Fuck. Everything in me wants to say yes. I want to go on a date with him. I want more than a date. I want him to touch me…everywhere. But there’s only so much recklessness I can allow. It’s one thing to hang out with him as a friend and exchange flirty banter, but crossing that line puts him in more danger.
I take a deep breath and give him the only answer I can.
“No.”
I close my door and drive off while trying to ignore the pang in my chest.