Chapter 7

Colton

I was gathering my supplies for my next gig when I heard a knock at the door. It was Ozzy, and he was to the fridge and pulling out beers before I could shut the door behind him.

"Bro, you missed a raging party last weekend," he said, taking a pull off his beer. "Tons of hot chicks."

I shrugged, not bothering to tell him that I'd stopped by the party after my gig. My interaction with Addison had left me feeling off-kilter, and I figured the attention of some pretty women would set my mind aright. Instead, I'd left after less than a half an hour, not even bothering to find Ozzy.

I hadn't been able to stop thinking about Addison, and when coed after coed had lined up to throw themselves at me, I'd become slightly disgusted by the whole thing and left. That night I'd dreamed about Addison. She'd been decked out in a pink tutu and spinning across a stage of fake snow and candy canes.

I'd had the same dream every night this week. That was the main reason I'd gone to her show, and the reason I'd been watching my phone ceaselessly all week, hoping for a call from her. So far, nothing.

"Did you bag a nice one? Maybe more than one?"

I joined him on the couch, taking the beer he offered me and kicking my feet up on the end table. "Not exactly."

Ozzy groaned. "Lame, man. What happened? Were they all dogs or something? You could have had your pick at the party."

"Not dogs, not exactly." He explained the atmosphere, the party full of beautiful but brittle women, the girls who’d wanted to get revenge on the prima ballerina for no reason other than she was better than them.

“So did you fuck her?” he asked, halfway through my story.

I frowned. “No. No bonus for me.” I took a sip of beer but it tasted sour in my mouth. “But I did find her outside after. Her boss had cornered her, was trying to put his hands on her.” I found that my hands had turned themselves into fists without my noticing.

I told Ozzy how I’d come to her rescue, how we’d shared a cab, how I’d gone to the show the next night and caught her afterward. “She’s beautiful and super talented.” And she wouldn’t fucking call me, no matter how often I thought about her.

“Sounds like you’re in love, bro.”

I laughed, punching Ozzy’s shoulder, maybe just a smidgen harder than I should have. “I’m not in love.” Not yet. “But I’d love to get to know her better.”

“You totally have a thing for the ballerina girl,” he said, chuckling. “I never thought I’d see the day when Colton Lowe falls for a chick.”

I shrugged. “She’s a nice girl in a shitty situation. Addison deserves better than she has.”

Ozzy looked at me closely. “She won’t give you the time of day, will she?”

I laughed, wondering when my neighbor had become so perceptive. “She’s a challenge. I’ll leave it at that.”

That night I had the dream again. This time, Addison had floated off-stage, coming up the aisle toward me. As I’d looked, the theater seats had been replaced by pink and white roses. The wings on Addison’s back were fluttering. Her dewy skin and natural glow were mesmerizing. She drew close. “Taste me,” she whispered. “I’m sweet.”

I woke up in a sweat, my dick hard enough to hammer nails. Falling back against my pillow, I let out a tortured groan. I wanted Addison more than I’d ever wanted another woman, and this week I’d found my cock aching worse than it had when I was a teenager.

The next day was a rough one. I’d gotten little sleep, and the owner was keeping an eye on me. She’d caught me sneaking into the kitchen to work with the chef, and when she’d ordered me back to the front of the restaurant, I’d asked her again to let me transfer to the kitchen.

She’d patted my cheek and told me I was too pretty to be wasted where nobody could see me. I’d gotten angry, throwing down my towel and considering walking out on the spot. But since I’d decided to quit stripping after the holidays, I needed this job more than ever. I was still determined to find myself a job cooking, but now wasn’t the time to join the unemployed. It was Christmas, after all.

One of the wait staff was heading out on break so I volunteered to take her tables. Walking out into the dining room, I froze when I caught sight of the vision of loveliness who’d asked me to taste her in my dreams.

Addison wasn’t alone. She sat across from a young woman with light brown hair cut in a fashionable asymmetrical bob that framed her delicate features. They’d been seated in my coworker’s section, which meant they were now in my section.

I wracked my brain for something clever to say as I approached, but I was tongue-tied. The only thing I could think to say was, “Can I get you anything?”

Addison looked up, seeming to pierce my soul with her green eyes. They were vaguely feline, exotic. “Colton?”

I smiled. “Sorry, I’m not on the menu, but I’ll talk to the chef and see what I can do.”

She laughed, and so did the woman with her. “Don’t bother the chef. I’m sure I can’t afford you.”

I hoped she wasn’t thinking about my side hustle again. “Should I take the fact that you’re in my bistro as a sign?”

“A sign that I’m hungry? Definitely. You’re close to the studio and I have a mild addiction to your fries.”
I smiled, trying not to take what she said as another rejection. Addison introduced the woman as Kayla, her best friend.

Kayla accused Addison of keeping the best-looking waiter in the city a secret. “If I’d known you were here, I’d love the French fries too.”

I smiled, dropping a wink. “I can promise you a lifetime supply, if you can get your best friend to go out on a date with me.”

“Careful,” Kayla replied. “Have I mentioned I’m a carb addict?”

Addison took a sip of water. “You can drop your bribe, Colton. I’ve got to head home after this. I need to rest up for my next performance.”

Kayla rolled her eyes. “Girl, weren’t you just saying you needed someone to rub your aching muscles? Colton looks like he has strong hands. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to—”

“Don’t start, Kayla,” Addison said through gritted teeth, then smiled sweetly in my direction. “I’m happy to see you again, Colton, but you know me. Work comes first.”

I opened my mouth to respond when I saw the owner waving me over. Apologizing, I left the table, hoping to God the kitchen was on fire, because nothing short of an emergency would pull me away from Addison.

“The sauce cook’s gone home sick, and Chef is already short-handed. Get in the kitchen and show me you can live up to all that big talk about your skills.”

My jaw dropped. Of course, I would get my big shot now. “Will do,” I said, sighing. “Just let me finish at that table.” Before she could respond, I was jogging back toward Addison and her friend.

“I’ve been called up to the big leagues,” I told them when I returned. “Gotta lend a hand in the kitchen.”
I took the expression on Addison’s face for disappointment. “Aww,” Kayla said. “Things were just getting interesting.”

I apologized, then fastened my gaze on Addison. “I hope to see you again soon.”

She blushed, and the sight filled my chest with an unknown emotion. Then I was off, headed for my destiny in the kitchen.