Sin's Haven by Carlene Love Flores Page B

fantasy, but he got nothing.
“Great, just great,” he muttered and then stood up and flushed, even though he
hadn’t even dropped his trousers.
    It was time to
make his way out.
    But what if she
was out there, waiting?
    An apology. That’s what he owed her. A big ole I’m sorry. This woman might have been
pleased with her experience but she should know he wasn’t that kind of guy.
    As he dragged
his reluctant feet from the stall, her kiss popped onto his lips. He
remembered. She’d tasted like sweet cherries. He was so screwed. He knew he’d
messed up and had no idea how to deal with this which meant avoidance until he
figured it out. What would Jaxon do?
    “You’re not
Jaxon, dip wad. You’re Saint Benjamin,” he told himself as he swallowed, and
followed the narrow hallway from the back office up to the café.
    Coffee.
    He needed some
and if she was up there, he could invite her to have a cup with him. And maybe
talk. Nerves brewed heavy in his stomach as he pushed open the curtains that
divided the club from the café. Why in the world he chose that very moment to
start worrying about condoms was beyond him. But he fumbled for his wallet and
found the one he kept still tucked into his bill fold.
    “Oh shit.”
    The confused and
hurting part of Ben couldn’t help but wonder if there was a back entrance for
the club. And somewhere else he could get coffee. He should kick himself for
even having those thoughts. Who had he become overnight? He was a stand-up guy.
    Before he could
decide on anything, a hand with chipped black nail polish slinked through the
slit in the curtains and someone he recognized was soon standing in front of
him.

 
    Chapter Six
     
    “You look like
you could use a week’s worth of sleep.”
    Even though it
was the truth, one never wanted to open their door to those exact words. But
Julie was only being honest and Hazel appreciated her coming by with Hazel’s
tips she’d forgotten and left at the club last night.
    What a crazy
night. So many darn questions and regrets. About what
she’d done, about what she hadn’t actually done. About him.
    “Thanks,” she
said to Julie who plopped down on the couch. Julie was one of the few people
Hazel could let in like this anymore. “Is Mark really okay or is he
shorthanded? I could come in tonight. I know I look like hell but I’m not that
bad off.” She really wanted to ask if they’d found Ben in the office or if he’d
been gone by opening.
    Julie smiled.
    “I’m to tell you
to stay away today and tomorrow too. But I think he and I both know that is
useless. What a night, huh?”
    They sat
together on Hazel’s couch. Was Julie fishing?
    “Yeah,” she said
into a pair of crystal blue zircon eyes framed by shocking silver hair on a
young angel’s face. Mark was a lucky man. He had it all in Julie. Hazel thought
she’d had it all in Jay. She’d probably always be sad at the thought that he’d
been her everything while she’d been not enough to him.
    Hazel tried to
bury that insecurity and remember what Mark, Julie and her parents had told her
about mental illness being the cause of Jay’s suicide and not any fault or
inadequacy of her own. That still didn’t sit right with her. Did they have any
idea what a strong person it took to take one’s own life? Doubtful.
    “So,” Julie drew
the word out. “Did everything go okay with Jack?”
    “Very
funny, haha . His name is Ben
and it will probably be awhile before he touches that stuff again.” Hazel knew
it would be of no use to leave holes in the answer Julie was looking for. She’d
get it out of her eventually and besides that, Hazel’s ears were heating up to
hear if Julie was the one who had anything to share.
    “Oh, I’m sorry. Ben,”
she drew his name out now. “Gosh, I felt so bad for the kid.”
    “He’s not a kid.
He’s thirty-one years old.”
    “ Oo , touchy touchy . Let
me rephrase that then. How did it go with the big man last night?”
    Hazel snorted