Page 174 of Stranger to Love

"Like being here," she said, her gaze dropping to my mouth. "With me. Exactly where you belong."

I kissed her softly, my lips lingering against hers as the words finally drifted out, weightless and certain. "I love you."

The office, usually a place of cold logic and high-stakes deals, felt impossibly warm. Carrie froze for a heartbeat, as if she was memorising the exact frequency of my voice. Her hands, still trembling slightly from the adrenaline of the meeting, moved to frame my face. She looked at me with an intensity that made my breath hitch.

"I love you, Alex," she whispered back, her voice thick with an uncharacteristic vulnerability. "More than I ever thought I’d be capable of."

She pulled me back into a deep, slow kiss—one that wasn't about the heat of a hallway or the thrill of a secret meeting. This one was steady. It was a promise. When she pulled away, she rested her chin on my shoulder, holding me in the quiet of the room.

"Now," she murmured, her breath warm against my neck. "Before you change your mind and decide you actually enjoy the smell of stale beer and rowdy locals... give me your phone."

I pulled back, raising an eyebrow. "My phone? Why?"

"We're doing it now," she said, her eyes dancing with that familiar, playful authority. "Call that bar. Hand in your notice. I want to hear the exact moment you become a free woman."

I laughed, a genuine, bubbling sound. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, scrolling until I found the number for The Dam. My heart was pounding, but for the first time, it wasn't from fear. I looked at Carrie, who was leaning back in her chair, watching me with a smug, beautiful grin.

"You're a real problem, Dr. Carter," I whispered, tapping the dial button.

"Yes," she murmured back, her eyes dark. "And you're stuck with me."

Chapter 37

Alex

I was currently leaned over the bar, squinting at a lad who looked like he barely survived his GCSEs. I checked his ID. Twice. “Whisky? Neat? No mixer?” He nodded. I poured a double, returned to the till, and spun the card machine. “Eight-forty.”

He dropped a tenner down, dumped the change straight into the tip jar, and wandered to the pool table that was tucked into a corner. It was the oddest thing—he looked like a weary old man trapped in a teenager’s body.

I let out a soft laugh, turning to the next in line. “What can I get you?”

A tall, dark-skinned girl beamed. “Two Malibu and lemonades, two white wines, and four sours, please.”

I tapped the order into the screen and headed for the ice bin, hip-bumping Mia. Okay, maybe I didn’t hate everyone that night. There was a pleasant, static energy in the air. I was looking at everything through rose-tinted glasses because it was my final shift—the last time I’d smell this specific blend of floor cleaner and regret.

Mia bumped me back, but with less gusto than usual. Ignoring the queue, I pulled her into a suffocating hug. She had been sighing like a Victorian orphan all night, and I couldn’t have her moping through my grand exit.

"Get off me, you traitor," she grumbled, though she wrapped her arms around me anyway.

"In your dreams. I love you, Athena," I murmured, using my nickname for her just to see her crumble.

Mia physically fought back a sob. "I hate you," she choked out, before giving in and planting a dramatic kiss on my cheek. "I love you, Lex. Now get off me before I lose my edge."

I smirked, playfully pushing away. "Sorry."

I handed over the drinks while Mia turned to a new group of drunk blokes. They were already eyeing her up with a familiar, predatory look, shouting an order for five pints. Mia handled it with iron-clad grace, but seeing it that night made my blood boil. What were they going to do, fire me? I was tempted to hop the bar and punch the lot of them.

But before I could launch into a brawl, Ben stepped in.

The shy, massive lad we hired at the start of Uni stepped right between Mia and the rowdy group. Sizing them up with a terrifying calm, his voice dropped a full octave. "I'll take this." He put them in line with a single look and took over the taps, casting a shy smile over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Boss. I've got this."

Mia’s jaw nearly hit the floor before a slow, impressed smirk spread across her face. She shot me a look: Our boy is all grown up.

I shook my head, laughing. "Go on, Ben!" I cheered under my breath. It was the perfect passing of the torch. The bar was in good hands, Mia had a protector, and I had a life waiting for me on the other side of that door.

We stood at the foot of the club steps under the harsh house lights, revealing every beer stain on the floor. It was strange seeing the place quiet, stripped of its shadows. Ben and the new starters were weaving through the tables, clearing glasses with a newfound efficiency.

Steve, our mountain of a bouncer, pulled me into a rib-cracking bear hug. "Look after yourself, darl. Don't be a stranger."