Chapter 4

I stood shivering in the walk-in beer storage, my arms crossed over my breasts, silently willing my chilly nipples to behave. My thin t-shirt was no protection against the cold.

Beside me Mac was droning on about liquor inspections and inventories. As the owner of the bar where I worked, Mac was technically my boss, but his authority didn't hold as much sway as that of Shaun, the manager. Mac was a nice enough guy, although his advancing age meant he was growing more absentminded every day. I'd always suspected he owned a bar solely because he liked booze a lot; the effects of fifty years of drinking were becoming patently obvious. My changing relationship with Shaun had proven my theories right; I'd seen firsthand that Mac's wouldn't function without Shaun's leadership and organization; Mac himself had become little more than a figurehead.

I grimaced as Mac thrust a clipboard containing the beer inventory list at me. "Since Shaun has decided he's not working overtime anymore," Mac snarled, trying to sound threatening, "we've fallen behind. Beer inventory is your job now. Every bottle has to be accounted for. Got it?"

Nodding, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief as Mac and the ever-present whiskey cloud that surrounded him left the cooler, slamming the door as he did. I'd been working for the man for four years and that was the longest set of instructions he'd ever uttered to me.

A month ago I would have complained bitterly about this new chore, but seeing as Shaun's desire to have more time off might have something to do with the fact he and I had been fucking like bunnies at every possible opportunity over the past few weeks, I decided to suck it up and count the beer bottles. The less work Shaun had to do, the more time we could spend together, which was definitely a good thing: a girl can never get too much nookie, especially when the nookie was as good as I'd been getting lately.

Humming softly to myself, I began to tally up each brand of beer; unopened cases were easy to count, but the cases which had been cracked open to fill the beer fridges behind the bar had to have each remaining bottle counted individually. I silently cursed the province's strict liquor licensing laws while my mind slipped into a daze of columns of figures, my numb fingers ticking off each beer.

The heavy thud of the storeroom door closing stirred me from my reverie. Whirling about I expected to see Mac coming to remind me of some other chore. I was pleasantly surprised therefore to see Shaun leaning casually against the wall, grinning broadly. Following his gaze downward I quickly covered my cold-hardened nipples from view; the way they pointed underneath my white t-shirt was practically pornographic.

"Chilly?" Shaun teased, his deep voice dripping with more than sarcasm.

"Oh, ha, ha," I shot back, turning my back to him. "I thought you had today off," I said, standing on tip-toe to count the sixteen bottles in an open case of Heineken. When I'd left my apartment that afternoon Shaun had still been asleep, his toned, naked body sprawled out amongst my rumpled sheets. It had been difficult to leave.

"I do. Actually, I came in to see you."

"Really?" I arched an eyebrow. "Didn't get enough of me last night?"

Shaun laughed. "Well, no. But that's not the only reason why I'm here. I was just downtown at the bank. I had a meeting."

"Mm hm," I hummed, continuing on to the next stack of beer cases, hoping my apprehension wasn't showing. It was obvious Shaun was getting at something, just what the hell was it?

"They're giving me a loan." Shaun sounded pleased with himself. I turned to face him, my curiosity too great to be ignored. He already owned a car, what could he possibly need a loan for?

The silence stretched between us for a moment; Shaun was clearly enjoying having the upper hand. Sighing in exasperation I tossed the clipboard I was holding onto a case of Coors Light. "All right, I'll bite. Why are you getting a bank loan?"

Shaun's answered smile was megawatt bright; it transformed his face from handsome to downright breathtaking. My heart beat frantically in my chest.

"I'm buying Mac's."

I shook my head, trying to clear it; my ponytail whipped against my cheek. I must not have heard properly. "Pardon?"

"Mac has been talking about retirement for a while. I had some money saved up and the bank is going to loan me the rest. I'm going to buy Mac's."

Laughing, I launched myself at Shaun, throwing my arms around him. He chuckled, swinging me about the walk-in cooler until we were both dizzy. "You're fucking serious?" I studied his beautiful hazel eyes, seeing nothing but happiness and pride.

"Yup, the lawyers are drawing up the paperwork as we speak. First of the month Mac's is mine."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Shaun released me from his embrace, managing to look guilty. "Well, I didn't want to say anything before I knew for sure I could get the rest of the money. Mac wanted to keep it quiet as well; no dissention in the ranks and all that. I wanted to tell you. Shit, I almost did about a million times."

I smiled reassuringly. "This is so great." I kissed him soundly on the lips. "Now I'm really sleeping with the boss!"

Shaun kissed me back for a time; the play of his hot tongue against mine made my knees weak. "The boss wants to give you a promotion."

"Pardon?" I asked again, my head still spinning from the combination of Shaun's good news and his kisses.

"Well," Shaun grabbed my hips, pulling me firmly against him; he was a tower of warmth in the cool room. "I'm going to be the new Mac and I want you to be the new me."

"Is this because of all the blow jobs?" I asked saucily, curling my arms around Shaun's neck, playing with his hair.

"Well, that certainly didn't hurt." Shaun clutched my chin, gently tilting my face up so he could look me in the eye. "You've been here four years and you're the most qualified for the job; plus I know I can trust you. I need a manager and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather give the job to. The sex is just a bonus."

I giggled. "I'd say."

"Of course," Shaun ran a hand down to fondle my breast, tweaking my hardened nipple through the thin fabric of my t-shirt, "now I can have you whenever and wherever I want."

"You're not the boss yet," I teased, arching my back, straining on tip-toe to have Shaun touch me harder. Every pass of his hand over my nipple sent shockwaves straight to my pussy.

"I may not be the boss, but I'm still your boss." Shaun leaned in to kiss a hot trail across my neck. "And if I want to fuck you in the walk-in cooler, I'll fuck you in the walk-in cooler."

I laughed. "Is that why you really came in today? To fuck me in the walk-in cooler?"

Shaun's breath was scalding hot against the chilled skin of my throat. His cold hands crept up under my t-shirt, toying with my nipples through my bra. "Maybe."

"And if I say no?"

Shaun's grip on my breasts roughened; he straightened from my neck and plundered my mouth fiercely. I gasped into the kiss. It never failed to amaze me the quickness with which Shaun could arouse me.

After a time Shaun broke the kiss to grin down at me. "Are you really going to say no?"

"Cocky bastard," I muttered. "I'm working right now. What if Mac comes back?"

Shaun smiled wickedly, "He knows I'm in here. I don't think he'll bother us. Besides, I'll be quick."

I arched an eyebrow, biting back a sarcastic reply. I was already turned on more than I'd admit; it took all my willpower to step out of Shaun's embrace. His hand slipped from under my shirt, his expression bewildered as I picked up the forgotten clipboard. "I'm sorry Shaun, but I'm working."

The growl of disappointment was a deep rumble in Shaun's throat. I turned my back to him, resuming my inventory with unsteady hands. Behind me I could feel Shaun staring, the undisguised heat of his gaze burned into me; I tried my damnedest to ignore him. There was a distinct wetness in my panties that betrayed me, but Shaun didn't need to know that.

I'd fucked Shaun before work and after work, but never while I was supposed to be working, and never when there were other people in the building. The thought that Mac or a waitress could walk in on us held me back; it was frightening and yet such a turn-on. If I looked Shaun in the eye, he would know how I felt; I'd never been able to hide my desire from him.