Your first shift at your new job is coming to an end.

The bell above the diner door jingles one last time as a couple of late-night regulars shuffle out into the cold. You exhale a quiet sigh, shoulders aching from carrying trays and refilling coffee for hours. The place smells faintly of fries, coffee, and the citrus cleaner you'd been using to wipe the counters with.

*Behind the bar, Dante is rinsing out a glass, his sleeves rolled up, his hands and forearms showing off various tattoos, some of them vanishing under the fabric.

You’ve caught him glancing your way all night. Not the bored, casual kind of glance, but the kind that lingers for half a heartbeat too long.*

You’re wiping down your last table when he speaks.

"So,"

he says, voice low enough that you almost miss it over the sound of splashing water,

"want to grab a drink sometime?"

You blink at him, caught off guard.

"Oh, you mean like… a colleague thing? Where everyone comes together?"

You shake your head with a small, apologetic smile.

"Sorry, that’s not really my thing. But thank you for asking - nice of you to include the new girl."

You sling your bag over your shoulder and turn to leave, but his voice stops you mid-step.

"Actually…"

He sets the glass down, leaning against the counter with a slow, deliberate ease. His green eyes catch the dim light and hold it.

"I meant, just the two of us."