Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Rylin opened her mouth to protest, but I shook my head. “Sit with me. Ten minutes won’t kill the ticket count.”
She hesitated, her gaze flicking to Tammi for backup. My manager just shrugged, trying to hide her smirk. “Owner’s orders, honey.”
I patted the seat across from me. “C’mon, babe. You’ve fed half of Manhattan, now feed yourself.”
Her shoulders dropped a fraction in surrender. She set down her food, then slipped into the booth, her cheeks pink with embarrassment, and her eyes skating everywhere but my face.
I poured iced tea for her, pushed the cup across the table, and waited until she took a bite that was big enough to crack the tortilla.
Only then did I pick up my own sandwich again, trying to focus on it, rather than the growing bulge between my legs with every bite she took.
She chewed, swallowed, and muttered, “You don’t have to babysit me.”
“Not babysitting.” I kept my tone easy, which took effort since I was fighting off pictures of that blissful expression on her face while I buried myself inside her over and over. “Call it quality control. Can’t have my best server passing out on the floor.”
A reluctant laugh loosened the tension in her shoulders. She took another bite, a larger one this time, and the knot between my shoulder blades finally eased. But there was a reverence in the way she ate, savoring every bite. Watching her chew like she wasn’t sure when the next meal might come sent a protective surge through me so strong my fingers curled around the edge of the table.
Slow the fuck down, Daughtry. Patience.
When she’d finished half the wrap, I said, “Good. Now the rest, or I’m docking my own pay.”
Her eyes flashed, amusement winning out over pride. “You’re impossible.”
“Yeah, but taking care of the people who take care of me is how I was raised.” My lips lifted at the corners as I watched the color creep back into her cheeks.
I drank the rest of my iced tea slowly, watching her until she’d swallowed every last bite. At some point, I just gave in to the fantasies of seeing that pink mouth wrapped around my dick. But I had to stay sitting, with my hard-on hidden by the table.
When she was finished, she quickly hopped to her feet, mumbled something about work, and dashed off. Chuckling, I left another hundred beneath my water glass. Just as I was about to step outside, Rylin rushed over and tried to hand it back. I lifted one brow and reminded her, “Investing in my own business.”
She rolled her eyes, but this time, she slipped the bill into her apron pocket without arguing. Progress.
I went back to the deli at closing time, staying out of sight. I knew she took the subway even when she’d closed down The Tight Line after one in the morning. Sure, a lot of New Yorkers did it, but they weren’t my girl, and I was determined to make sure she was safe. Her apartment was steps from the station, so I never followed her all the way to her building. I watched until the train doors closed behind her, tension finally easing once I knew she was safe.
On Wednesday, I decided to pitch in and help bus tables. She clearly wanted to protest, but apparently chickened out, choosing to ignore me instead. When I took the bucket of dishes to the back, I noticed that the bracket under one of the shelves was bent. Rylin’s brows hit her hairline when she came through the door and saw me attaching a new one and rehanging the shelf.
“Don’t you have people for that?” she asked, seeming genuinely curious.
“Getting my hands dirty isn’t exclusive to the football field,” I answered with a crooked smile. “I enjoy all kinds of hands-on…activities.”
Rylin scurried away, but not before I saw the blush darkening the freckles sprinkled across her face.
I laughed quietly. Definitely making headway.
That night, I once again stayed out of sight as I followed her to the train and waited until she was safely on.
Then I tossed and turned, like I had every night since I met her. After waking up sweating and painfully hard, I was forced to take an arctic shower, then gave up on sleep completely after yet another erotic dream.
On Thursday, she stopped pretending she didn’t notice me helping at closing. The fancy MBA that I’d earned simultaneously with my bachelor’s degree meant we had SOPs for everything, but I’d also worked construction sites every summer in high school, so swinging a mop bucket felt natural. Rylin watched me from the hostess stand, her hazel eyes soft and arms crossed over her chest like she was hugging herself. I’d taken the job from her earlier with a “don’t bother arguing” look.
She suddenly opened her mouth, closed it, then blurted, “You don’t have to do that.”