This was exactly what I didn’t want to happen, yet I couldn’t stop it.
“Well, I need a cookie from behind the counter so I can be mighty enough for invoices this afternoon. Want one?”
“No, thanks. But lunch is on me, okay? Think of it as your consulting fee.”
“I enjoy consulting with you.” She sank her teeth into her full, lush bottom lip. “Payment isn’t necessary, but thanks.” She winked and stood.
I strode to the register, shaking my head as if I could shake it all off. But the feelings I had were too ingrained to simply brush away.
After I paid the bill, I noticed Ryan trying to chat up Victoria as she waited for the other waitress to put the cookie into the bag. She was cordial but her body stiffened as she turned away. Unfortunately, he wasn’t taking the hint. They’d only been kids, but once an asshole, always an asshole as far as I was concerned. Now that Victoria grew up beautiful, it didn’t dawn on him that maybe she wouldn’t want to speak to the douche who picked on her for all those years.
“So hey, if you go to NYU maybe we can meet up one day. I’m in the city, too.”
“I’m pretty busy, but thanks.” When she turned to leave, he grabbed her arm.
“You aren’t still mad about puke eyes, are you?” He chuckled, and I couldn’t take it anymore.
Before I realized what I was doing, I came next to Victoria and slid a possessive arm around her waist.
“Ready, sweetheart?” I kissed her cheek and breathed her in. She smelled like vanilla and cinnamon and everything sweet in the world. She relaxed and leaned into me, flicking her gaze to mine with a lopsided grin.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” Ryan stammered under what I hoped was my most menacing glare.
“No worries at all,” I told him with a tight smile. “Friend of yours?” I asked Victoria and jerked my head in Ryan’s direction.
“Nope.” Victoria slid her palm against mine and pulled me out of the diner.
She burst out laughing as we made our way across the street.
“I loved that look on his face. It’s not every day you can make an old bully almost piss himself. That was amazing.”
My own chest shook when Victoria laughed harder.
“I think it was that smoldering look and the neck tattoos. Anthony Diaz is kind of a badass,” she raised her eyebrows, “who knew?”
“I don’t know about badass—”
“Oh, I think so,sweetheart.” She batted her eyelashes at me.
“It,” I stammered, my cheeks heating up. “It just came out. I was in the moment, you know?” I cracked a joke, trying to distract her from another slip of mine.
“I didn’t hate it,” she whispered before I reached for the handle on the shopfront door. I looked down at our still joined hands and quickly dropped them.
“Thank you. For lunch, and for…that.”
“Victoria,” I started, lost as to how to finish.
She leaned in and kissed my cheek, her lips on my skin sending a jolt down my neck.
“So, back to billing.” She smiled, shifting back toward the door. “We can talk more about what you think is missing later if it’s still bothering you.”
I allowed myself a minute to watch her head back to her desk before I made my way to the garage.
Muses were supposed to inspire, to help form the stories in your head—not taunt you for everything you wanted in real life and couldn’t have.
6
Victoria
