That’s a switch-up.
I close the gap she just made, not touching. Only close enough that her perfume edges out the antiseptic they bathe my brother in.
“Trouble’s my middle name.”
Her lips flatten, then twist. “That’s the problem. You think it’s a game. My ex thought the same. Jokes, laughs, fun until it wasn’t. Until it was my paycheck in his hand, my hours on his clock, my life on his leash.”
My anger flares. A controlling guy is an asshole with a small pee-pee. Something that neither Em nor I are. And to think some dick is being a dick to her, trying to control her spicy attitude, pisses me off even more.
“You said ex. Is he out of the picture?”
If not, he’s about to be. Her eyes flash, but not in a good way.
“Barely.”
“That’s not really an answer.”
I breathe out slowly, trying to calm my shit down.
“It is and more than I should be telling you.”
She leans one shoulder into the wall, pen finally stilled. That’s when I see the tiredness that rings her bright eyes and decide to change tactics.
“Can I buy you dinner? Go get you something to eat?”
She mutters something in Spanish under her breath and kicks off the wall, walking over to the door. I’m losing her attention fast, and I don’t like it. I follow her. She yanks on the door, getting it a few inches open before I close it again.
I smile at her anger. A flush comes to her cheeks, and I’m ready for her to get loud, bossy, and angry. Ready to throw me out of here again. She steps back, crosses her arms over her small tits, and shoves a curvy hip out. To borrow my brother’s phrase, I think I’m in love.
“Fine, Papito, bring me a cup of decent coffee that is not that brown water they serve downstairs in the cafeteria. And food that I can eat fast, that’s not full of sugar and not trash fast food.”
My smile broadens. A small win. I’d lean over and kiss her if I could. If we were something. But right now, we’re still nothing. I intend to change that every chance I get while Em’s in here.
“Done. You want real coffee or sweet coffee?”
“Strong, black, and hot.”
“Food?”
She casts me a smile of her own. Only hers looks more sinister than friendly.
“You’re a big man. You don’t miss a meal. You figure it out.”
My hand drops from the door, but neither of us moves in this high-stakes negotiation to prove myself.
“Oh, I know what I want.”
My gaze roams every thick inch of her body in those tight ass scrubs.
“I get off at seven. Don’t come a second earlier. I don’t eat cold food.”
Some bell goes off in another room. Then another code blasts over the speakers. I know she has to go, I’ve seen them all run before. But I need to seal the deal before she escapes.
“I’ll be here at 6:30.”
“No, don’t you dare show up before 7 pm, or I’ll send you home with that cold coffee and cold food.”
From the look on her face, the fidget in her feet to get the fuck out of here and help whoever needs it, she’s serious.
