Cujo waited in line and watched as Drea repeatedly glanced toward the corner table at the back of the store.A young family was devouring an afternoon treat of pastries, the little boy covered in icing.Drea was usually very focused, and Cujo wondered what had her so distracted.
Even this late in the evening, the café was bustling with people.Saturdays were crazy in Miami.Lots of weekender tourists.Second Circle had been busy when he’d left.He’d thought about sticking around, but he had opened up and already put in a solid ten hours.As he approached the front of the line, Drea looked toward him, a momentary flicker of surprise reaching her eyes.
“Can I get a Gibraltar, please, Drea?”He smiled, like he had ordered the most normal coffee in the world.
“A Gibraltar?”she asked, a slight look of confusion on her face.Dark circles ringed her eyes, and he wondered briefly what had put them there.
He wasn’t about to admit he looked it up on the internet to try and stump her.It was two days since he’d seen or heard from her, and they needed to finish planning the party.So if the mountain will not come to wherever, or was it an elephant going to…?Never mind.He’d needed to see her.
“Are you sure, because you strike me as more of acortado.Taller than a macchiato, but shorter than a latte.A Gibraltar is only four ounces, and you strike me as a guy for whom size matters.So I would have guessedcortado.”A trio of pasty white girls standing behind him laughed.Touché.
“You’re the expert.I’ll take what you’re offering,” he said with a smile.Her eyes twinkled with mischief and a smile touched the corner of her lips.
Drea’s laugh surprised him.He’d expected a haughty raised eyebrow or an eye-roll.The smile added to the whole package, and he took a moment to appreciate the way she filled out her uniform.She might be petite, but had plenty of curves to rock the black T-shirt withJosé’swritten in italics across it.The spacing of the font was inconsistent though, and it kind of bugged him.
She started to work on his order as he reached across to a grab a croissant off the tray.Where the metal spoon came from, he had no idea, but the shock of it hitting his knuckles caused him to jump.“What the fuck, Drea?”First with a pen, now a spoon?
With one hand still on the nozzle that worked the steamer, she grabbed his bruised knuckles with her free hand and kissed them gently.“Don’t put your hands inside my cake case.”
Her lips were soft and warm, and the idea of putting his hands anywhere on that sexy-as-fuck body left him horny as hell.
She grabbed a pair of tongs and put the pastry he wanted on a plate.Then she poured the coffee and milk into a small glass and gave them to him.
“Are you flirting with me, Drea?Because that sounded like a euphemism.”Cujo pulled out his wallet.
“Definitely not, because you-for-me-isn’t gonna work.”
“Clever.I wondered if you’d grab a bite with me when you get off work, see if we can’t figure out this party.”He passed her some cash and waited for the change.
“That’s not a great idea, Cujo,” she said, placing the change in the palm of his hand.He couldn’t resist.He closed his hand around the tips of her fingers.
“It’s just food, Drea.It’s getting late.I need to eat tonight, so do you, and we need to arrange this party.”Her fingers felt tiny in his hand, and when she pulled them away, he felt the loss immediately.
Lips pursed, she gazed down the line before looking back at him.“Okay, I get off in fifteen minutes.”
And there she went again.How come everything she said sounded like an innuendo?
“Good to know, but when do you finish work?”He caught the giggle before she covered her mouth with her hand and watched as she regained her composure.Flirting with her could become a new favorite pastime.
“I finish work shortly,” she said sharply, although her eyes sparkled with humor.
“Can we go back to the getting-off part?”he asked with a wink.He made a mental bet he could do it in five.
“I have customers, Cujo,” she added sweetly, leaning across the counter, giving him a close up of her incredible chest.“But,” her voice dropped down to a whisper, “if you ever get the chance to getmeoff, you should plan for hours.”
***
Guacamole had to be the best food ever invented.It was right up there with key lime pie.Drea grabbed another chip and dipped it into the brown earthenware dish of heaven.She popped it into her mouth and let out a sigh.Mexican food had been Cujo’s idea, but she was totally down with that plan.The restaurant had been her choice.Cheap and cheerful, but authentic.With money so tight, she hadn’t eaten out in forever, but the day’s tips had been decent and sticking with the appetizer would keep it under six dollars.
“Thanks for waiting while I closed up,” she said, more grateful than he would ever know.She was determined to carry on as normal, but working late in the café now scared the crap out of her.He’d waited for her, nursed his coffee, and walked her over to the restaurant.
“No worries.Could hear you cursing up a storm in there.Didn’t know nice girls like you could talk like that.”
“Funny.Laundry pickup is tomorrow morning and the morons I call coworkers don’t know how to empty their pockets.I’ve told them if I have to do it for them, then I’m keeping all their shit.This week I scored four hair ties, three pens—all of which were mine, so someone is stealing them—a pack of gum, and a USB flash drive, which means Joanie is probably freaking out over a lost assignment.”Drea paused to put another chip in her mouth.
“Quite the bounty,” Cujo said, helping himself to another chip, too.
She watched him eat the enchiladas.He’d missed the cutlery etiquette lessons, obviously, as he used his fork like a shovel.
