But then, there’s an ugly cough and the snapping of fingers, startling me out of our moment.
“Hello? Can I get some fucking help here?”
I whip around to see an Alpha wearing a v-neck shirt two sizes too small to show off his muscles. His lips are twisted intoa sneer, and a patchy uneven goatee on his face ties the whole cringey look together.
He also carries with him an unpleasant scent of sulfur and tar, which makes me cringe inwardly.
“Sure,” I start to say, but Travis interrupts me.
“Did you just snap your fingers at her?” he asks.
A secret smile curves at my lips.
He’s pissed.
It wouldn’t be the first time Travis has had to set someone straight after they’ve been disrespectful to the staff, and it sure won’t be the last time.
But tonight? Something warm bubbles in my core as Travis steps up, ready to defend me.
He knows I can hold my own. We’ve had the conversation before that I’m more than capable of shutting down anyone trying to cross my boundaries, but tonight seems a little different.
This is one of the few nights it’s just the two of us working, and the egg salad smelling Alpha interrupted our lovely moment of looking at cat photos together.
“I need a drink,” he says to me, purposely not looking at Travis. He even angles his body so he’s facing me directly, his too-tight shirt almost ripping at the seams. “You want to make me something, sweetheart?”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from scoffing at his condescending tone.
Beside me, I can practically feel Travis fuming. The scent of smoke fills my nostrils as Travis calmly lays a napkin down in front of the Alpha. “I’ll be making your drinks tonight,” he says evenly, with no room for argument.
I could step in, but for some reason, watching Travis take control makes fire lick up my spine.
There’s no real threat, but something primal in me stirs awake.
Which means it’s time for me to take my final break of the night, get a drink of water, and not salivate over something ridiculous.
But I’m frozen in place as a showdown between the customer and Travis takes place.
“I want her to serve me,” he snaps. “Notyou.”
I shudder at his choice of words.
“And I want to break your fingers for treating a woman with disrespect,” Travis says, his voice low and deadly. “But it looks like neither of those things are happening tonight.”
My core shouldnotclench at his words.
In fact, I’m going to pretend it didn’t.
Instead, I smirk at the customer. “It’s time for my break anyway,” I say, clapping Travis on the shoulder. “But don’t worry, you’re in good hands.”
The forlorn expression on the egg salad Alpha is worth it. He looks at Travis and visibly swallows, his throat bobbing.
With a cheeky smile, I head into the back of the building, feeling Travis’s gaze trailing behind me.
Once I’m sure I’m out of sight of anyone from the front of the bar, I wipe at my forehead and sigh heavily.
My bodyrespondedto Travis, much more than it should have.
I vow to never look at cat pictures on his phone with him again.
