She’s still absent almost a half hour later. If Pepper thinks I won’t seek her out, she underestimated me. I head to the kitchen, spotting her immediately when I push through the double doors.
“You can’t be back here,” she whispers.
It’s too busy for anyone to notice a stranger in their midst. At my approach, she backpedals, but I seize her hips, pulling her close until there’s no space between us. She lets out a small whimper.
“You need to work on your customer service skills,” I growl.
“C-cadence is t-taking c-care of you,” she stammers.
“You’re my waitress, not her. Do your damn job andserveme. Or should I cause a scene?”
“No.”
“Good. Tell your coworker she’s no longer required. Got it?”
“Yes.”
Satisfied with her response, I exit the kitchen. Pepper appears within minutes but keeps her distance.
“Why were you avoiding me?” I ask.
“I felt uncomfortable.”
“Explain.”
“You kissed my wrist.”
“Is that a crime?”
“It’s not appropriate.”
“Follow me to the restroom, and I’ll show you inappropriate.”
She inhales sharply. “Mr. Stone—”
“Dom.”
“Is there anything else I can get for you?” she asks, flashing me an incensed glare.
Your pussy on a platter.
“No,” I reply, giving her a credit card.
Pepper almost bumps into a customer in her effort to get away. She’s back in record time, slamming the receipt and pen down before hurrying to take the order of a couple and doesn’t spare me another glance. Her indignant outrage amuses me.
The chase has begun. My prey is on the run, but she’ll be captured eventually. I pull an envelope from my billfold and lay it on the table. The first move has been made.
I’ve been distracted all day. My father called to reprimand me for not actively participating in church or staying after to talk with Lester, but images ofhimpermeated my thoughts.
Dom is commanding, enigmatic, and scary. I swear there was fire dancing in his bright amber eyes. He makes me think bad things—sinful things. His disfigurement doesn’t take away from his masculine beauty.
Last night, I dreamed of him. The man who takes over my subconscious mind now has a face. I want to experience his full lips on mine. My center throbs recalling his mouthwatering rosewood scent. He’s a temptation sent to test my faith.
I glance at the envelope holding ten thousand dollars lying on the coffee table. Once Dom left, I went to collect the receipt and found the envelope bearing my name next to it. I’ve been lounging on the sofa, obsessing over this since arriving home instead of starting my chores. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go straight to his office and confront him.
Decision settled, I click off the television and head to my room to fold laundry. I’m just about finished with the task when I notice my panties are missing; all except for the pair I wore Friday night. I washed the clothes yesterday after work, but the encounter with Dom shook me, so I wasn’t completely lucid. It’s possible I forgot them somehow. I take the stairs to the first floor where the laundry room is located and search the machine but find nothing.Strange. Back inside my condo, I hunt for the undergarments with no luck.
Did someone steal them from the washer or dryer? That’s creepy. I guess this mystery will never be solved. I flop down on my bed and call Mia. She didn’t make a peep as I recounted my run-in with Dom.
