“What?” Lea snaps at him. Geez. She doesn’t even know the guy. I guess she’s now snapping at anyone when she feels the need.
Denver looks a little taken aback and reaches out for my elbow, tugging me to the side—away from Lea and Noa. With fury running through my blood, I allow Denver to pull me away, but only because I know what will happen if I don’t walk away on my own. As much as I don’t agree with Noa’s choice in restaurant themes, I don’t want to hurt his business either, especially after he just proposed to take care of Lea for the rest of her life.
By the time my feet stop moving and my cold stare is broken from the sight of Lea and Noa, I realize I’ve been taken to the other side of this locker room or whatever it is. “I’m sorry, I know I don’t know you at all, and you’re probably not too fond of me after this morning, but I figured you needed to breathe for a minute. I have a younger sister, Brielle, and I’ve had to be dragged away too. They’re like these little red ants. You think they’re just tiny and harmless, then they bite you like a motherfucker.”
His analogy makes me snort. “That’s exactly how I would classify Lea.” I’m talking to this guy like I wasn’t put off by his little flirty game this morning.
“Sorry you had to see that,” I tell him. “I didn’t want to come tonight and—” I start to say.
“Would it make you feel better if I tell you I was tricked into coming here tonight too?” he asks.
He leans against the wall we’re next to, folding his arms and crossing one foot in front of the other. Aside from the teeny tiny black shorts he has painted on, he looks like a sculpted body model for a painting class—possibly one that might be studying Greek gods. “How come you didn’t know you were coming here? You’re a waiter, aren’t you?”
“Noa told me he had a job for me. I’ve seen some shit in my day, but let me tell ya something. I did not imagine he’d be taking me to a place like this to work.”He’s seen some shit in his day? That’s right, he’s a Marine. Noa mentioned that part.
“So, you didn’t voluntarily choose to walk around in uncomfortable underwear all night while serving food?”
He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “No, ma’am.”
I cover my mouth, trying to stop the laughter bubbling in my throat. “You should tell him no, if you’re uncomfortable,” I tell him, trying to offer advice but realizing I sound ridiculous. I’m sure he knows how to say no.
“I’m not uncomfortable. I think it’s dumb, but honestly, I need a job, and I’m brand new to the area, so who knows how long it might take me to find something else. I have a daughter to take care of, you know?”
My ovaries just got a case of the butterflies. Totally normal. “You’re a good dad,” I tell him, without really thinking because I don’t actually know what kind of dad he is. I don’t know him at all, but hey, he’s doing what he has to for her, so that’s got to be something.
“I try,” he says quietly.
“They’re quiet,” I tell him. “At least, they stopped arguing.” I take a couple of steps away from Wonder Buns and peek around the corner, then quickly regret doing so.
“You don’t know of another exit, do you?” I ask Denver.
“I could name a few ‘exits’ at this current moment, but if you’re planning to walk through one of them, no, I haven’t seen another exit yet. I’ve only been in this room for a total of thirty minutes, and inside this bun joint for thirty-one minutes, so your guess is as good as mine.”
“Well, as much as I’d like to watch the romp around the corner, I’m going to look for another way out,” I tell him. Lea has never been shy about public displays of affection, and I’ve never been shy about expressing my distaste for PDA, but I don’t want to start another argument, so it’s best to run.
“I’ll follow you,” Denver says.
I stop myself from saying anything sarcastic because I wouldn’t want to stay in there if I were him, though I’m not sure I’d be ready to start prancing around outside the locker room in skin-tight boy shorts either.
With a glance around the area, I spot another door in the opposite corner and head for what I hope is the exit. Thankfully, it opens and takes us into the kitchen, which must have a connecting door to the restaurant. “Well, this has gone from uncomfortable to unsanitary really quickly,” Denver says from behind me.
“You don’t wear shoes while you’re waiting tables?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I hadn’t had enough time to figure that part out yet, but I’m guessing shoes are probably something I should consider.”
The cooks are too busy to notice us walking through, which is a good thing since I shouldn’t be back here. The door is easy to spot, and I speed up to make my way back out into the restaurant where I spot some of the hotel’s pool staff. Thank goodness.
“Uh,” Denver says as the kitchen door flings backward.
I turn around. “What’s the matter?”Besides the fact that you’re mostly naked and people are staring at you.
“I just had a thought,” he says.
Don’t say anything stupid.“What’s that?”
“What if I get too excited about this job tonight?” He asks so softly, I almost didn’t hear him. But I heard him. There’s a smirk poking into one corner of his lips, but his question is sort of—really—out of line for just meeting me.
Regardless, I won’t let him think he has any type of effect on me. I place my hand on his hard-as-stone chest, feeling the smooth beats of his heart that instantaneously grow quicker and stronger. If a touch is making his pulse race, I can understand his concern. I’m just glad I have a lined bra on, or he might notice the sudden heat rushing through my body too. “Wonder Buns, the only suggestion I have for you is to keep your excitement on the down-low and to remain at ease.”
