“No, Dakota.” Her stomach lurched. “Out. By the time I’m back.”
Jessie bolted from the table, the room going sideways as she tried to make her way through the kitchen to the back alleyway.
“Oh girl.” Adrienne grabbed her arm the second she stepped into the kitchen. “You need to tell Dolly you’re going home. You look terrible.”
“I’m fine. I just need…” Her eyes looked over Adrienne’s shoulder towards the door that led out to the alley. If she could just get some cold air, she might finally feel better.
The smell of bacon suddenly had her stomach lurching once more. Slapping her hand over her mouth, Jessie moved through the kitchen and out the back door, where the cold January air immediately gave her relief. Too bad her head was the only thing to get the memo. Rushing to the small trash canDuke put his cigarettes butts in, Jessie’s stomach cramped until there was absolutely nothing left to bring up.
She wiped her mouth, holding her breath until she got the trash can lid back on— because heaven forbid the smell of cigarettes brought another attack from her stomach— before closing her eyes and taking a step back so her body hit the diner’s wall. It was all she could do to keep herself upright.
Damn, it was probably the same thing Dawn came down with. She needed to stop serving food. The back door creaked open and Jessie groaned, not ready to face whoever was stepping out.
“Jess? You good?” Hawk’s concern warmed the air around her.
“Of course.”
“Did that guy?—”
She shook her head. “I appreciate you stepping in, but I had him handled. And there was no way Dakota would have let him go any further.”
Hawk’s eyes dropped to where her hand was rubbing into the sore spot on her hip. “Didn’t see anyone else stepping in for you.”
“I’m good at taking care of myself.”
Words that he was clearly going to ignore as his hand reached out to brush against her forehead. Nope. She would not allow that sweet gesture to be her undoing.
“You feeling okay? Fuck, you look just like Gunner did this morning.”
“I’m fine.” She batted his hand away. “You might want to stay away, though. I think I’m catching whatever Dawn has. Had to send her home from her shift today.”
“I wondered why I didn’t see her. Table seven is normally hers, right? I saw Adrienne running around, but figure Dolly must have had you pick up Dawn’s tables.”
Jessie huffed. “Are you flirtingwith her now?”
“What?” His eyes went wide and she felt like a boot had landed in her stomach. Hawk Morgan was the single most drop-dead, dreamy, handsome man she’d ever seen and she was acting like a petulant child instead of just admitting that she had the world’s biggest crush on him. Why couldn’t she just tell him that the night they spent together played over and over in her mind? That she wanted a do-over because knowing the last time they’d ever be together ended with a horrifically not-sexy chat about birth control and the most insanely awkward ride back to the ranch—after her brother picked her up at the diner—she’d ever experienced before in her life?
She’d just slept with the man of her dreams, and she didn’t want that to be the last memory they shared! And that’s where the jealousy came from. Because the thought of Hawk with anyone else made her want to throw up all over again.
“You know what tables she serves.” God, that sounded pathetic.
Hawk chuckled. “I only know that because I’ve committed to memory all ofyourtables.”
Oh. She felt her cheeks flood with heat. “Sorry. I… I don’t know why I said that.”
“Yeah, you do, Pretty Girl. I’ve been trying, you know that, right? Since that night. But you’re always pushing me away. If you want me to stop trying to get you to talk to me, you just have to say so. I don’t… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“No. I don’t want you to stop. I’m being weird. And I don’t know why. I think I was hoping that the night we spent together would work out differently, and you’d want something more.”
“I do want something more.” Hawk leaned in, Jessie’s back pressed up against the wall.
“You probably shouldn’t kiss me.”
“Why not?”
“I just threw up in that trash can.” Jessie shrugged her shoulders, waiting for Hawk to laugh, but his face fell.
“You’re sick. Jesus. You should be home resting. Come on.” His hand slid down her arm and rested at her elbow, the touch sending a shiver through her body. “I’ll drive you home.”
