Which is good because I need a minute. “Jesus fuck.”
Arlow’s laugh tells me I said that out loud. While theothers make their way to the table, I’m too transfixed by the sexy witch Silver has transformed into.
A shimmering purple dress clings to her breasts and waist. Black ribbon laces across the front in a crisscross like a corset. Layers of purple and black lace end in the middle of her thighs. My gaze works its way down slowly as I drink in her gorgeous legs covered with black fishnet tights in a spiderweb pattern.
Her eyes meet mine when she looks up and a smirk tilts her lips. After saying something else to the customer, she makes her way over to me. “Do you like my costume?” she teases, turning around in place. “Wait, I forgot the gloves.”
She pulls a pair of long, sheer gloves out of her pocket and slides them on. They reach halfway to her elbows. With a grin, she runs a lace clad finger down my cheek then slides it under my chin and closes my mouth. “I’ll take that as a yes,” she says when I don’t say anything.
I lean to talk into her ear where we won’t be overheard by the crowd around us. “You’ve got about ten seconds before I carry you back and fuck you in your office if you don’t stop teasing me.” Neither of us has said anything sexual or even flirty to the other since the fire, but she started it.
I hear her sharp intake of breath as I pull away. She swallows hard before smiling up at me. “Always threatening to carry me around.”
She calls out to someone to let them know she’s taking a break and waves for us to follow her to the large circular booth in the back corner. She slides in next to me aftereveryone else is seated and sighs, “First time I’ve been off my feet in hours.”
“You must be raking in the money tonight, though,” Arlow says.
“Absolutely. I hope they keep holding the festival downtown. Biggest night ever in sales and it isn’t over. The new coffees are selling like crazy. We could barely keep up with the pumpkin spice orders.”
“Ooh, pumpkin spice! I wish it wasn’t too late for a coffee,” Lacey exclaims. “I don’t want to be up all night.”
“We have a pumpkin spice shake too,” Silver offers. She pulls out a little notebook. “Let me go ahead and put everyone’s order in then I can take a break with you. It’s going to take a while.”
After jotting down what everyone wants, she takes it to one of her cooks. As she crosses the room to return, Emmett, the mayor, gets up from his table and steps in her way. She stops short and glares at him. The expression on their faces as she says something to him has me on instant alert. He tries to reply, but she steps around him and walks away. There are plenty of eyes watching them, and he seems to suddenly realize it. He glances around, smiles and nods at someone then returns to his seat.
What the hell was that about?
“Are they still trying to get you to talk to Austin?” Calli asks as Silver sits back down beside me.
“I did talk to him. He was here a few days ago. I just didn’t tell him what he wanted to hear.”
“What’s going on?” I ask her. I don’t keep up with the shit that goes on in town.
“Austin wants to buy Lucky’s. His family tried to get Mom to sell to them for years and for some reason they think I’ll cave when she wouldn’t.”
“Are they threatening you?” I’ll break that skinny, squirrely little fucker in half.
“No. They’re just used to everyone bowing to them and they’re pissed that I don’t.” Silver gives me a teasing grin. “Why, are you going to beat them up for me?”
Emmett looks our way to see me watching him and turns back around.
“Thatisthe look he gets before he kicks someone’s ass,” Lacey volunteers, giggling with Trinity.
“I was kidding,” Silver says. “Don’t antagonize them. They gave up before when Mom said no. They’ll get the point again. Ignore them.” She turns to Arlow. “Your family didn’t want to come?”
“Mom, Dad, and Alicia brought the twins to the festival early, so they were ready to get back.”
Her attempt to change the subject works, but I’m going to talk to Arlow later about keeping me in the loop. I know Silver tells Calli everything and she tells him. If she’s in trouble with these assholes, I want to know.
Emmett leaves after a few minutes and things lighten up. Arlow and I discuss some updates for Calli’s cabin that he wants help with after his family leaves. Calli, Lacey, and Trinity are busy helping Silver with some suggestions andfeedback on the flavored coffee menu that she’s still tweaking.
We’re all having a good time and have just finished eating when Silver looks up at the door. Her eyes widen and curses spill out under her breath. I expect to see one of the Matheson’s, not a middle-aged balding man with a sunburned scalp.
“The health inspector. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she says. “He better be here to eat, not inspect. We just had a perfect evaluation last week.”
The man spots Silver at our table and she stands to talk to him when he approaches. “Full house tonight, Ms. Mills.”
“It is. Can I get you a table, Hal?”
