Page 5

“Salvatore.” His grin gets impossibly larger and his teeth gleam in the din of my kitchen.

“I like it. I mean, you can call me Sal. But you should know, and there’s no explaining this. You’re a snack. A fucking firecracker that makes my blood sizzle. Can’t tell you why and my dear departed mamma would say ‘it’s written.’ About this moment we’re having, she’d say, ‘Then that’s that then.’”

“You kissed me!” I shove him a little, and he doesn’t move an inch.

“I did. And I’m going to do it again, right the hell now, unless you think you can stop me? Moth to a flame and all that shit.”

“You and I both know that I can’t stop you. You’re the size of an SUV.”

“Yeah, and you’re a Fiat.” He looks me up and down, and there’s a thrill having his entire attention.

“Next to you I’m a vespa.” He laughs again and I like it. I enjoy needling this man who seems like everyone else on the planet should be afraid of. He tugs at my apron strings, and I realize I’m the moth in this situation as I happily enter his arms.

His thumb dusts over my cheek. His warmth is surrounding me. I say to him, “What am I going to do with you or all of this? I’ve lost my damn mind.”

He leans forward. “Then I’ll join you in this madness.” He brushes his lips over me and says, “Just tonight. Let me know what it could be like and then I’ll go. My life is complicated.”

“So is mine. This is the last of the linens because they got burned at the cleaners. My fish guy just retired and now I have no ahi for the week. And I haven’t had a haircut or a hot meal in months. How’s that for a complicated life?” He grins.

“Yeah, sounds just like mine. Only without all the fish and substitute hair cut for a fucking hassle-free day.”

I know the rumors. Josh warned me if I ever see this man again to run the other way. But his smile, his lips, these arms, these are not run away from arms. I know he’s a business executive, but my wild imagination has him making offers people can’t refuse.

Despite all of it, I see him. “Salvatore, I have things to do…”

He puts his giant hand on my lower back and secures me to him. My breath catches and I’m almost panting at this point. His voice is slow, steady, and exact. It rumbles through my body and my core. I am a ball of want and need.

“Look, Poppy Gelbert, I’m a man who gets what he wants. And I make things happen. I only have tonight for you. So, you let all your to-do lists fly the hell away from here. I’ll get you a fish guy. You kick vegetable man out of here. And if the sheriff even breathes near you again, I’ll know. I don’t like the look in his eyes or that grabbing your wrist bullshit.”

“He’s harmless.”

“Not if he’s touching you without permission.” His voice is menacing but everything in my body is sprinting around, trying to find a place to calm down. Blood, nerves, butterflies, thoughts are all freaking rushing around in a chaotic swirl. All that voice does to me is make me throb all over for him.

“I’m not afraid of you,” I say.

He huffs a short laugh. “That’s dumb. But you’ll never be in danger. I won’t bring pain or trouble across your door. But fuck, you’re so gorgeous, fucking beautiful.” I gasp. “And that sass, the ginger in you, I’ll eat it all up. And even though we can only have tonight, keep the fuck away from that guy.”

I grin at how he wants to possess me, own me, protect me. He leans into my smile, parting my lips easily with his tongue. And I let go because it’s only for tonight and I’m never this girl. I wonder what it’s like. I’m going to fuck a virtual stranger and I’m pretty sure I won’t regret it. I look in his eyes and they’re dark and hooded. I have no choice but to be with him. Just this once.

My arms slide up around his neck, and I devour his mouth. We gasp and nip at each other’s lips. I’m up on my tiptoes, but he lifts me up and puts me on the silver prep table. He steps between my legs. I feel how hard his rather impressive cock is as I angle my hips for friction. I moan and he pulls me further into him.

“We should get rid of our clothes. I need to see you.” He kisses up and down my neck.

“That’s a health code violation and I really can’t afford to get a ding right now and get bumped down to a B.” He lifts me up, scoops up the register take for tonight and all the credit card slips, and carries me out of the back of the restaurant with my legs wrapped around him. I pull my phone out.

POPPY: Jims. Bestie. Need a favor. Can you lock up the café?

JIMS: Where are you? Josh’s new woman is fabulous and taming our dear boy right now. I’m eating up the downfall of Alpha Josh.

POPPY: I have a once in a lifetime opportunity. Can you lock up my café, and then you can go back to the party. Please. Please. Please.

“Who are you texting?” Sal asks, carrying me toward a black SUV.

“The sheriff, in case I go missing.” He roughly takes my lips and I sink into the hint of a violent passion. Something dangerous flirts on his tongue. I eat it up as if I’ll die without the taste of him. His scruff brushes deliciously across everywhere he kisses. I want to feel it between my thighs as well as scraping up my torso. Is that a normal thing? People wanting to be roughed up with stubble. I pull back, gasping and grin. I’ve never been normal.

POPPY: You owe me.

JIMS: Fine. But I get the details of whatever mischief you’ve found this evening.