Текст книги "Three Broken Promises"
Автор книги: Monica Murphy
Соавторы: Monica Murphy
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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 17 страниц)
Chapter 23
Jen
“I need your forgiveness," he whispers in my ear. “I’ve hurt you and I’m sorry. I want you back in my life, Jenny. I need you.”
My heart expands, making my chest so tight I’m afraid it might burst. “I forgive you, Colin,” I say, throwing my arms around his warm, familiar body and hugging him tight. “Thank you for coming for me.”
“I can’t live without you. I couldn’t not come for you.” He holds me tight, his mouth pressed against my cheek in the sweetest of kisses. “I love you, Jen. So much I can hardly stand it.”
I burst out laughing. Only Colin would make love sound painful. But it’s a good kind of pain. One I revel in, especially when it comes from him. “I love you, too.”
He holds me tighter, his arms like bands around me, my face smothered against his chest. At first it’s comforting and I relax in his hold. But his arms squeeze me even tighter and I suddenly feel like I can’t breathe.
“Colin.” I try and push at his chest, but my arms are trapped in between our bodies. “Stop. Please. Let me go.”
“Just let me hold you,” he whispers, his voice sharp. Foreign. “That’s all I want. Just to hold you.”
I’m struggling now, trying to duck under and out of his arms, but it’s no use. I can’t break free. Panic fills me, threatens to bubble out of my throat, and I part my lips, ready to scream. He slaps his hand over my mouth, silencing me. He doesn’t smell like Colin. The scent of sweat and fear hits my nostrils and I grimace beneath his soft, damp palm.
“Shut up,” he hisses, his voice reminding me of the guy who stole my purse. My panic grows and I’m thrashing about in his restrictive arms, anything to get out of his grip.
But I can’t.
“Knock that shit off,” he continues, his hot, heavy breath in my face. I wrinkle my nose. This . . . isn’t Colin. My skin crawls when I feel this strange man’s hand skim down my back, cupping my butt and hauling me close to his unmistakable erection.
Oh, God. This stranger, this unknown man, is going to rape me.
“You know you want it. Just let it happen. It can be our little dirty secret.”
Dirty secrets. I have enough of those to last a lifetime. I definitely don’t need any more.
I open my eyes to discover my nightmare is a reality. And it’s not Colin holding me too tight with his strong arms, his hand still clamped against my mouth.
It’s Roger.
A muffled scream escapes me, and he thrusts his face in mine, his golden eyes blazing with unmistakable fury. “Shut the fuck up,” he mutters. “I know you want it. You were looking at me all night.”
He was the one who looked at me, not that I’m able to tell him that. I can’t speak at all with his hand covering my mouth. My heart’s racing and I swear to God I’m going to have a panic attack if he doesn’t let me go. I struggle against him again, yelling the word please against his hand again and again.
His brows lower as he glares at me hard. “If I drop my hand, you promise not to scream?”
I nod furiously, willing to promise just about anything so I can breathe again. My muscles are tense, my body so rigid I’m afraid I might shatter.
Slowly he removes his hand from my face and I take a long, deep breath, exhaling through pursed lips. I’m shaking, trying my best to act like it’s no big deal that Roger is lying on top of me on his girlfriend’s couch. His hands are everywhere, his mouth pressed against my neck, and I press my lips together, breathing through my nose.
Oh God, he really is going to rape me. All while his girlfriend is sleeping just a few feet away.
“You yell and I’ll tell Angie you asked for it. That you came on to me. She’ll believe me over you. She always does,” he threatens, his hand gripping my left breast so hard tears spring to my eyes. I’m going to have bruises from the rough way he’s touching me.
He’s disgusting, and clearly he’s done this sort of thing before. Poor Angela! She has a total douchebag for a boyfriend. A douchebag who’s going to force himself on me and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Your tits are small.” He squeezes me again, then delves his hand beneath my T-shirt to touch my bare breasts. He pinches my nipple and I bite my lip at the intense pain that shoots through me. “I bet you’re a decent fuck, though. And those sexy lips would look real nice wrapped around my dick.”
I can’t take it. I can’t. Shutting my eyes against his words, I think of myself not so long ago, on my knees and with a stranger’s penis in my mouth. How my brain would shut down every time I did it, how I’d become numb to the men’s grunts and groans, to the way they touched me, their hands in my hair, their guttural voices encouraging me to suck harder, take it deeper.
Remembering when I snuck into Colin’s office and gave him a blow job. The first one that I actually enjoyed. How powerful I’d felt, how much pleasure it had given me to see the rapturous expression on his beautiful face, the sweet, sexy things he said to me. His fingers delving into my hair, lifting it away so he could watch.
“Let me go,” I tell Roger, my voice firm. “Right now, or I’ll scream loud enough to wake up the entire building.”
“Do it and you’re fucked.” He laughs, the sound mirthless. “Both figuratively and for real.”
I don’t care. Maybe this has happened enough times that Angela will believe me over her boyfriend. I have to at least try.
No way can I let this pig touch me any longer.
Parting my lips, I scream, the sound loud and shrill in the otherwise quiet. A door slams open and Roger leaps away from me and off the couch just as an overhead light comes on.
“What the hell is going on?” Angela’s standing in the middle of the living room, her eyes wide as they go from me to Roger and back to me.
I sit up, tugging my shirt back into place, wincing when the soft fabric skims over my aching nipple. A shiver moves through me. God, that jerk is rough! “Your boyfriend jumped me.”
“Baby, she jumped me. I came out here for a glass of water and she attacked me.” He goes to Angela, grabbing her upper arms and giving her a little shake. “She’s been looking at me all night like she wanted to eat me up. Remember how I told you that before we went to bed?”
She eyes him warily before her gaze goes to mine. “Are you only wearing your underwear?”
I glance down. I’m wearing an oversized T-shirt that once belonged to Danny and it hits me almost at my knees, it’s so huge. “Am I asking for him to jump me because of what I’m wearing?”
Her eyes narrow as she continues to contemplate me. “No bra either, huh.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I chance a look at Roger. His expression is smug, confident. Asshole! “I was asleep, Angela. I wake up and he’s lying on top of me, trying to kiss me!”
“Liar,” Roger murmurs. “You were begging for it, your hands all over me. You said you wanted to suck my . . .”
“Shut up! Stop it!” Angela screams, placing her hands over her ears, again reminding me of a little kid. “You need to go, Jen. I can’t have you living here.”
“Wait . . . what?” Did she really just say that?
Her expression is full of remorse as she drops her hands to her sides. “You’ll tempt him. Roger . . . he’s a recovering sex addict.”
Recovering, my ass! Does she really believe that? “Angela, he said he’s done this sort of thing before and that you always believe him.”
“It has happened before. He’s in therapy now.” She slowly shakes her head. “I’d hoped he was healed, but I guess not. It doesn’t help, how you’re dressed.”
“How am I dressed inappropriately?” I jump to my feet, the blanket falling away from my body and onto the floor. “Look at me!”
“Yes, look at you.” She’s wearing pajama pants and a matching top, completely covered from head to toe. I can tell she’s wearing a bra and her feet are covered in socks.
Weird.
“I can see your legs—and your chest through your shirt. It’s totally inappropriate.” She actually has the nerve to shudder. “You need to go. I can’t have you as a roommate. Roger can’t handle it, so neither can I.”
Funny, how Roger has clammed up completely. “I’ll leave first thing tomorrow,” I say firmly, ignoring the panic that fills me yet again.
Where will I go? Where will I stay? I can’t keep doing this.
“No.” She drags the word out, dropping her head so she’s not looking at me. “You need to leave. Right now.”
“But . . . where will I go?” My voice is small. I sound pitiful. I feel pitiful.
Kicked out yet again.
“That’s not my problem now, is it?” She looks to Roger, who’s standing right next to her. “We’ll stay in the bedroom so we won’t get in your way, but I’m going to have to ask you to pack your stuff and leave.”
“What about my deposit?” My head is spinning so fast I’m getting dizzy. I fall heavily onto the couch, trying to breathe through the uncontrollable shivers racking my body. “I need that money.”
“Nonrefundable. Didn’t you read the fine print?” She sighs, as if she’s the one who’s being put out on the street. “I’m sorry this didn’t work out, Jen. I had high hopes.”
I don’t say a word. I’m afraid if I open my mouth, the insults will start flying and I won’t be able to stop them. I’ll end up calling her every horrible name I can come up with and she might kick me out without my stuff. Now that would suck.
So I remain quiet, looking up just as I see Roger trail behind her down the hall toward her bedroom. He turns to look at me after Angela has slipped inside her room, his glittering eyes full of hate and lust. He flicks his tongue at me in a dirty gesture and I give him the finger, making him laugh just before he slams the door.
Jumping at the sound, I wrap my arms around me to ward off the chills. I guess Roger was right in what he said earlier.
I’m completely fucked.
Colin
Somehow, some way, my dad got the name and address of Jen’s new roommate within a few hours, just like I asked. I didn’t question how he did it. Didn’t really want to know, truthfully. My dad’s always had a bit of a devious, criminal streak running through him. He knows some shady characters. Gangster types the average person wouldn’t dare associate with.
But my dad isn’t the average person. He doesn’t give a shit. He actually believes having “those sorts of people”—his quote, not mine—in his back pocket is a good thing.
Scary.
I gladly handed over that twenty-five-thousand-dollar check to him, relief flooding me when he gave me the name and address on a slip of paper. I stuffed it in my jeans pocket and took off for Sacramento, letting Fable know I knew where Jen was before I left. Not caring that it was late at night or that it would take me hours to get there.
I need to get to Jen. I have to find her. There’s no way I’m leaving that place without her. We belong together. And if it takes me hours to convince her of that, then I’ll do it. I’m that determined to make her mine.
The drive was easy since it was the middle of the night and traffic was light. I find the street Angela Blackburn’s apartment complex is on quickly, thanks to Siri on my phone. I’m cruising it slowly, looking for the address and complex name, when the beams from my headlights land on a tall, slender figure walking along the sidewalk, pulling a giant black suitcase behind her.
My heart lurches in my chest and I pull over fast, rolling down the passenger-side window as I follow along beside her. She picks up her pace, her head averted, like she’s afraid to look at me. Probably thinks I’m some sort of creep stalking her in the middle of the night, not that I can blame her.
Fear grips my chest and I hate that she’s so frightened. What the hell is she doing out here all alone in the dark with her purse and her suitcase?
“Jen!” I call to her, and she stops short. I hit the brakes just in time to see her bent over and looking through the open car window, her dark gaze going wide when she sees it’s me. “Get in the car.”
“Wh—what are you doing here?” Her voice shakes and she looks scared out of her mind. It’s taking everything within me not to run out of my car, grab her, and sling her over my shoulder like some sort of caveman.
“I’ve come for you,” I say simply, shifting my car into park. I climb out and go to her, stopping right in front of her. She tilts her head back, staring up at me with so much relief and happiness in her gaze, the sight of it makes my heart swell. “You really think I can stay away from you, Jenny? You know I always find you eventually.”
Her eyes fill with tears, and seeing them nearly rips me apart. “How did you know I needed you?”
I melt at her words. Grabbing her, I pull her in for a hug, the tension coiled tight in my chest easing when she slips her arms around me and buries her face against my shirt. “Because I needed you, too. I can’t live without you,” I murmur into her silky hair.
“Oh God.” I stop her from saying another word with my lips, kissing her, swallowing her sobs, tasting her with my tongue. She feels good, so right in my arms. I can’t believe I found her so easily, walking down the goddamn street in the middle of the night, for Christ’s sake.
“What are you doing out here anyway?” I ask once I break the kiss, brushing the hair away from her forehead. I can’t stop looking at her, touching her. I can’t believe I have her standing in front of me. She’s been gone less than twenty-four hours and it felt like a goddamn lifetime.
I never want her out of my sight again.
“My new roommate kicked me out,” she says, her voice shaking.
Blood roars in my ears at her words. “What the fuck! Why?”
She starts to cry again and I gently push her away so I can look at her pretty, tearstained face. Reaching out, I brush the tears away from her cheeks with my thumb. “Her b-boyfriend tried to r-rape me,” she stutters out on a sob.
“Are you fucking serious?” My blood is boiling as I clench my left hand into a fist. Hell no, she did not just say that. “Take me back there. Right now.”
I start for the car but she grabs me, halting my progress. “No, Colin. Please. I don’t want you to get into any trouble. They’re not worth it.”
“He tried to fucking rape you, Jen. Smashing his face in with my fist and hearing his bones crunch will definitely be worth it.” I’m fucking fuming, I’m so worked up. All I can see is an angry red haze across my eyes as I grab her suitcase and open the door, tossing it into the backseat.
“Trust me. He’s a douchebag and she’s an idiot. If you go there and lay a hand on him, they’ll press charges and you’ll go to jail.” She grabs hold of me and shakes my shoulders, forcing me to focus on her. “I don’t want you to get arrested, Colin. Please. I need you here with me, not locked away in a jail cell.”
Her words seep into my enraged brain and I blow out a harsh breath as reality comes crashing back over me. “You’re right. I know you’re right,” I admit, my voice, my heart, beginning to calm. “But I wish I could. I’d tear him apart for you. You know that, right?”
“I know.” She smiles, the sight of it knocking the breath out of me, and she leans up on her tiptoes, brushing my mouth with hers. “I love you, Colin. Thank you for rescuing me.”
“God, I love you too.” I crush her to me, kissing her again, stealing her lips, her breath, her heart, just like she stole mine. God, she completely owns me; she has for months. Years. And she belongs to me. She’s mine.
We’re in this together.
It might have taken us a damn long time to figure it out and make it work, but thank Christ we did before it was too late.
“I’m tired of wasting time,” she whispers against my lips when we finally break apart. “I want to come back. I want to live with you if you’ll have me.”
As if she has to ask. “I’ll have you as long as you’ll have me. I’m . . . sorry for what I said earlier. How I treated you.”
“Of course I’ll have you.” She smiles, her eyes full of happiness mixed with lingering sadness. “I’m sorry I kept the truth from you. I was afraid.”
“Never be afraid with me. You’re my everything.” I can’t believe how lucky I am, that this woman is a part of my world. “I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“You’re my everything too,” she admits softly, her head bent, her slender fingers plucking at the front of my shirt. Her innocent touch heats my blood, sets my skin on fire. I never want to be apart from her again.
“Will you come with me?” I ask her, needing to hear her say yes. “Be a part of my life, Jenny. I need you. I love you.” I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to stop saying I love her.
She slowly lifts her head, her gaze meeting mine once more. The sadness is gone. Tears still fill her eyes and stream down her cheeks, but she looks happy. “I love you too. So much.”
Pulling away from her, I grab her hand and lead her over to my car, opening the passenger door for her. “Get in, baby. I need to take you home.”
Chapter 24
Jen
“Look at you!” Fable whistles low when I stop directly in front of her. “Dressed up, all hot shit and manager-like.”
“Stop it.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment and I give her shoulder a gentle shove before I smooth my hands over my sleek black pencil skirt. “It’s only temporary, remember?”
“Of course.” She rolls her eyes, the gigantic smile on her face giving her away that she’s not as irritated as she’s putting on. “Colin can’t live without you and you can’t live without him, blah, blah, blah. I still say you should stay here and take over this place completely. You could probably run it better than anyone else.”
“Yeah, right.” She might be exaggerating, but her words still fill me with warmth and pride. She’s so close to the truth about Colin and me it’s funny. We just haven’t admitted it to anyone yet.
The moment Colin brought me home—well, after we indulged in each other for hours in his bed—he sat me down and told me he was making me the manager of The District’s new Redding location.
I protested again and again and we ended up arguing for hours, which was silly, but hey, that’s how we work. We finally came to a compromise: I would run the Redding restaurant temporarily while he went in search of a permanent manager.
It’s not that I didn’t want the position or didn’t believe in myself. I preferred working with him. We’re a team, Colin and I. So when he asked me to join him instead and run the original location while he looked into expanding The District chain, I agreed readily.
We’ll make the announcement soon, when he finds a new manager to replace me. In the meantime, I’ll make the ninety-minute trek each way five days a week. We can stand it. It’s temporary. Plus, he helped me buy a new car. A used Honda that I love, that isn’t filled with bad memories and is reliable.
“I’m serious.” Fable grabs my hand and pulls me into a fierce hug. “I’m so proud of you. You’re doing an amazing job here. Colin gushes about you to everyone all the time. He’s such a sap.”
Tears threaten and I blink them away, irritated with myself. I’ve been an emotional mess lately. I blame the constant driving back and forth, overseeing the new restaurant’s opening. The stress and the excitement and the anticipation—it’s all combined to make me a complete wreck.
A happy wreck, though. Life is good. I have friends who care about me. I’ve attempted to contact my parents and though we’ve talked only briefly, I plan on going back home and seeing them someday soon. It’s a step in the right direction. Our relationship isn’t ruined forever, but it’s definitely not perfect. I need to fix it. They need to fix it too, and I hope they realize how their neglect affected me.
Colin promised he’ll go with me back to Shingletown. He says he’s ready to see his mom again too.
And then there’s Colin. He’s so supportive, so encouraging. I don’t look at his treatment of me as coddling or controlling any longer. It’s just his way, a way that I’ve come to accept. He just wants to take care of those he loves. And he loves me. Passionately. Whole-heartedly.
Completely.
The dreams have mostly stopped. Of course, I’m in bed with him every night and I think that helps. But I also believe he’s found peace with Danny’s death and let go of all the guilt that weighed him down. He confessed to me what happened between him and Danny the day my brother joined the military. As if it were some sort of deep, dark secret.
I’d suspected some of it but never had any confirmation. Danny had seemed irritated with Colin before he left. I’d tried to ask why, but he always cut me off or worse, told me it was none of my damn business.
So I left it alone.
Colin was so relieved after making his confession, he hugged me close in bed and proceeded to cry against my chest. Shedding his tears, shedding his guilt. Afterward, he admitted he felt cleansed and that he was so thankful for my easy acceptance.
As if he had no idea his easy acceptance made it that much more possible for me to deal with what I’ve done. The choices I’ve made. He doesn’t hold them against me.
He just . . . holds me. And tells me he loves me.
Constantly.
“Break it up, break it up.” Colin approaches, using his stern boss voice, saying what he always does when he finds Fable and me together. “Don’t you two need to get back to work?”
“I’m here as a guest,” Fable says smugly. “So no bossing me around tonight.”
“And I run this joint,” I say teasingly. “Or haven’t you heard?”
“Who’s the crazy guy who put you in charge?” He slips his arm around my shoulders and kisses me, his soft, warm lips lingering. I lean into the kiss, then step away, slowly shaking my head. “Hey, I need to maintain a certain image here, you know? No kissing on the job.”
“Well, that’s a damn shame,” he drawls, smiling at me. The sight of his smile sends a bolt of longing through me so strong, I nearly sway toward him.
“Stop, you two. You’re making me sick,” Fable says, wrinkling her nose.
“Gimme a break,” Colin says, rolling his eyes with a smile. “Where’s your boy toy? I know you two can’t keep your hands off each other.”
“He’s scoping out a table with Owen.” Fable stands straighter, her expression going serious. “Thanks for giving me the night off and letting us come for the opening tonight, Colin, and for hiring Owen part-time. He’s so excited to start working at the restaurant he can barely stand it.”
Colin hired Owen as a busboy. He’ll start after the football season ends, right when the busy holiday season starts. He’s applied for a work license and everything, taking his first real job very seriously. Fable is so happy she can hardly stand it. She’s trying so hard to keep her brother on track, as is Drew.
I love that Colin wants to help them out too. He’s careful, though, never wanting to offend Fable since she can be kinda prickly when it comes to so-called handouts.
No wonder we’re such good friends.
He likes Owen a lot and is confident he’ll be a great worker, and so am I. All five of us have hung out together more than once. Colin and I have invited all three of them over for dinner. Drew and Colin seem to be getting along well too, which I think is awesome. Fable, Drew, and Owen—they all feel like they’re a part of my family.
So does Colin, but he’s always felt like family to me. Now we’ve taken it that much more seriously . . .
He’s become my everything.
“I’m gonna put that brother of yours to work,” Colin promises Fable, his arm lowering to slide around my waist. He pulls me in so I’m nestled at his side. We’re a perfect fit and I gaze up at him adoringly. “I know he can handle it, though.”
Fable nods and smiles, her gaze going from me to Colin. “You two are so damn cute together. Took you long enough.”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve already said that to us,” I remind her wryly.
“And it needs to be said a few more times, I think.” She steps toward us both and kisses my cheek, then Colin’s. “I gotta go find my men. I’ll talk to you later, Jen?”
“I’ll need you to rescue me, yeah,” I say as she waves at us and then walks away.
“She’s a good friend,” Colin says close to my ear.
I nod, smiling up at him. “The best. But so are you.”
He kisses me, like he can’t help it. “Right back at ya, baby.”
Warmth suffuses me, his love taking hold and giving me the courage I need to keep on top of this night, on the most important day of my career. “I need to go manage the front entry,” I tell him, kissing his cheek. “Wish me luck?”
“No.” He drops a kiss on the tip of my nose as I glare at him. “You don’t need it. You got this and you know it.”
I love his confidence in me. I freaking need it, especially right now. I’m a wreck. “I’m nervous,” I whisper. “So thank you for that.”
“Anytime, babe. You know I’ve got your back.” He hugs me, his mouth at my ear, nibbling on it. “I love you. So much.”
“I love you too.” My heart swells, and the nausea that plagued me the last hour or so evaporates completely.
Having this man by my side, I’m the luckiest girl in the world.
Colin
I watch her move about the restaurant, handling everything with calm efficiency, and pride ripples through me. She greets everyone who enters the door with a warm smile and introduces herself to the chamber of commerce members we invited for The District’s grand opening.
The parking lot is full, yet the people keep on coming. A local radio station set up outside, broadcasting live and encouraging their listeners to come and check us out. Every table is occupied, the bar is at full capacity, and the front lobby has so many people waiting to be seated they spill outside, waiting on benches, their kids dancing to the top-forty music the radio station is playing.
It’s a rousing success, all thanks to Jen. I wanted her to stay here in Redding permanently, more than willing to sacrifice and endure a long-distance relationship so she could take on this management position. She’s so damn good at it, I’m afraid the guy I have lined up to replace her won’t measure up.
Of course, no one can measure up to my Jen.
She refused, though. Simply told me she couldn’t stand to be that far away from me. She loves me too damn much and didn’t want us to be apart.
How can I refuse her?
“Hello, son.”
My spine stiffens, and I slowly turn around to find my dad standing before me.
“Hey,” I greet him weakly, giving him a quick hug. “How are you?”
“I’m good. Look at you, all dressed up. Quite the restaurant you have here. Looks good.”
“Thanks.” He drives me crazy, but I can’t help but be proud at his meager compliment. He took his father’s restaurant and turned it into something more. And I’ve gone and done the same, over and over again. I want him to be proud of me. Despite our tangled past, I’m still the kid who wants his dad’s approval.
I’m also pleased he showed up. I’d extended the invitation out of courtesy, never believing he’d actually come.
“Kind of surprised you came,” I say, immediately feeling like a jackass for saying it.
“Well, you did invite me,” Dad reminds me. “And I’m never one to pass up a free meal.”
I laugh. Thank God he relieved the tension.
“I saw your Jenny.”
“Yeah?” Warmth fills me at his calling her my Jenny. She is mine. Glad he realizes that, too.
“She looks nervous. I told her not to worry. She can handle it.” That he even said that shocks the hell out of me. Maybe he’s doing it just to make me happy, I don’t know. I’m glad for his support of Jen, though. I don’t want to fight.
I’m so damn sick of fighting.
“So. How’s work going for you?” I ask pointedly. He gives me some vague answer but I accept it. After I gave him the money, we had a long talk about his gambling problem and how he needed to get it under control. My dad’s compulsive ways finally got him into major trouble, and luckily enough I was able to bail him out. But I warned him I wouldn’t do it again. He needed to seek out help. So he did, in the form of a therapist, who he sees once a week.
After ensuring my dad has a table to eat at, I take off toward the front of the restaurant in search of Jen. I find her standing by the hostess’s desk, leaning against it as if she needs it to hold her up. Her shoulders are slumped and her head is bent, but she has a giant smile on her face.
Tired but happy, that’s how I read her.
The moment she spots me headed toward her, her eyes light up and she comes for me until we meet in the middle. “Hi,” she greets me breathlessly. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
Laughing, I reach out and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Why do you say that?”
“Have you seen how busy this place is? It’s crazy.” Her smile fades the slightest bit though her eyes are still sparkling. “I saw your dad.”
“I know. He told me.”
“He was nice to me.” She smiles.
“I’m glad.” I drift my index finger down her soft cheek, getting momentarily lost in her eyes. I could almost forget we’re at the restaurant.
Almost.
“He said he’s happy that we’re together.” Jen leans into me, pressing her forehead to my chin, a sweet, trusting gesture. “So am I, I told him.”
Fuck yes, I’ll second that. “Baby, as soon as we can, let’s get out of here. I want to take you home.”
“Colin.” She rolls her eyes, pulling away from me. “This is my restaurant and we’re having our opening night. I can’t just bail.”
“Oh yes, you can. Especially when the owner of said restaurant tells you to.” I cross my arms in front of my chest, going all mean boss on her. “Your work is done here tonight. Let’s go home.”
“But . . .”
“No buts,” I tell her. “We’re leaving. Now.”
She smiles, her eyes full of promise. “I really like it when you use that stern voice on me.”
“I know. Why do you think I use it?” Chuckling, I place my hand at the small of her back and steer her through the crowd, making our way to the short hallway that leads to the manager’s office. The moment I get her in there, I shut and lock the door, pressing her against the wall with my body, effectively trapping her there.
She places her hands on my shoulders, not to push me away but to pull me closer to her. Our lips meet and cling. I slide my tongue against hers, taking the kiss deeper, and she moans into my mouth before breaking her lips from mine. “We so shouldn’t do this here.”
“Why? We christened my office. Let’s do the same for yours.”
She rolls her eyes but she’s smiling, her hands running down the front of my chest slowly, feeling every inch of me. I harden, ready to take her right here against the wall, but I don’t want to push if she’s not into it.
