Page 42 of The Toy Maker

Sarah wrapped her pale arm around me, her chest bouncing with every movement she made. “And it looked like he has a nice…” The waggle of her eyebrows made me roll my eyes.

“He’s a customer.” I glanced to Kitty for the proper reaction. “There’s got to be a rule against it, right?”

Kitty chuckled with a shrug, “Not really.”

“So… we can go out with the customers?” My brows furrowed.

“It probably isn’t the smartest choice, but it’s allowed.” Surely, they’d had issues with this before. What happened if the others weren’t as nice as Ethan was?

I shook off the new information. “He’s still just a customer.”

“Who took you out for coffee,” Jade reminded me.

“He also left you a pretty large tip.” Kitty glanced at the list on her clipboard.

I tilted my head. “Tip?”

“It’s not the kind of tip she wanted,” Sarah teased with encouragement from Jade.

Kitty went behind the desk and called me to the computer, reading the screen. “See, he paid his bill and then left you a hundred dollars.”Plus, free coffee.

I blinked at the numbers in front of me. I needed the money, but everything inside of me screamed that it was too much for so little return.

Unless he wants something else…

There was only so far I could stoop to keep myself away from my verbally incontinent mother and her relentless criticism. Ethan would just have to understand that, if he ever asked.

Kitty’s bright pink phone vibrated against the glass countertop, and she glanced at it. “Jason wants to talk to you,” she said before typing a message and sending it back.

My stomach flipped; I’d had enough of him for one night, but the memory of his stunt sparked my imagination. The thoughts were dirty—too dirty.

If I went back to his lair again, I knew I might give in to his deal.

I needed to stay away from him. “He can wait,” I bristled.

“Bold move,” Jade said before leaning in. “Even for a Cherry.”

I laughed. “I’m off the clock, and he has done nothing but stress me out.”

The girls exchanged confused glances.

I corrected myself, “Like when he acted unhappy with my initiation.”

Jade nodded, pursing her lips. “Well, we’d hate to see you stressed.”

I held my middle finger up for her to see.

A sarcastic smirk formed on her face. “Go for it.” Jade let out a low porn star moan while dragging her fingers over her crotch. I rolled my eyes at her show.

Sarah smacked her ass. “C’mon, I’ll play with you.”

“Finally.” Jade winked in my direction and flew off into the back room with Sarah close behind.

Kitty excused herself and headed to Jason’s lair, not that I noticed for any particular reason. They spent a lot of time alone together. When the curtains closed, Kitty grabbed her clipboard of dirty numbers and rushed off to report the news to Jason. And I couldn’t help but wonder if I wasn’t the only one connected to him.

I stood alone on the showroom floor with toys scattered around me, wet from thirty eager Cherries.

SEVENTEEN