Page 37

“IF YOU DON’T FUCK HIM—I will.”
My head turns.
Rog has come from the back and surveys the room, nodding to the regulars and a few of the men from Creed still lingering.
“You weren’t kidding. He’s… damn,” Luce whistles between her teeth leaning her head closer to mine, “he’s a friggin’ specimen. He’s huge Dev.” Her eyes widen, “I bet he’s huge everywhere.”
“Stop staring,” I hiss, “he’s going to think we’re talking about how we kissed in the kitchen.”
“What?!” She says loud enough that a few people whip their heads around.
“Calm, down Luce. You’re embarrassing me.”
“Details. I’m waiting up for you tonight and you are going to tell me everything. I want to hear everything.” With that she snaps up her purse and winks getting ready to leave.
“You don’t want to meet him?”
“Oh, I’m sure I will eventually… like when I pound on your bedroom wall when the sound of your sex permeates the apartment.”
“Shut up,” I laugh flicking her butt with the end of the dish towel I was using to clean the table with.
She waves at Rog like a cheerleader, all bright smiles with a toothy grin. I shake my head clearing the next table, wishing I could be more like her. She’s always in a good mood, always positive. Her days are sunshine and rainbows, while I often feel like I’m living under a rain cloud. Picking up my heavy tray filled with empty dinner plates, I look up, eyes instantly finding him. But he’s talking to Big Jim and tending bar. I sigh, knowing the night is far from over. Luce will go to bed and set an alarm for two a.m. just to interrogate my ass on everything that went down today.
There’s a shift between us. Rog didn’t speak one word to me for the rest of the night, but I found him instead of Toad or Federico waiting to walk me to my car. He took the keys from me and placed his hand at the small of my back. The lights flicked, and the sound of my locks unclicking had me reaching for the handle on the door. But his arm shot out and I found myself pinned between my car and hishardbody.
“Don’t play with me,” he warned as he pulled me back in his arms and his mouth found the sweet spot behind my ear before travelling down the side of my neck. I leaned back in his arms, sighing as his hands ran down the front of my thighs, I tried to turn around seeking his kiss, but he held me firmly with my ass pressed up against his hips.
“I’ll see you at the lake, sugar.” He released me, opened my car and as I sat turning the key in the ignition, I felt the brush of his fingertips travel down my face just before he softly shut the door. I sighed feeling tingly all over as my eyes met his in the rearview. His fists were buried in the pocket of his jeans, in his eyes a look that made me think he was debating following me home.
But he didn’t.
I barely slept last night tormented by the way his lips and hands felt on me.
Sighing, I rest my face on my hand remembering how his eyes can turn from lava to ice depending on his mood.
I had told him that I needed a few days off to set up my classroom. He nodded and smiled softly, telling me what I great teacher I must be. But his face darkened like a thundercloud when I asked if I could have Toad’s help. It’s hard work and I don’t know what I’m working with yet. He stilled, arms resting on the roof of my car, but he nodded his head.
A lock of hair slips from my ponytail, falling in front of my face. Blowing out my breath, I swipe it back in place, leaning over, the razor blade in my hand cutting effortlessly through the tape holding the box together.
“Knock, knock, teach.” Toad’s arrival breaks the spell of the man constantly running through my mind.
“Thanks for coming. I’ll owe you a beer.”
“Where’s Luce? Shouldn’t she be the one doing this?”
“Yeah right. This job requires muscle. Besides, she’s sleeping off her hangover. She’s not used to drinking every night. She’s been having too much fun at Sassy’s.”
“She’s cute as hell,” he smirks.
“And too old for you,” I answer handing him a soda and popping the top of my own.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking…,” he trails off and I glance up. His cheeks have turned pink. “That I want to graduate. Would you help me get my GED? I mean I know you’re busy with this job and Sassy’s—”
“Of course, I will. I’d be honored and I’m so happy for you Toad. I get why you love Creed—I do. I see it now; how you’re all family. But there’s so much more out there for you if you want it. We can get started next week. I’ll get everything we need from the student counselor’s office.”
“Thanks, Dev. Where do we get started here?”
I motion over to the stack of boxes the janitor pulled from storage. He whips a knife out from his back pocket and gets to work.