Page 73 of Silver Spoon Falls, Vol. I

FIFTY-ONE

CIARA

“That’s it, Cherry, touch yourself. Show me exactly what you like.”

I can’t resist his order. Calling on every single ounce of courage I possess, I slowly slide my finger between my dripping wet folds.

Somehow, pleasuring myself feels so much better knowing his icy blue eyes are following my movements.

A groan bursts from my lips as I spread my legs wider, giving him a better view of what my fingers are doing. I arch my back and groan his name and…

The freaking alarm blares, dragging me awake.

My eyes blink open, and I glance around my room, looking to see if maybe the football coach snuck through my window.

Of course, I find the room empty except for my girlish white wicker furniture.

Freaking heck. That was the most vivid dream of Garrett I’ve had.

And I’ve had some really, really intense fantasies.

I throw back the covers and hop out of bed, hoping a long, icy shower helps relieve the pressure dreaming of Garrett caused and wakes me the heck up. Getting only four hours of sleep each night is starting to wear me down, but I have to make sure my brother has breakfast before school.

I step into our small kitchen and come to a dead stop when I find Todd washing the dishes. “Good morning, CeCe.” He smiles sheepishly, and my heart melts at him using the nickname he gave me years ago.

“What’s all this?” I point at the scrambled eggs cooking on the stove. At least, I think the yellow mush bubbling in the nonstick pot is eggs.

“I wanted to cook breakfast for you.” Todd bites his lip and I’m thrust back in time.

When we were young, he always had the exact expression on his face every time he got caught being naughty.

“To help apologize for what I did.” He shrugs and pours the gooey mess onto a plate.

When he sets it in front of me, I force myself to eat the runny eggs while my brother watches.

“This is one mistake I can’t fix for you.” I hate that I can’t fix everything for him. “You’re going to have to deal with the consequences on your own.”

Last night, Garrett fed us and then brought us straight home.

It might be stupid, but I was a little disappointed when he gave me a quick kiss and left.

I was too done in by the day’s events to even contemplate cleaning the kitchen.

Plus, I needed time to come to terms with everything that had happened.

I lay awake most of the night, running through my conversation with Garrett over and over.

My knight in shining armor is offering me a lifeline, and I’m still terrified to take it.

But Todd’s mistake has left me with few options.

“I know. Coach Marsh already texted me and reminded me to bring work clothes to school because he’s going to drop me off at the Silver Spoon MC clubhouse after practice.”

“How are you getting home?” I have no idea how we’re going to survive while my little Sentra is in the shop.

“Mr. Montoya is going to drive me home once I’m done.” Todd finishes up the kitchen and then reaches for his backpack. “I’ll see you later.” He smiles and leans over to give me a kiss on the cheek. “I promise I’ll make this up to you.”

I finish straightening up the kitchen before sitting at my tiny desk in the corner with five minutes to spare. In order to keep a roof over our heads, I work five nights a week at the bar and spend my mornings doing data entry for a local insurance agency.

Last night’s events run through my mind, reminding me that I probably don’t have a job at the Last Resort Bar. I’m not even sure there still is a bar.

Hopefully, Garrett’s brother-in-law comes through with his job offer.

Apprehension rises up my spine as I search my email for a message from Razor Montgomery.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I find a brief message giving me a time to stop by the Park Avenue Bar to get fitted for my uniform.

My eyes widen as I read further down and see they’re offering thirty-hours a week, the same hours I worked at The Last Resort, and full benefits, including health insurance.

I almost fist bump the air at the thought of having health insurance for myself again. And my pocketbook is going to rejoice at saving six hundred dollars a month on Todd’s insurance. I send a quick reply, confirming I received the email, and turn my attention to my other job.

At lunchtime, I’m putting my computer to sleep to fix lunch, knowing I’ll be here working much later today because I’ve fallen behind on work from daydreaming, when my phone dings with a message.

I almost drop the elderly iPhone when I see Coach Hottie flash across the screen.

Oof. If I’m going to be seeing Garrett more, I need to change the silly nickname Carlie put for him before he sees it.

Coach Hottie

Good morning, Cherry. How’s your day going?

I type out three different replies before I finally decide on the one I end up sending.

Me

Much better since I heard from Razor Montgomery.

I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon to get fitted for my uniform.

Thank you so much.

Coach Hottie

You can thank me by having dinner with me tonight.

And I want to see that uniform before you wear it in public.

Me

How is YOU providing ME with dinner a way for ME to thank YOU?

I can’t even think of a response to the uniform thing.

Last night, I noticed the hunger shining from his bright blue eyes and almost allowed myself to believe he has feelings for me, too.

Then I reminded myself that he’s Todd’s coach.

And a coach and teacher at Silver Spoon Falls High School.

There’s no way the hottie who could have any woman on earth would risk his career for me.

Coach Hottie

Have dinner with me and I’ll explain it to you.

Garrett Marsh has the ability to destroy my heart. There’s only way my heart will survive this. I need to keep things brief and professional. Yeah, right. And I have a bridge in San Francisco to sell myself.

Me

I have to figure out something to do with Todd.

I love my baby brother, but it’s going to take a while for him to earn my trust again. Maybe Carlie will help me out.

Coach Hottie

Cash is bringing Todd back to his house to have dinner with his family, then he’ll drop him off at your house. I’ll bring you home right after dinner so we’re there when your brother gets home.

Well, there goes all my arguments. Not that I was really trying too hard to find reasons to avoid a date with him.

Me

When and where?

Coach Hottie

I’ll be at your house at 5.

I send him a thumbs up before getting back to work. I lose track of time and end up working way the heck too late. After shutting down my computer, I rush to my tiny bathroom to take a quick shower. If I’m going to have dinner with the hottest guy in Silver Spoon Falls, I plan to look my best.

I’m drying off when I get a text from Carlie.

Carlie

They closed the bar.

Me

I heard. What are you going to do?

Carlie

I have an interview with the Park Avenue Bar tomorrow. What are you planning?

Me

I’m trying the Park Avenue Bar, too. I’ll call you later and explain everything. Right now, I have to get ready for dinner with Garrett.

I’m not surprised when my phone rings five seconds after I send the message.

“Hello,” I answer, waiting for the interrogation I know is coming from my best friend.

“I don’t care how busy you are,” she growls. “You can’t throw out words like ‘I have a date,’ and expect me to wait for an explanation. Now spill the beans and don’t leave anything out. I want every single detail.” Her irritated huff causes me to smile.

Where do I even start? I glance at my watch and notice the time. I’ll have to give her the abbreviated version if I have any hope of being ready at five o’clock.

“Todd took my car and wrecked it. The sheriff called Coach Garrett, and he took care of everything. He’s taking me to dinner tonight to pay him back for everything.” Yes, that sounds silly to me but it’s the truth.

“He’s taking you to dinner to pay him back?” Leave it to my friend to zero in on that. “And is Todd okay?”

“Yes, and yes.” I don’t have time to go into more detail right now. “I don’t have time to explain the rest. I have to go if I’m going to be ready when Garrett gets here, but I’ll call you tomorrow morning after Todd leaves for school.”

“Okay.” Carlie snorts. “But I want the complete rundown tomorrow. And I’ll hunt you down, if necessary, to get it. And you owe me big time. It’s going to be hell on earth waiting until tomorrow to hear this story.”

“It’s a deal,” I tell my friend and hang up. Carlie is the best. I know she’s dying to hear the entire story, but she’s willing to wait. Impatiently.

At eleven minutes until five, I start pacing the tiny space in front of my door.

Our tiny one-bedroom apartment isn’t big enough to actually have a hallway.

It consists of a postage stamp-sized galley kitchen, one tiny bedroom that I use, a sofa bed in the living room for Todd, and we share the airplane-sized bathroom.

It’s not much, but at least we aren’t living in my car.

When our parents died, there was just enough life insurance money to bury them and pay off my car.

Our family home was mortgaged to the hilt and the bank ended up taking it.

At least the banker who’d dealt with my parents all these years was nice enough to pull strings for us.

The bank allowed us to stay in the house for a month, giving me time to scrape together the security deposit for this tiny apartment in Silver Spoon Falls.

It isn’t much, but I didn’t want to uproot my brother and move to a cheaper and probably more dangerous area.

I almost jump out of my skin when I hear three loud knocks on the thin door. I take a deep breath and run my hands down my pink t-shirt, soothing out the non-existent wrinkles. “I’m coming,” I call and check the peephole to make sure it’s Garrett.

My heart pounds away in my chest when I see him standing there staring back at me. I pull the door open and smile at him.

“Not yet, but we can work on it later.” He winks at me and bends over to kiss my cheek while I force my mushy brain to function. His words bounce around my mind as I attempt to figure out what he means.

My eyes widen as his meaning becomes clear. At least I think it does. Did he just offer to work on making me come later? Holy shiitake. I’m in way over my head here.

“Uh,” Is all I manage to mutter.

Garrett laughs and kisses me. Kiss is too tame a word for what he does to me. His lips move over mine gently while his tongue slips into my mouth, consuming me, heart and soul.

I sigh his name against his lips as my body melts against his muscular frame. Something really hard and big—very, very big —presses against my tummy, waking up every nerve in my body along with my virgin girly bits.