by Sindee Lynn
“I’m sorry. Can I help you,” she asked a little tentatively, not quite meeting his gaze.
“Hi, I swiped my card and the pump didn’t start,” he began, smile in place.
When she made to interrupt, he held up his hand.
“Yes, I know credit cards aren’t processing. You told me already.”
Her eyes narrowed and then got bigger. The frown that formed between her arched eyebrows almost caused his smile to falter before he realized it must not be for him. Someone must have come into the store, and he hadn’t heard them.
“Then what can I do for you?”
The abruptness of her tone caught him off guard. Okay, so maybe the frown was for him. What had happened to the soft spoken woman who had offered to help him? Then, it hit him.
“Well, first, I’d like to apologize for my language earlier. I assure you I didn’t mean it towards you. It’s just I was running late for a date. I didn’t have time to stop for gas on my way in from work, and now the credit cards aren’t processing. It just hasn’t been my day,” he explained laughing softly. “And, well, I guess I just let it get the best of me for a moment.”
Kenny flashed her one of his best smiles, showing off his now perfectly straight white teeth, thanks to three years of high school spent in braces. He stood there waiting for her to return his smile. After all, he had just apologized for his bad language, and he was giving her his best smile. It never failed to put women at ease and bring them around to his way of thinking. That is until now. The frown between the perfectly arched eyebrows of the woman in front of him remained. Kenny couldn't recall the last time he had gotten this reaction from a woman, if ever. At an early age, he had discovered women of all ages and nationalities found him attractive. And what wasn’t to find attractive, he thought. He had worked damn hard over the years to keep up what God had blessed him with.
He stood six feet three inches in height and weighed in at two hundred and ten pounds. There wasn’t an extra ounce of fat on his whole body. His personal trainer saw to it that every part of him was well-toned. From his muscular chest and arms to the six pack, he had worked hours to obtain and now spent hours in the gym to maintain. If that wasn’t enough, his biracial genes had blessed him with a light brown complexion and hazel eyes women seemed to find irresistible. Well, except for the woman in front of him, it seemed.
“Apology accepted, but I still can’t do anything to help you unless you want to pay in cash,” she said, her face showing no signs of sympathy for his plight. “I was just on the phone with Roger, and he’s on his way, but it might still be a while yet before he gets here. I’m sure you’re aware that if by some chance the machine read your credit card, as long as we don’t put in the request for payment, any holds will fall off in a matter of days.”
Everything in her stance and attitude said she was bored with their conversation. Staring at the woman behind the counter, Kenny stood there in shock. Her expression hadn’t changed with his apology or his smile. If anything, the frown had deepened the longer he stood there. Disbelief over her reaction confused him. He had never run into a woman who hadn't been affected by his looks and his smile.
Years of women constantly tripping and stumbling over their words when in his presence had given him a rather sizeable ego. And so he had begun to expect a certain reaction from the opposite sex. But the reaction of this woman was completely unexpected. Curious to discover who could resist the legendary charm of Kenny Jamison, he took his first real look at the woman standing on the other side of the counter. Cute but not his type brushed against his mind again.
She was maybe five foot eight or nine inches tall. Beautiful, long, black hair with brown streaks running through it fell past her shoulders. Large, brown eyes stared defiantly back at him, but before he could decipher what he saw, she lowered her lashes and his private link into her soul was extinguished. Curious, he thought briefly before moving past her expressive eyes onto her face. She was definitely cute with a nice, smooth, coffee complexion and no blemishes that he could see. His hazel gaze moved leisurely down her slender neck to take in the rest of her. The oversized shirt she had on couldn’t hide her well-endowed chest. He loved a woman with large breasts, but typically he preferred them on a smaller frame than that of the woman in front of him. So it came as a surprise to find his body responding to their rounded lushness. It had been several weeks since he’d had sex, and his body chose this moment to remind him of that fact by throbbing to life. Kenny willed his body to stop, but by the time he’d made his way back up to her eyes, he had a raging hard on and even the disapproving glare staring back at him was not enough to quell his body’s reaction.
“Was there something else you needed, sir, or did you want to go ahead and pay for your gas with cash,” she asked, irritation ringing clear in her voice this time.
When she folded her arms over her ample chest, Kenny realized where his gaze had automatically fallen. His dick continued to harden painfully against his body the longer he stared at those large orbs. His mouth watered with his need to taste them. At the sound of a throat being cleared rather loudly, he forced his gaze up until he met hers. Perturbed eyes stared back at him. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it enough to think. What the hell was wrong with him? Sure, it had been a while since he’d last had sex but he must be more in need than he had initially thought to be lusting after…well, someone so far from what he normally went for. Kenny took a low breath and brought his mind back to the more pressing issue than the dick pushed against his zipper.
“I don’t have any cash on me, and I don’t have enough gas to get back to my house and then back again when the card processing is working. Any suggestions,” he asked, a crooked grin now gracing his lips.
Maybe she wasn’t into full-blown, toothy smiles he reasoned. Or maybe it was just men who stared at her chest, his conscience added. But as her look of irritation remained firmly in place, he decided she wasn’t into cute, boyish grins either. Or dirty old men who stared at her chest. Okay, he screamed inside, I get the picture.
“There’s an ATM machine in the back. I have other people waiting.”
Kenny glanced behind him to see about six people waiting rather impatiently for their turn. He nodded his thank you and mumbled he would be back with his ATM card. Confusion followed him out of the store as he walked back to his car. Why hadn't she responded to him? His charm had been in full effect, and she hadn't batted an eye. In fact, the more he had smiled the deeper her frown had gotten. Kenny was sure there were women out there who didn’t find him attractive. He had just never imagined finding one at the local gas station housed in a curvaceous, top heavy body with large, expressive eyes.
Okay, so maybe he shouldn’t have been staring at her breasts. Hell, he didn’t even know what had gotten into him, but he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of them. Had she even noticed her nipples hardening as his gaze had been roaming over her body? Did she know they had poked through the material of her shirt? Well, if she hadn’t, he had. The thought of her getting excited by his looks had only fueled his growing desire.
Halfway back to the store after having retrieved his ATM card from the car, Kenny realized it could possibly be his ego causing him to be so concerned about the reaction or lack of reaction from one woman. He had just been dumped after all. It made perfectly good sense. He’d bet on a regular day he wouldn’t have one thought or another about the gas station attendant with the large breasts. Or wonder at the mysterious look in her gaze he couldn't decipher.
Kenny continued walking towards the store, more confused now than when he’d walked out. What he needed to do was just get his cash, pay for his gas and go home. Maybe after he’d had a chance to assimilate the events of the day, he’d feel better and more himself. Yeah, he was sure of it. But as he looked up and saw her through the window, smiling at the customer in front of her, her head tilted to the side, his convictions faltered. He noticed the frown that had been between her brows when spe
aking to him was nowhere in sight. Something akin to jealousy crawled under his skin as he took in the relaxed way she leaned one hip against the counter. His stomach tightened at the warm smile she graced the man with. He wondered what he’d have to do to be on the receiving end of one of those.
Chapter 3
Connie Banks finished waiting on the last customer in line, a soft smile upon her face.
“Thank you and again I’m sorry about any inconvenience,” she said to the man standing in front of her.
“It’s no problem. You tell Roger to get it fixed, though,” he responded before leaving with a wave.
She waved back. Okay, so maybe tonight wasn’t going so bad. It was her first night of work, and so far everyone had been really nice about the credit card issue. Well, not everyone, she thought, gazing out the window of the store. She could see him leaning into his car. What was that a Mercedes? An Infiniti? A BMW? Something foreign and expensive she was sure. Her heart skipped a beat as he closed his car door and headed back towards the store. Dear Lord but he was gorgeous. And he knew it too. That was never a good combination.
She allowed herself the luxury of taking in every detail she might have missed while he had stood in front of her. Connie had needed to have her wits about her and couldn't afford to let down any part of her walls against the sheer magnetism of this man. But now, with some distance between them, she could look her fill.
His long legs ate up the distance between his vehicle and the store. He moved so gracefully for a man of his height and size. He had to be over six feet. And the way his shirt fit his body was a sin. It stretched across his chest, showing off his muscular build and flat stomach. And those eyes. A soft sigh escaped her parted lips as she recalled her first look at him.
He had stood there with his fingers displayed on the counter top smiling at her. Every brain cell she owned had been instantly fried. The effects on her body had been just as immediate. It had started as a simple ache, reminding her of exactly how long it had been since she’d last had sex. Her panties had gotten moist, and she had to struggle to get air into her lungs. He was in a word – hot. Then he’d opened his mouth and began speaking. The deep timber of his voice had caressed her senses leaving them aching and wanting more. It had also been what made her realize he had been the one who had cursed at her a few moments before. The knowledge had gone a long way to tone down all the effects of his overall sexiness, but just barely. When he’d been standing there giving her the once over, Connie had struggled to appear unaffected by his silent perusal. But she hadn't been able to stop her body’s increasing awareness of the man staring at her. Under his intense gaze, her nipples had grown hard as if he’d touched them with those beautifully long fingers of his. It had taken everything for her to stand there with her frown in place and not shove her breasts in his hands.
The closer he got to the door Connie could swear she could see the sex appeal dripping off of him in waves. Not to mention his arrogance and bad mouth, she reminded herself. You can tell just by the way he walks he thinks it’s all about him. He probably has women lined up around the corner begging for dates. Didn’t he say he was running late for a date when he’d come in? She tried everything she could to recreate her shields from earlier, but her body’s attraction to the gorgeous specimen opening the door was making it hard.
She looked up to see him walking through the door. Her heart slammed against her chest. Why was he smiling at her? Hadn't he gotten it through his head that neither those beautiful white teeth nor the luscious curve of his mouth affected her? Liar, her body and brain screamed in unison. Okay, girl, heads up for round two. Ding.
“The ATM machine is in the back by the magazine rack,” she said when he walked up to the counter.
The last thing she needed was for him to start talking to her. Just the sight of him standing there was causing enough of a hardship on her sexually starved body.
The man paused, and she knew she had caught him off guard. She fought to contain the smug smile that threatened to lift her lips up. She could imagine he was used to women swooning and falling at his feet. Well, she was determined not to be one of those women. She would do her swooning and falling once he’d left the store and she was safe with her thoughts.
“Uh, yes, you told me that already. I wanted to apologize again for my earlier rudeness. I realize it’s not your fault Roger can’t seem to permanently fix the problem with the credit cards. He was having this same problem a few weeks ago,” he said, leaning against the counter.
A dimmed down version of his earlier smile was in place. His gaze was level with hers. The intensity of it was trying to draw her in. Oh, have mercy on me, Lord. Why are you testing me like this? You know I’ve always been weak for a pretty man. Not that they’ve ever been weak for me, Connie thought. But this one was definitely giving off some pretty heavy vibes. She quickly shook the thought away. It was preposterous to think about. She’d been wrong about men in the past and she’d paid the cost.
“Yeah, well, he said he would be here in a few to fix it,” she said, moving away from the counter.
She leaned casually against the low counter behind her. Perhaps some distance would make it easier for her to think clearly. She was determined not to get caught up in his eyes. It would mean her downfall for sure. When he continued to stand there with confusion on his face, she wanted to scream at him to just go get his cash and pay for his gas. Then, he could leave and she could breathe again. He stood at the counter for a few moments more before he mumbled something about going to the ATM machine. Once he was gone, Connie took a deep breath into her lungs. She was almost home free. He would get his money and leave. She wouldn't have to look into those hazel eyes of his or at that scrumptious body much longer. The bell above the door alerted her a customer had entered. She stepped back to the counter.
While Connie made idle chit chat with the man standing in front of her, she couldn't help but compare him to the man at the back of the store. He was average looking and of average height. Looking at him didn’t hurt her eyes or cut off oxygen to her brain. She continued smiling at the man who was obviously flirting with her. This is more your speed, her brain reminded her. The thought didn’t exactly fill her with joy.
“Thank you for your understanding. Have a good evening,” she said, bidding the man farewell.
“I will. Thanks. Tell Roger I’m glad he finally came to his senses and hired some more help. And what cute help,” the man said, winking at her before leaving.
Connie simply smiled. Yeah, that was her, cute. Yuck! She had been called cute most of her life. Her older sister, Brenda, was the beautiful one, and she was the cute one. Brenda was the thin one, and she was the big boned one, she thought with a twist to her lips. Brenda was the glamour model, now retired, and she was the newly hired gas station attendant. Connie shook her head as an unexpected wave of self-pity tried to claim her. She shook it off. There was no reason for it. She was working at the convenience store by her own choice, and once she was done with college, she’d be on her way.
“Excuse me. I hate to bother you, but this is not working,” Mr. Gorgeous called from the back.
The man might be good looking, but if he couldn't work a simple ATM machine, then there was something wrong. It should have been enough to completely turn her off. Connie hated a man who was all looks and no brain, but when she walked to the back and saw the deep frown between his eyebrows, all she wanted to do was reach up and smooth it out.
“What’s it saying?” she asked, stepping around him until she could see the screen of the ATM machine.
She was surprised to discover that next to him she actually felt small. Even though her head came to his shoulder and she was positive she weighed more than he did, his overall size and presence was larger than her body mass. She didn’t think there had ever been a man who had been able to make her feel like she was, well, small.
She brought her attention back to the machine in front of her and the error message
on the screen. Could it be God’s way of paying him back for all that arrogance?
“The machine is out of money,” she said, a small smile on her face, and headed back to the front of the store.
Her smile broadened when she heard the curse from the back. He sure did have a short fuse. That should have been a turn off as well. She hated men who resorted to profanity instead of using their brains and rational thought. But instead she found herself sympathizing with him. She sure hoped his date would be as sympathetic. At the thought of the mystery woman waiting for him, her smile disappeared. Now that was a turn off.
“Did Roger say how long he was going to be?” he asked, coming back to the front of the store.
Noting the frown between his brows had deepened, another wave of sympathy for him washed over her. Even if he was in a rush to get to another woman, no one should have the kind of luck he seemed to be having tonight. Connie didn’t bother to remind herself he wasn’t rushing off to another woman. He was rushing off to his woman. There was a difference.
“No, he didn’t say.”
“Great. It’s the perfect end to the perfect day,” he said, leaning on the counter with his elbows and looking up at her.
He reminded her of a lost little boy, and it melted her heart like those full blown "I am sexy hear me roar" smiles of his from earlier could not.
“Look, I don’t know how much longer or even if Roger is gonna show tonight. He’s been coming for the last two hours and hasn’t made it yet. So how about I loan you a few bucks for gas, and you can pay me back once you get some cash.”
The offer surprised even her, but she reluctantly had to admit it was because she wanted to see him smile again. Nothing could have prepared her for the brilliance of the smile he graced her with. It was ten times brighter than the one from earlier, and she could see the genuine surprise in his eyes over her offer.
“You would do that for me? A stranger? Someone you might never see again? Not that I’m like that because I will definitely be back to repay you. But I’m just curious why you would do that for someone you don’t know. Or is it just to get me out of here and out of your hair?” he asked, his lopsided grin from earlier returning.
