by D. Kelly
“I haven’t broken one yet.” The smoldering look he gives her is about to set my panties on fire. The two of them are seriously hot.
“You sure haven’t.” Aurora’s sultry tone is all it takes for Max to come out of the kitchen and pull her into a sexy fucking kiss. As they break apart, I fan myself with a napkin.
I point between the two of them. “Whatever it is the two of you have between you, you need to patent it, bottle it, and sell it to the rest of the world. Hot damn.”
Gabe meets my eyes from the kitchen, and I quickly avert my gaze. I won’t let myself be sucked into his sexiness again. I should have left that fantasy back in high school instead of letting him rock my world earlier. I’ll give the man props though; he knows how to fuck.
“The world can’t handle this secret formula,” Max replies as he pinches Aurora’s ass and, like any good woman, she pinches his right back.
“Are we having an ass-pinching party tonight? I could get on board with that.” Agnes takes a seat at the counter with me, and Max laughs.
“Evening, Agnes,” he greets her with a panty-melting smile.
She nudges my shoulder and points to him. “Isn’t his smile the ultimate spank bank material?”
I practically choke on the sip of water I just took. This woman is too much. I think I might actually miss her. Aurora leans over the counter and whispers, “The smile is nice, but his ass is where it’s at.”
With a quick wink, she links her arm through Max’s, and after saying their goodbyes, they head back to their apartment.
“One day the walls are going to crumble from all that screaming he makes her do, and I’m finally going to see that ass in action,” Agnes says with a cackle as she watches them cross the parking lot. All I can do is shake my head. I could use someone like Agnes in my life to keep me on my toes.
“I think you’d like my best friend, Agnes. Maybe I’ll have to drive him out for a steak one day so you two can meet.”
She whips her head toward me so fast I’m surprised she didn’t give herself whiplash. “Is he sexy, honey? I’m too old to wade through the ugly ducklings anymore.”
“You talked to him the other night, Agnes,” Gabe says as he fills her coffee cup. “Her best friend is my cousin Baxter.”
“Oh, he was a hoot. We already have a deal. I can watch him and his man get busy, but I’m not allowed to steal his lube. Which is fine because watching two hotties get it on will jumpstart my natural lubrication on its own.”
My jaw drops before the laughter pours from my lips. Only Baxter would make a deal with a little old lady to let her watch him get it on.
“Well, Agnes,” I pause, unable to keep the smile off my face, “you must be special because even I haven’t been allowed to watch Baxter get it on. And let me tell you, it’s not for lack of trying.”
“Aw, honey, it’s a sympathy thing. He feels bad for the little old lady is all. When you get to be my age, you can use that card for all it’s worth. I’ll let you in on a little secret, some days it’s worth quite a bit. In fact, there’s one of those clubs in Vegas, you know the ones with the whips and chains and …”
“A BDSM club?!”
My shrieking has her snapping her fingers. “Yup, that’s the kind. Last year I managed to sucker some guard into feeling bad for me and setting me up in their lounge for the night. All you could drink, snacks, and the best kind of view all around. Let me tell you, I thought some of those tricks were a little rough, but they sure did seem to be enjoying themselves.”
This lady slays me in the all the best ways. Gabe looks like he’s trying hard not to laugh and darts into the kitchen under the guise of needing something. I swear I hear him snickering in there.
“Do you have grandkids, Agnes?”
She adds some sugar to her coffee and stirs. “Nope, we never had any kids. Honey, we were too busy seeing the world. The husband and I were travelers. We made the most out of every day, but kids weren’t in our life plan. It’s better that way. I’d hate having someone hover over me trying to tell me not to put sugar in my coffee, or not to eat those banana pancakes. Something is going to kill me. If it’s not sugar, it could be a snake or a bus. Life is too short to worry about the what ifs, you know?”
That last sentence runs through my head on repeat. I’ve been stuck on the what ifs for nearly three days.
“Well, if you ever decide you want a granddaughter, you give me a call. You’re a hoot, Agnes, and I’d be happy to spend some time with you.”
As she places her spoon on her napkin, her eyes twinkle with delight. “Honey, I don’t need a family, but I could use a girlfriend. You can bring that Baxter, and we can head to Vegas and see those Australian boys over there. They’re definitely packing the thunder down under.”
“You’ve got a deal. Put your number in my phone and we’ll make a date. Between you and Bax I’ll have the best comic relief ever.”
“The three of you can’t be trusted in Vegas alone,” Gabe grumbles as he returns with Agnes’s pancakes.
“Are you volunteering to be our chaperone? I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” she says, winking at him.
“No, he’s not invited.”
Her eyes dart between the two of us. “Hmm. You failed, Gabe. I’m disappointed. I thought you had it in you.”
“Had what in me?” He sounds just as confused as I feel.
“The ability to fuck her anger away. So were you not up to the job? Or did you fail the mission altogether and not get any?”
Gabe steps back from the counter with wide eyes. For once, I think he’s speechless. “We are not talking about this,” he finally mutters, trying hard to stay in control.
I’m all too happy to play along with Agnes at his expense. “Oh, he’s got a nice technique for sure, but sometimes even the nicest cock is attached to an unredeemable asshole. I’d give him an A for the sex and an F in ethics.”
“Sometimes, Sage, you have to appreciate the rose for its beauty and forget about those nasty thorns. Some of the best things in the world have some unredeemable quality about them. It’s up to you to decide if what you get in return is worth a bit of discomfort along the way.”
Hell, I just got schooled in life by an old woman. Gabe smiles as he wipes down the counter.
“You’re a pretty smart lady, Agnes. I’m going to miss you.” I pat her shoulder before heading over to seat the customers that just walked in.
This entire weekend has been surreal. I’m in a place I never knew existed, with a man I wish I could forget and a woman I barely even know but am going to miss the crap out of. The pendulum of life sways in the oddest directions sometimes.
CHAPTER NINE
GABE
LISTENING TO SAGE AND AGNES is eye-opening in a lot of ways. No matter how much of a front Sage puts up, I know I hurt her. If she were any other girl, it wouldn’t even bother me; I’d chalk it up to co-dependency or something. One-night stands shouldn’t get attached, but as much as I hate to admit it to myself, Sage isn’t an ordinary girl or my typical one-night stand.
Part of the appeal of staying with Baxter was to get to know her again and maybe have a dedicated fuck buddy, someone who wanted all the perks without any of the strings. I never calculated her feelings or mine into the equation though.
I watch as she hops from table to table, greeting everyone with a smile and a joke. She’s naturally friendly, and it makes her all the more special. This is a woman who argues cases in a court of law and makes a hell of a salary, I’m sure. Yet, out of the goodness of her heart, she’s helping me out. I’m the last person she should give her kindness to. Well, maybe second to last; her mom deserves last place more than me.
The hours pass faster than I’d like, and I’ve yet to figure out a way to make things right between the two of us.
“Three more orders of banana pancakes with extra chocolate chips,” she says, placing the orders next to me.
“Sage, wait.” She pauses but doesn’t turn around
. “Can we go back to normal? Please?” If you can’t beat them, win them with kindness, right?
“Sure.” She flashes me a brilliant smile, showing off the dimple in her left cheek. “I’ll keep hating you like I have for the past twelve years or so, and you can keep pretending I don’t exist.”
She sashays out of the kitchen, seemingly lighter than when she came in. Even though I hate her answer, it’s classic Sage in every way. Resolving to beat her at her own game, I prepare myself for the next few hours.
A little while later, as she’s bending across the counter, I make my first move. As she scrubs at the sticky syrup coating the counter, I side step behind her. My front ghosts across her behind as I pass behind her.
She narrows her eyes at me. “You did that on purpose.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. There’s limited space back here, and I needed to get past. Chill, Sage, it’s not like I bent you over and tried to take you from behind.” Her eyes glaze over as if she’s imagining just the thing. “I mean, I could if you want me to.”
Quickly snapping out of it, she glares at me. “Never again.”
After her next customers place a huge order, I take my time getting it ready. The diner is slow right now, and they can wait a few extra minutes for their food. Sage finally enters the kitchen as I’m plating the last order.
“What is taking you so long? Did you have to go fetch the eggs from the chickens yourself?” She storms to the counter and reaches for a plate when I intercept her arm.
“Easy there, sexy. The plate is on the warmer; you’re going to burn yourself if you’re not careful.”
“Don’t call me sexy,” she growls.
“It’s what you are.”
“Have you ever heard of sexual harassment in the workplace?”
She’s trying to keep her voice low, but I know I’m getting under her skin. Inching closer to her, I push her hair behind her shoulder. “I’ve heard of it, but I’m not an employee, and neither are you. In fact, you’re doing me a favor if I remember correctly, and in case I haven’t made it clear, I’m very appreciative of your help.”
She shivers as I caress her jawline with my thumb. As it reaches her lips, she bites at it. “Gabe …” she warns, but I know I’m wearing her down even if it’s an asshole thing to do.
“Sage, I’m pretty sure biting is my job.” She sucks in a deep breath. “Especially while I’m holding you down and fucking you.”
“You are such a dick,” she hisses, pushing past me.
“And you love that about me, even if you won’t admit it.”
She pivots on her heel. “I’m taking a restroom break. You deliver the food to the table by the window.”
“If you take a bathroom break every time I make you wet between the legs tonight, you might as well stay in there.”
“Ugh!” She storms off, and I’m positive it’s because she’s sexually frustrated and not because she’s angry with me.
“You hitting that, bro?”
A table full of cocky frat boys. No wonder Sage wanted their food.
After putting their food on the table, I take a step back and cross my arms. “You surely wouldn’t be talking about my wife, right?”
His friends quiet down quickly as he tries to backtrack. “Nah, man, I was uh … joking with my friends about some girl in the parking lot.”
“That’s good because I just got out of jail for beating the last guy who hit on her. I’d hate to violate my parole already.”
Sage walks up on the tail end of that sentence.
“You’re on parole too? What the hell else don’t I know, Gabe?”
“Nothing, baby, I promise.” She raises a brow, and I pull her close, dropping a kiss on the top of her head before leading her away from their table.
“Damn, dude, he almost beat you silly.” His friends break into laughter, and I’m surprised Sage hasn’t pulled away from me yet.
“You okay?”
“I’ve dealt with worse.” She shrugs.
“Well, you don’t have to now. I’ll take their table. Why don’t you go make some fresh coffee?”
“I don’t need you to save me, you know.”
“Trust me, Sage, I’ve never met anyone in my life who needs saving less than you.” For whatever reason, that makes her smile as she saunters off. If anything, I’m beginning to feel as if I’m the one who needs saving from her.
By the time the frat boys leave, we only have two hours left on our shift. I’m in the restroom washing my hands and wracking my brain over what I can do to get back in her good graces. When I open the door, Sage’s panicked voice greets my ears.
“I told you there isn’t a safe!”
The hair stands up on my arms, and I walk slowly down the hall, hoping not to startle whoever is giving her trouble. There isn’t anywhere for me to go to assess the situation and my fucking phone is in the kitchen.
Once I’ve got her in my line of sight, it’s worse than I thought. The man holding her at gunpoint is shaking like a leaf. He’s obviously detoxing or coming down. The slightest wrong move and he’s going to squeeze the trigger. His eyes dart my way, and he points the gun back and forth between the two of us. If I can just get his attention away from her long enough to attack him, she should be able to run for Max.
“You, get over here and give me the money.” With my hands in the air, I follow his order. Anything to deter his attention away from her. “Open the register, no funny stuff.”
Walking around the counter, I make sure to inch Sage into the back corner so she’s further away from this crazy fucker. I open the register and pull out the money. There isn’t much; I dropped the rest into the safe in the office about an hour ago.
“This is it? Sixty measly bucks?”
“What do you expect? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
He narrows his eyes. “I’ve been in the parking lot for hours. You’ve been busy. Where is the rest of the money?”
“You ever heard of a credit card machine? No one carries cash anymore, not even to tip. Stingy bastards.”
That got him. I see the spark of recognition in his eyes. He thinks he’s found a kindred spirit.
“How do people expect us to live these days? Feed our kids?” Pretty sure that should be my line since he’s robbing us, but if he needs someone to commiserate with, I’ll step up.
“Exactly. I feel you. I’m only making minimum wage and tips if I get any. I don’t hold my breath anymore. Out here, people either save their money for Vegas or have already spent it there.”
His eyes move to Sage, and he gives her the once-over. I don’t like the look on his face and wish Max and Aurora would take a look out their window.
“Doesn’t seem like you have it too bad. You get to work with this hot piece of ass. Come of here, honey, and tell me your name.”
Sage glares at him, but she stays put. He lifts the gun in her direction, and I step back, closer to her.
“Leave her alone.”
No way in hell am I letting him anywhere near her.
“Now, just when I thought we were going to be friends. Friends share, don’t they? Let me see your pretty lady. Move.”
I move all right, directly in front of her.
“It’s going to be like that. Okay, so be it.” He walks around the counter until he’s just a few feet in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Max in the kitchen. Thank God. With his Special Ops background, maybe he’ll be able to get us out of this mess. He’s tucked himself in a corner where this guy can’t see him.
“It doesn’t have to be like anything. Let the lady go, and we can resolve this ourselves.” The door opens, and the sheriff comes inside. He’s a friend a Max and Aurora’s and a regular for breakfast. I push Sage back out of the way so the gunman’s only option is me for his hostage.
“Don’t come any closer,” the guy tells the sheriff as he points his gun to my head with a trembling hand.
“Come on now, Paul
, this isn’t our first rodeo. You’re going back to jail either way, so don’t make it worse for yourself.”
The sheriff acts like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He sits down at the counter, flips over a coffee cup, and reaches for the carafe off the warmer, filling his cup. The way he’s settling in makes me think this is going to take a while.
Having owned my own restaurant, I’m well-trained in crisis management and self-defense. I’m trying not to be afraid; this man doesn’t seem particularly scary, just strung out. But the longer this drags out, the worse it could become. My only concern right now is Sage. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. I’ve screwed up her life enough for one lifetime already. Hopefully, she can see Max from where she is and is pay attention to his cues. He won’t let anything happen to her.
Paul digs his gun into my side. It’s not comfortable, but at least he’s no longer pointing it at my head. “Sheriff, you know I can’t go back to jail.”
“What I know is that you’re in violation of your parole and making things a whole lot worse for yourself as each minute passes.”
“Guess we’ve got ourselves a situation then,” he says, moving the gun back up to my head just as black, billowing smoke blows in from the kitchen.
CHAPTER TEN
SAGE
I’M IN AWE OF GABE. This crazy cracked-out fucker has a gun to his head and the man hasn’t even broken a sweat. I’m a trembling mess and am glad he can’t see me shaking in my boots. If we make it out of here alive, I will take back every bad thought I’ve ever had about him because he’s doing everything he can to keep me away from this guy.
It’s not the first time tonight he’s tried to protect me either. I could have handled the frat boys, but hearing him lie to them about being my husband was beyond amusing. It felt good to know he cares enough to want to protect me. Even if things between us don’t make a bit of sense right now, somewhere inside of him, he has feelings for me. But if it ends up killing him, I’ll never forgive myself.
