Page 14 of Ignite

He took the cups from her and handed them off to the waiting customer. “Didja order a pastry? Which one?”

Omigod, he’s here. What do I say? “Happy you’re here”? “Thanks for coming”?“Happy coming.”Shit! Really, Jazz?

“You’ll have to show me how to work the register.” He ignored her odd word choices and handed the guy at the counter a white bag of treats. “And you’re almost out of baklava.”

“Um… okay.” Jazz turned away from him and started another four shots. The machine spit out its caffeinated goodness, and she mixed more lattes. A few patrons wanted straight up brewed coffee, and Wolf took care of them. Between the two of them, the morning rush was served and out the door. The ones coming in now were the day-timers, older men and women who didn’t have jobs or places to be but didn’t want to stay at their houses. Jazz took a pot of coffee and went out to top off a table of old men who sat pontificating on how the city used to be different and updating one another on their daily activities.

“My car needs cleaning this weekend. I’m taking her to that new detail place in Sharpsburg.”

“Stillers got a new quarterback this season.”

“The trial started for that guy who tried to rob the Green Street Bank last year.”

Jazz wiped a table down as she recalled that event. Three men entered the old bank with the intent of taking as much cash as they could carry, but they ended up in an hours-long police standoff. Shots were fired, and a couple of people were killed and even more hurt, including one of the Iron City Knights. Quillon was the name Wolf said when he told Madge and Bill about it. From what she remembered, Quillon saved one of the tellers by diving on top of her and even took a bullet to the leg. They were an item now.

If a bank teller and a biker can make a solid couple, how ’bout a barista and a biker?

She shook her head to clear the wayward thought.Not possible. You can’t even talk straight around the man, let alone date him.

“Jazz.”

“Gah!”

The unexpected voice behind her made her jump three feet into the air. Her balance tilted, and she almost fell on her ass. A pair of thick arms caught her, and once again, she found herself in the embrace of the man she drooled over. The man who woke her up this morning by?—

Lalala! Don’t go there, Jazz!Her mental admonition didn’t help. Both nipples tightened into prominent points, and she prayed they didn’t show.

“Easy, baby. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Oooooh! He called me baby!

“I’m good. Just… good.”

“Here.” He placed an Android phone box in her hand as he guided her behind the counter. “It’s not the latest model, but it’s new, and it works. I’m assuming you’ll be able to use it with whatever carrier you’re on. I wrote my number on the side. Once you have it, program me in and text me so I have yours, yeah?”

Jazz was stunned. How did you know my phone got fucked up? Thanks for thinking of me. I’ll get it straight.“Fuck me straight.”Shit!“I mean… thinks for thanking.”No!“Thanks for me.”Ugggh! Can I please die now?

He chuckled at her mixed-up words but didn’t tease her about them. “Madge called. Bill didn’t break his arm.”

She smiled in relief. “Oh, that’s good news. I hope they’ll be home soon.” She ticked off her fingers one by one. “We need more than just baklava made. There’s Long Johns and cinnamon rolls, too, plus?—”

He held up a hand, palm out, interrupting her baked goods inventory list. “Hold up. Like I said, he didn’t break his arm. He broke two ribs, his collarbone, and cracked his shoulder blade.”

Her stomach bubbled with sudden dread. “Oh shit.”

“Yeah. Madge is gonna need a lot of help for a while.”

“I’m only part-time, because… well… they can’t afford to pay me more. I’ll work as much as she’ll let me, though.”

He frowned. “How can you live on part-time work?”

“I have another job?”

“Is that a question?”

“I have another job.”

He leaned on the counter and regarded her with his glowing eyes. “What else do you do besides make coffee?”

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