Page 77 of Badges
Instead, he spins on his heel and stomps out.
Paige stands in shock watching him.
Then she takes a ragged breath and turns to us. “You ruined everything!” she shouts, banging her palm hard enough on the table to make our plates jump.
Elena erupts in a fit of laughter, shaking against me as she gasps for air.
Paige rushes away, causing the tiny bell over the door to rattle loose and droop from its hinge.
“Well, that was entertaining. See, Wade? This is why you’re welcome here, you bring the drama.” Val makes a u-turn back into the kitchen with a tray of food.
I’m guessing it was for Paige and Ollie.
“Hey Val?” I call, hopefully loud enough for her to hear.
She pops her head through the swinging access. “Yup?”
“I’ll cover their food. No sense in you eating the loss. If you wanna toss it in a to-go, I’ll bring it home to Dad.” I’ve been picking at my own, but the only meal I’m interested in is wiggling on my dick.
Val’s thumb sticks up replacing her head, then it disappears into the back.
Elena twists in my arms, wrapping her wrists behind my neck. “Did you really mean all of that?”
She has the shine of unshed tears rimming her eyes as she bites her bottom lip hard enough to make it ripple with pink and white.
Damn if I don’t want to kiss away her pain.
“I did. I know exactly what I’m getting into. You’remylittle felon.” And I don’t want to let her go.
She flattens her cool palm against my cheek. “Thank you for standing up for me. I just don’t understand why she would make a fool of herself like that.”
“She’s jealous. But she’ll never care about anyone more than herself. Paige doesn’t want me, she just wants the attention she isn’t getting anymore.” I glance over her head to Val sliding a plastic bag onto the adjoining table, then reach out to sign the receipt.
Handy being a small enough place I can keep a credit card on file.
After a hefty tip, I pat Elena’s hip. “Time to go.”
Her body clings to me as we stand. “Where are we going next?”
My thumb threads under the gap between her blouse and skirt to rub the bare skin. “The first wide spot in the road I can find.”
Get in the truck
Elena
My skin buzzes likea million butterflies are brushing me with their wings as we step out into the scalding afternoon sun.
I want to show him I’m serious, that I really want him to be mine. Not just in a moment of jealousy.
Maybe it is? No, it’s deeper. I want to keep him, not only because I don’t want anyone else to touch him, but because he treats me in a way that I’ve never experienced before.
He doesn’t act as if I’m an inconvenience.
Or expendable.
Just appreciated.
His arm pins me against his side as if he never wants to let me go.
