Page 37 of No Rings Attached
My lungs were now full of the air I gasped in and came out in a loud, high pitched scream that they likely heard in the next town.
I whipped my head up, my wide eyes meeting Drew’s startled ones from across the table. He jumped in his seat, tipping his chair back in the process. The legs rocked precariously until they finally settled back down.
“Oh, my God. Don’teverdo that again.” I let out a long breath, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart.
I groaned as other diners around me muttered, but a few laughed. My gaze darted to Matt. He stared at me, and I had the oddest feeling that his gaze was either telling me he’d be watching me or he was fighting off laughter. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. Especially if it was the one that meant I got kicked out or banned from the diner.
“I called your name, Ellie. You didn’t respond.” Drew slid his hand down over his beard and past his mouth. For a second, I thought maybe he was mad at me for embarrassing him. Until his shoulders started to shake and biting his bottom lip didn’t stop the deep chuckles escaping his mouth. “Wow. I think you missed your calling. You could have been the screamer in slasher flicks for sure.”
“Shut up,” I grumped, but now I was laughing, too.
I did have one hell of a scream. Not that I used it much. The last time was when I was in my bathroom, drying my hair upside down, and when I turned my head to look up there was a spider dangling an inch above my face. My neighbor called the cops, who came rushing over and practically broke down my door thinking I’d been attacked.
“What in the world has you so enthralled?” His hand tugged my computer towards him. “A new show?”
“No!” I shrieked again and quickly shut my mouth as I frantically ripped my computer from his grip. If I kept this up, Matt woulddefinitelyban me from his diner, and I’d gotten so many good words in this morning. “I mean, no thank you,” I said in my calmest polite voice which apparently he took as a challenge.
A wicked glint entered Drew’s eyes. “I’m going to find out your secret.”
“I can’t wait to see you try. I’m excellent at keeping secrets,” I taunted him, not sure where this bold side of me was coming from.
“We’ll see about that.” He grinned and I couldn’t help myself, so I grinned back.
I didn’t think we’d been staring at each other all that long, but suddenly Matt’s voice boomed across the room. “Buy something or give up your seat to a paying customer, Kingsley.”
Drew rolled his eyes. “I’m going to grab a coffee to go. Want one? Dad messaged me this morning. He set up a meeting at the shelter and wanted us to stop by to get a sense of their needs before we present it to our employees.”
Number one million and seven why I loved Kingsley Jewelry. They asked for their employees’ opinions and actually listened to what they said.
“Yes, to the coffee. Milk, no cream or sugar,” I replied as I slid my laptop back into my bag. After that fiasco I felt like I needed another cup.
Drew shuddered. “How do you drink it like that?”
I laughed as I packed up my things. “Right. Like your cream and sugar with a dash of coffee is sooo much better.”
With a disgruntled look, he headed toward the counter. I couldn’t stop my eyes from lingering on his retreating frame. He was in another suit, but this one clung to his arms, highlighting his biceps. The pants were tailored to perfection, and though I was a total arm porn kind of girl, that ass was vying for first place.
He glanced my way when he finished ordering, and the smirk he shot me pretty much meant I was busted. He totally knew I was checking him out.
And instead of hiding my head in embarrassment or pretending I didn’t know what he meant, I grinned and shrugged.
It felt like the last few months of us slowly getting to know each other had been leading to this. And whateverthiswas, I wasn’t sure I knew what to do with it or with the certainty that my little crush on him wasn’t going to stay so little anymore.
Drew drove us to the animal shelter located about ten miles from the diner. When we arrived, the manager met us at the door. He shook Drew’s hand, and they gave each other the bro hug, back slapping thing.
“Theo, man. How have you been?” Drew asked.
“Good. For such a tiny town, you sure hide yourself well. It’s been ages since I last saw you.” Theo chuckled. “Tell your dad we really appreciate your company wanting to sponsor our shelter. We get more and more animals every day and donations have been down.”
“Anything we can do to help.” Drew turned to me. “Theo, this is Ellie, my assistant, and my girlfriend. She’s here to help me better understand how our businesses can work together.”
“Ellie, nice to meet you.” Theo shook my hand.
“Nice to meet you, too.” I kept my tone normal when inside I wanted to kick up my feet and swoon over Drew introducing me as his girlfriend again.
Theo ushered us inside. The room opened up to a reception area that had a bench lining the wall and featured a large reception desk towards the back. To the side of the desk, shelves were stocked with various pet care items for sale.
We waved to the young woman manning the desk as we followed Theo to the back area where the animals were kept.
