Page 38 of Stolen Kisses
“She’s here for the boss,” Gio said with emphasis on the word boss.
I laughed. “Is he around? Place looks busy.”
“Place is always busy doll. He’s in his office counting his coins like some king.” Gio chuckled. “Follow those stairs up to the next level. His office is the first door you get to.”
“Thank you. See you guys soon.”
Both nodded and exchanged curious glances in that mischievous way they used to.
I smiled to myself and followed Gio’s directions. The music got lower as I climbed higher up the stairs. I found his office and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” He called out.
I pushed the door open and went in. He had his head bent low as he focused on something he was writing in a notebook.
When his gaze shifted to me, he stopped writing, set his pen down and smiled.
I closed the door behind me and looked him over.
He did look like a boss. Wide shoulders, sophisticated clothes tonight that was different to the casual leather I’d normally seen him in.
Eyes sparkling he gazed at me, and as he tensed his jaw it drew my attention to deep angles and planes in his perfect face.
“Hi.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Place looks amazing. It’s so busy.”
I didn’t think I could ever remember the last time I felt nervous around a guy, and if I’d ever felt it would have been guaranteed that it was him.
“The stars must be aligning in some different way, apart from back in high school this is the most I’ve seen of you in any one week.”
“High school was such a long time ago.” It felt like it never happened. Like it was a thing that we all just went through. I remembered my first day and my last day.
Life changed so much after that it seemed to eradicate everything that happened in the in between.
“Eons. I’m getting to be an old man now.”
“You’re only thirty-six, that is not old.”
“Feels like I’ve lived a hundred lifetimes.”
Me too. It felt like the years I’d been alive were all extended so it was like a hundred years for every year.
He stared at me with expectancy. “Especially when I start seeing you on the regular.” He added. “Is this business or pleasure? I know I’d certainly enjoy one more than the other?”
Time to tell him why I was here.
“I … um, there was a job I saw. A waitressing job you had advertised online. I wondered if it was still available.”
He stared at me and a slow easy smile spread across his full sensual lips. Lips I could stare at all day and wonder what they would feel like on mine.
“How much do you need?” He straightened up.
“No,” I shook my head. I didn’t want him to give me money. “I want to work. I got a place for Flynn and me. I just need a job for a little while.”
“A little while? How long’s that? What happens after that?” Curiosity filled his eyes.
I still didn’t want to talk about Franco or tell anyone the truth about why I was here. It was better if I didn’t. I knew from past experience that it was better to keep certain things quiet. It meant protecting the people you cared about.
“I’m just seeing what happens while I’m in Chicago.”
