Page 4 of Alice and Her Shifters (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 2)

ALLISON

I was beat.

Tired was an understatement when compared to what I felt after a long shift working at the coffee shop in downtown Seattle. All I wanted to do, and all I was able to think about, was closing the store and heading home, crawling into my bed, and getting some much-needed rest. But this random guy I had never seen before in my entire life wouldn’t stop talking to me. He had been sitting at the table for hours asking me questions about the city and about what it was like to live here. I had the sneaking suspicion he had never been to Seattle before. Or anywhere for that matter. He stared at everything like it was a new thing.

He also spoke to me like we were long-lost friends, which set my nerves on edge. There was something about him that had alarms going off in the back of my mind. I couldn’t place why. I was too tired to figure out what that was.

The fact that he was exceptionally gorgeous made his insistence on keeping me within his vicinity versus taking care of my closing duties minutely more tolerable. Though my patience was rapidly dwindling into nothing. His brown hair was cropped short in a military-style cut, and he had the most enchanting blue eyes I had ever seen. But I was running out of steam, and it had been an unusually busy day.

“If you don’t mind, I have to start shutting down,” I said ten minutes into a discussion on why I work at a coffee shop. “If I don’t get everything done, I won’t be working here much longer.”

He smirked. “I understand. If I may have a top-off?”

He held up his mug toward me and I nodded. The thing about free refills needed to have a limitation. Anything past a couple of hours really should be bought again. But that was just my opinion.

I nodded and grabbed the pot as I walked around the front counter. I poured the last of the brew into his mug and smiled. “Looks like this is the last of it. Do you need anything else?”

I glanced at the clock pinned to the back wall behind the counter in hopes he would take the hint. Alas, he didn’t.

“I think I’m all right,” he said. “Just want to take my time and enjoy this drink.”

I smirked. “Take your time. I’m going to go clean up.”

“If you don’t mind,” he said before I headed toward the back.

I groaned inwardly. This guy was getting on my nerves, and those alarms wouldn’t stop going off either. Must have been that predatory gaze he had. Or his strange insistence to sit in one of the only coffee shops opened till midnight during the workweek. Those types were the suspicious ones.

Regardless, I plastered on the best fake smile I had the energy to muster through my sheer exhaustion and faced him again.

“I wouldn’t mind a little more of your time,” he added.

God, he was great at drawing out things.

“What do you need?” I asked and casually looked at the clock. For the tenth time.

“I was wondering about that necklace you have around your neck. It’s unique. Where did you find a piece like that?” he asked.

I looked down at my necklace and huffed. Small talk was not my forte and I was becoming irritable. “Look, as much as I have enjoyed your company, I need to close up. Not to be rude, but you need to leave.”

He smiled at me. “Say no more. I’ll leave at once.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

He nodded once, knocked back the coffee, and stood from the table. As he headed out the door, I followed him, locking up before turning around and leaning my back against it. I huffed out a sigh as I raked my gaze along the lobby of the coffee shop. The sheer number of dishes alone was going to keep me here for at least another hour.

If I was lucky, I would be home by two.

Without wasting a single moment of what was left of my energy and will to clean, I removed myself from the door and started collecting dishes and taking them to the back. What felt like hours later, the store was cleaned, every dish was spotless and put away, and the closing had been wrapped up.

I was purely exhausted beyond all belief. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I would make it home without having to stop and take a nap on a bench or something. Not that I would, but the gist was the same.

As I stepped into the cool Seattle night air, I sighed. There was enough chill to the early morning that helped to wake me up a little. I started on my trek home, keeping an eye on my surroundings.

It didn’t take long for me to notice the distinct sound of footsteps shuffling in tune to my steps behind me. I figured the guy who had hung around so long before closing was following me. He must have had in his mind an entirely different impression than the one I was intending to give him.

I shook my head and, without turning around, I said, “You suck at sneaking up on girls. Get lost, buddy.”

The steps stop and I smirk to myself. He took my warning. Good for him.

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