Page 36 of A Minute More

Jude glowers at me, and I slap a hand over my mouth. God. It needs to learn some manners.

“That was really rude,” Jude says, and I bob my head, my eyes still wide.

“I’m so sorry. I’m a total fuck up,” I say behind my palm.

Jude eyeballs me and then nods. “You’re forgiven and don’t fucking judge me until you’ve done it, yeah?”

I can’t imagine ever sticking a dick in my mouth, but then again, I never imagined kissing a man. And yet, here we are.

“Yeah,” I say and then say goodbye to the bread and chips.

“You’ve lost it,” Jude chuckles as we move back out to the main shop. Simon is at the other end of the store, sweeping, his eyes moving up to snag on mine every once and a while, and Ilivefor those glances.

Every time he does it my breath catches in my throat and I feel my entire body thrum with warmth.

“Uh, hey, incoming,” Jude says, and I watch with wide eyes as Dena moves up to the counter with two of her friends, each ridiculously beautiful. I don’t know who made these creatures, but they’re otherworldly.

“Hey, guys,” Dena says with a friendly smile, and I can’t help but grin back like a dope. I was expecting her to be a little rude and sarcastic given that our conversations ended up falling flat. Nothing came of them and it was totally my fault, my mind snagged and stuck on someone else entirely.

“Hey, Dena,” I say and then offer up a small wave to her friends.

“We were just at the store across the way and thought we’d stop by and see if you guys were here.”

Jude finishes up an order and then steps up to my side. “And here we are,” he says with a flourish.

Dena smiles warmly at me again and then glances up at the board where the food is listed.

“You want anything?” I ask and she pulls her lip between her teeth in thought.

“I can help her,” Simon says, suddenly appearing at my side. His arm brushes mine and my entire body tingles with anticipation.

“We’ve got it, dude,” Jude says, but Simon shakes his head, nudging me to the side so that he can be the one to take her order. The girls look a little bemused that he’s suddenly appeared, but Dena—being the kind heart she seems to be—just goes with it and orders a sandwich before moving aside and letting her friends order. Simon diligently takes their orders like a drill sergeant on a mission. He doesn’t even smile.

I watch it all, so fucking confused and yet so damn hopeful. Because this has to mean something, right?

It means something.

Don’t know what, but I like it.

I just stand there, fiddling with a tomato until the sandwiches are made, unable to even help the next customer because I’m floored. Riveted. Completely useless.

Thankfully, Jude rings the girls up, and I honestly don’t even notice them filter out of the store, my eyes glued to Simon the entire time and the tomato now with a smooshed hole in the side.

Poor tomato. I didn’t mean to ruin you, but now you are going into the trash. You didn’t even serve your purpose because of me. To be fair, it should have had a tougher skin. It was a bit squishy on the outside.

Jude nudges me roughly and my head jerks toward him.

“You’re useless man, you need to go home and sleep this off.”

I don’t know if that’s possible. If it were, I’d have done it already. I can’t seem to squish this obsession like I just did with that tomato.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I reply, and then ask, “Do you think you’ll be able to manage without me here?”

Jude takes in the empty store and quirks an eyebrow at me.

“Yeah, man. It’s gonna be rough.”

I roll my eyes and then move past Simon, forcing my gaze away from him. I will not ogle or look. I will not.

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