Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
I open my mouth to laugh in his face.
“She’s got plans,” a deep, menacing rumble announces from my right.
Wesley honest-to-God jumps and lets out a short, strangled scream. It would be funny if my body wasn’t going haywire.
Griff.
I turn my helpless eyes to him, standing less than a foot away from Wesley. All six feet, three inches of muscle glowering down at Wesley like he’s ready to turn my checkout lane into his own personal cage match. Well, no, it wouldn’t be much of a match. Griff could probably knock Wesley down with his pinky finger. Wesley played basketball in high school. He’s tall and lean, but not lethal.
My heart thumps wildly as I take in Griff’s expression. He towers over Wesley by a few inches. Wesley pulls himself up to his full height and slides his hands over his neatly tucked shirt. With a sneer, he runs his gaze over Griff’s leather jacket, jeans, and work boots.
“Do I know you?” Wesley finally says.
Ignoring the question, Griff flicks his gaze to me, his eyes and expression warming immediately. “You almost done, baby?”
Baby. I’m going to melt into a puddle where I’m standing. I turn and glance at the clock on the wall behind my register. “I still have a few minutes.”
I grab Wesley’s carton of milk and stick it in the bag with the cereal. “I told you I have a boyfriend.” I shove the bag at him. “Have a good night.”
“But I’m not done talking to you,” Wesley protests.
Griff did his version of polite. Wesley didn’t take the hint. Now, Griff will use a different approach. I already sense it coming.
Griff steps so close to Wesley, I couldn’t slide a piece of paper between them if I wanted to.
“Molly’s done talking to you.” Griff jabs his finger in the air toward the large plate-glass window behind the row of registers. “Parking lot is that way.” He curls his hand into the edge of the paper bag, rolling it down. “You need help to carry this little baggie to your vehicle?”
Why couldn’t Griff have been with me the other night?
“No.” Wesley scoops the bag into both arms, cradling it to his chest. He throws a disgusted scowl at me, then marches out the door.
I smile up at Griff. “I had it under control.”
“I know you did.” He hands me a tin of mints to ring up. “I’m an impatient customer when it comes to my favorite cashier.” He lifts his chin and purses his lips like he’s about to blow me a kiss.
A flutter of heat fans over my skin. I mumble a total and he hands over a few dollars.
“Seems you forgot to tell me a few things about your party the other night.” Griff accepts the change I hand him without taking his eyes off my face.
I swallow hard. “Did you bring your bike?”
He frowns. “Yeah, why?”
Because I want to avoid this conversation for as long as possible.
Griff
My preference would be to wait inside the store for Molly to finish her shift. Watching that smug asshole talk to Molly like he somehow owns her but doesn’t respect her set off all my protective instincts. I couldn’t hear their exact conversation but the parts I did get spiked my temper into the hot zone.
Am I being a jealous asshole because he’s the dude Hayden was trying to set Molly up with? Did I read more into the situation? No, something wasn’t right. Molly was so tense, her shoulders were practically hugging her ears when she was talking to him. Jealousy might have played a part in amping up my annoyance but my desire to protect Molly overrode everything else.
I’m leaning on my bike by the front employee exit, waiting for her to walk outside. I scan the parking lot every few seconds. Should I have followed Wesley out to his car and kicked his ass?
“Hey.” Molly steps outside. Her sparkling eyes and half-smile erase my thoughts of tracking Wesley down and beating the smugness out of him.
I push myself off my bike and step toward her. “How was your night?”
The corners of her mouth tip up. “It got a whole lot better five seconds ago.”
I slip my arms around her waist. She leans up on her tiptoes, pressing her hands against my chest. Staring up at me, she tilts her head. Expectation sparkles in her eyes.
“Happy to hear it.” I lean down and brush my lips against hers.
I meant for it to be a quick, greeting kiss. We’re standing in the parking lot under bright yellow safety lights—not exactly private. Every few seconds, the automatic door whirs open and closed for other employees leaving for the night. But Molly’s fingertips dig into my back, urging me to keep kissing her. I groan and squeeze her tighter. Our noses bump together and she smiles against my mouth.