Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Devi just had more staying power than most.
She was also more desperate.
So instead of saying anything that might get her fired, she turned away and served a customer who had just walked in.
One day, she wouldn’t have to work here. Maybe she’d open her own café, right across the road from this one. Really stick it to Aaron.
The ass.
Once the drinks were ready, she took them over to Sondra and Mr. Tragic Eyes.
“Have a nice day,” she said with a wide smile without looking at him.
Had he thought she was undressing him with her eyes? Or was Aaron just messing with her head?
Do not go bright red.
Do not.
“Thanks Devon,” Sondra said.
She sighed. Okay, now she was getting annoyed. How hard was it to remember her name?
“Devi,” Mr. Tragic Eyes said.
Sondra glanced up from her phone, looking between them. There was a small frown line between her eyebrows.
“Right. Devi. That’s what I said. I have to go to the beauty salon today. I’ve got an appointment. It will take a couple of hours. I’m sure you can safely leave me there and go do something else if you like.”
Devi should leave. This wasn’t a conversation for her ears. Unfortunately, she was also super nosy. So she found herself standing there, listening.
So he really was a bodyguard?
“That’s not the way this works,” he said. “I have to stay with you.”
“Please tell me you’re not coming into the treatment room while I get a Brazilian. I think that’s taking things too far.”
Devi let out a small squeak. She couldn’t help it. Just the idea of him watching Sondra get her vagina waxed . . . well, she felt both amused and jealous.
Jealous? Really?
That was ridiculous.
Both of them turned and looked at her. She gazed around frantically as though searching for something to save her. Finally, she saw some dirty dishes on another table and rushed over to grab them.
But she failed to see the leg of a chair sticking out and her foot hooked around it. She slammed to the floor on her hands and knees.
Ouch.
Tears filled her eyes.
More due to shock and embarrassment than actual pain.
“Devi, what are you doing? Get the hell up!” Aaron snapped at her from across the café.
Kind and caring as always.
“Devi,” a deep voice said from above her. “Are you injured?”
She closed her eyes.
That didn’t happen. She was dreaming. That was all. Well, it was a nightmare now.
“Devi?”
She felt him move. And then his hand went under her chin.
No, no, no.
Now he was going to see that she had tears in her eyes. And she really wasn’t ready to face anyone.
Or accept that this wasn’t some sort of nightmare.
“Open your eyes. Where does it hurt?” he demanded.
She blinked rapidly, hoping to keep back her tears. “I’m fine. Not hurt. Just, you know, embarrassed.”
“Don’t be.”
That’s all he was going to say? Don’t be?
Sheesh. Well, she’d get straight onto not being embarrassed.
He suddenly stood and then to her shock, he grasped her under the arms and set her on her feet.
“Um, thanks,” she said as she wobbled slightly due to the shock of him lifting her like she weighed nothing more than a rag doll.
That was impressive.
At five-foot-eight, Devi wasn’t exactly small. Although Mr. Tragic Eyes had to be well over six foot. Standing this close to him, she felt really small. Something she very rarely felt.
He grunted.
She glanced up to find him running his gaze over her. Her body heated in response, even though she knew he wasn’t staring at her with want or desire.
Nope, he was probably looking at her wondering how she was so clumsy.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.
“Devi, are you all right?”
Opening her eyes, she gave Sondra a shocked look. “You got my name right!”
That probably wasn’t what she should have said, but it was the first thing to come out of her mouth.
Sondra blinked. “Well, yes. Are you okay? Are you sure you didn’t hurt yourself?”
Devi focused on Sondra so she didn’t have to look at the guy still standing way too close to her.
God, he smelled good.
It would have put a real damper on her fantasies if he’d stunk. But he smelled of a mix of cinnamon, chocolate, and something really masculine that she couldn’t put her finger on.
Do not sniff him.
Do not.
Lord, it was hard to resist, though.
“No, I’m just embarrassed. I can’t believe I did that.” Her cheeks were still red and she wanted to scurry away and hide.
What were the odds that they’d all forget about her stumble by this time tomorrow when they returned for their coffee fix?
Maybe you need to quit, move towns, take on a new identity.
Yep. That was the only way she was going to get past this.
“Don’t be.” Sondra waved her hand in the air. “We’ve all done something embarrassing in public that made us want to hide in a cave for weeks. At least yours wasn’t caught on video. Social media can be brutal and ending up as a meme is my worst nightmare.”