There was barely enough time to walk Chucky and get ready. From the driver's seat, he turned to face me. "I don't wanna let you go," he said.
"You mean to work?"
"No," he said leaning toward me. "I mean anywhere." He wrapped me in his arms, and our lips met in one final urgent kiss.
I stifled a groan as our tongues danced and my core ignited. Desperately, I tried to justify calling in sick, or at least showing up late. Or maybe skipping Chucky's walk.
I wanted Lawton so bad that I felt like I'd melt away to nothing if I didn't have him this instant. I wanted to feel him inside me, to have his tattooed skin pressed against my own unmarked stomach and breasts, to feel his hands on my back, and his pelvis grinding into mine in that special way that drove me insane.
I heard myself sigh. I just couldn't.
I'd been on the other side of this equation too many times. I'd been the person let down or left hanging because someone was off doing something they wanted, and letting others pay for their fun.
I wasn't going to be that person. Not now, and not ever.
With another groan, I pulled away. I looked toward the house, and saw the curtains move. A moment later, Chucky's face appeared in the window.
Lawton laughed. "Our chaperone."
"Yeah." I blew out a breath. "I've gotta go."
"I was afraid of that."
Before I got out of the car, I leaned into him and asked, "When do you fly out?"
"Tomorrow morning. Six o'clock."
"So early?" I said.
He nodded. "Are you sure don't wanna come with me?" He leaned his forehead against mine. "Tell ya what, you don't even have to wake up. I'll carry you onto that plane myself."
I laughed in spite of myself. He would too. "I wish," I said. "But I've got Chucky. And work."
"When I get back," he said, "we'll have to talk about that."
He'd be gone a whole week. It seemed like a week too long. "And just so you know," I said, "I want to do a whole lot more than talk."
Chapter 35
Brittney smirked. "I've just got to be rude to people. How hard can it be?"
"Funny and rude aren't the same thing," I told her.
"Why not?" Brittney gave a toss of her golden hair. "I've seen you do it. And you get good tips, right?"
The uniforms aside, there was a reason my tips were good, and it had nothing to do with rudeness. The place was like a dinner show, with everyone playing a part. As for me, I played a big-haired, big-mouthed waitress with attitude.
"Attitude and rudeness aren't the same thing," I told her.
"Oh shut up," she said. "You're just trying to sabotage me."
"I'm serious," I said. "You can sass them, but you can't insult them."
She frowned. "Now you're just trying to confuse me."
"It's not that complicated," I said. "Sass them too little, and they feel cheated. But sass them too much, they'll get insulted."
"Oh whatever," she said. "You're not the boss of me, so stop acting like it."
