His lips curled into a smirk. The thought of the barista and the chaos she could bring had his pulse racing.
He’d find her weakness. And by midnight, she’d be on her knees, obeying him.
“Alright, gentlemen,” he said, snapping himself back into the moment. “Let’s get down to business.”
4
Shannon
“Sorry I’m late, Shan.”
Jess, a student barista, sauntered in after the lunchtime rush had died down.
Shannon’s brows rose. “Yeah, sure. What happened this time?”
“Eh... I…” Jess gave a half-hearted shrug. “I lost track of time.”
“I needed your help. It was really busy.” Shannon wiped down a table with a damp cloth.
“Sorry, Shan. I’ll be on time tomorrow, I swear. I just hate the early shifts when I’ve been up late studying for exams.”
Shannon couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Try horse riding for hours, scooping up horse shit, chasing horses around fields bigger than football stadiums, and cleaning out horse lorries.
“There’s a support group for that, Jess. You want in?It’s called ‘Everybody has to work,’ and we meet here tomorrow at 7 a.m. sharp.”
“Very funny, Shannon.” Jess stretched her lips into a snarky half-smile.
Jess was tall and slender, yet she wore a padded bra that made her boobs look bigger than they were. A messy knot held her bleached-white hair, and thick black eyeliner framed her pale grey eyes, giving her a sexy, cool kitten vibe.
Pretty in a polished, city-girl way, but her constant talking and pouting grew tiresome.
Whereas Shannon was petite, her athletic frame had been honed by years of hard work in the stable yard.
A tight tee emphasised her waist and breasts, while her worn trousers hugged her muscular thighs.
Off-duty, she lived in baggy hoodies and dirty boots, but working in the city meant cleaning up for a respectable appearance.
However, her true focus was her riding career, and making a name for herself in the winner’s circle.
“This day is going to drag. I’m so tired.” Jess propped her chin on her knuckles and leaned against the counter.
Shannon arched an eyebrow and slammed the fridge door shut after counting the cartons of milk inside.
“Maybe you could clean up those tables?” She nodded toward the empty chairs.
Jess pursed her lips.
“Fine! If I must.” She dragged herself toward the coffee cup chaos waiting forher.
“I need to check if the milk delivery came in. Don’t think Connie got around to it before she emptied her stomach into the storeroom,” Shannon called out, disappearing into the back.
Moments later, she returned from the office, a pen tucked behind her ear. Jess was busy chatting up the male customers, her cheeky giggle floating across the room.
Her elbows rested on the counter, pushing up her breasts, and her laugh rasped in that flirty way of hers.
Ignoring her, Shannon grabbed a tray and cleared the empty mugs Jess had overlooked. As she moved, a shiver prickled over her scalp.
With mugs piled high, she looked up and froze. Dark amber eyes locked onto hers, watching her every move.
