Page 13 of Sizzle
Joelle brightens at the name.
“That’s where I want to go,” she says.
I take a moment, shifting my gaze between her proposed menu and that sweetheart face.
She obviously knows her way around a kitchen, even if nobody’s paid her to do it yet. And God knows we could use the extra set of hands. The downside here is that not only can I not ask her out, I have to keep my hands completely off Joelle Munroe for the foreseeable future. Six months, minimum.
The Duckbill is the only thing standing between me and the soulless grind I left three years ago. My freedom is worth it.
“Okay. You’ve got yourself a deal,” I say. I lean forward and offer my hand.
“Really?”
“Really,” I nod. Joelle takes my hand slowly. Her skin is so soft but I can feel tiny calluses at the base of her fingers. Those dainty female hands are no stranger to work. The thought makes me shiver.
“I won’t let you down,” she says. I might be imagining things but she sounds a little breathless. I release her hand, rubbing my own palm against my jeans to dispel the sensation of touching her.
“Why don’t I take you back into the kitchen again and introduce you? My assistant manager is here. She’ll be able to get you all the right paperwork before you leave.”
The smile she sends me is incandescent and I already know I’ll be thinking of that smile when I stroke myself off later tonight.
I manage the next half an hour in a fog, until it’s time to unlock the doors for the lunch crowd. I tell Anna to call me if she needs anything and head home for what’s left of my day off.
When I get there, I make it as far as the bathroom sink before I let out the groan I’d been holding in since I saw Joelle Munroe at the front door.
I can’t get my fly down fast enough. Pressing the heel of my hand against my cock to bank some of the insane pressure, I thumb open the button and free my strangled dick from the fabric, stroking fast.
Alone in my head at last, I can see Joelle, curls tumbling around her naked shoulders, smiling that wide smile.
“I’ve got what you need,” she’s saying, even as she blushes.
It’s the blush that does me in. Suddenly I’m coming like I haven’t had release in months, every last minute of the past year alone exploding from the base of my spine, shooting my load so hard I hear it splash against the tile on the floor. I brace my hands on the sink, groaning again.
Fucking shit. What the hell am I’m going to do?
5
Alex
The bar at Duckbill is crowded but then I’m later than usual tonight. Meg’s behind the bar and when she spots me over the horde, she points me toward the only open chair left. I shift sideways to avoid the crush and take the chair.
“Busy night,” I say, practically shouting so she can hear me over the music.
“Playoffs,” she says with a grin. “Good for business. You want a menu?”
I nod. Meg turns, keeping a supporting hand below her growing belly. You’d think a pregnant woman tending bar would put people off their booze, but Meg loved her job and it showed. I nod my thanks when she hands me the menu.
I could have played the roommate card. Elliot tells me I should just text him what I want to order so I don’t have to wait when I come in, but he’s already got so much on his plate, so to speak. Besides, socializing with some new faces is part of the plan now, so here I am.
After seeing this crowd though, I’m thinking maybe I should just start that part tomorrow. Maybe next week.
I write down my order so I don’t have to shout at Meg. She takes it from me with a wink, swapping it for a beer I didn’t ask for.
I mean, if I have to be here anyway… Meg smirks at me before moving back down the bar.
I don’t exactly love crowds but the energy in the room is undeniably invigorating, like one big room full of potential. Like something could happen any minute.
It’s a good feeling, so I hang on to it. I don’t know anybody in here except a couple of the employees. Maybe Elliot won’t have as much trouble turning things around as he thought.