Page 16 of Storm's Mistake

“It’s nothing. I just … I haven’t eaten since last night, and then I was running late, so I couldn’t get any food, and then with the rush and everything. It’s nothing. Trust me. I’m fine.” She felt her cheeks starting to heat, and she didn’t want Shadow to think it was because she was happy to have been in his arms, because it wasn’t. She didn’t want to be in his arms. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him.

But it felt so good, and I didn’t want him to stop holding me. He has the best hands. He has the best everything.

No, this is not what she wanted to be thinking about. She needed to remember all the bad stuff she heard him say,and knowing they were never going to be together. Her love, to him, was pointless. That was the kind of stuff she needed to remember.

“You’ve not eaten?” Pam asked.

“It’s fine.” She knew she had to forgive Pam. She was being stupid with how she was treating her friend. Moving toward Pam, she pulled the other woman in for a hug. “I’m fine. I’ll eat at lunchtime, and until then, I’ll take it easy.”

“Not good enough. You’re coming with me,” Shadow said, and he reached for her arm.

Not having any food had really started to affect her reflexes as she wasn’t able to push him away so well.

“I don’t think so, Mister!” Lisa said.

“Lisa,” Adele said. “You just nearly fainted and I watched you fall. He stopped you from hitting your head on at least two tables. I think it would be good for you if you went with him and got food now.”

“It’s not normal to pass out like this,” Pam said.

“Come on. Pam’s got something to do, and Adele, you can manage the shop, right?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“I’ll help,” Pam said, reaching for her apron.

Lisa attempted to protest but it was a feeble attempt as within a few seconds, Pam already had the apron off Lisa and was wearing it. “I’m ready and raring to go.”

“Okay,” Lisa said. “I’ll go and get some food and then I’ll be back to finish my shift.”

She noticed that Pam shared a look with Shadow. It wasn’t a look she could read. She frowned but Shadow was already moving her out of the shop. Glancing one last time at Adele, her friend gave her a little wave and held both thumbs up in encouragement.

She didn’t feel any such thing. Being alone with Shadowdidn’t exactly give her a thrill ride.

“We can just walk to the diner,” Lisa said.

“Get in,” Shadow said.

It was rare for her to get in his truck. They rarely went places they couldn’t walk to. Again, she wanted to protest, but she was not one to make scenes, and if she didn’t get in and do as she was told, she would be causing trouble.

Still, she wanted to tell him no, but instead she climbed into the passenger side of his truck. The truck that smelled so good. While he went around his vehicle, she took a brief second to just close her eyes and bask in the scent that was his, that filled the car. Shadow had the nicest of all scents. He smelled amazing.

She opened her eyes as he climbed into the truck beside her.

“I don’t know why we can’t walk. The diner is right there.”

He started his truck without saying a word, and she knew he was just being stubborn. Shadow always had to get his own way. There was going to come a time when he wasn’t going to get any such thing.

Shadow pulled out of the parking lot of the coffee shop, and she watched as he drove straight past the diner.

“You’ve missed it. Shadow, what the hell? I thought you were taking me to get something to eat, and I’ve got to get back to work. I’ve got a shift to finish.”

“Pam will finish your shift for you.”

“Ugh, that is not how this works. For me to get paid, I must be there.”

“I know how it works, and trust me, Pam knows what she is doing.”

Lisa frowned. “Are you the Alpha that owns the coffee shop?”