Page 23 of Thorn Evermore
My jaw drops, but Neal barely reacts. Am I hearing things?
“Of course,” Neal says. “You’re right. The night crew is capable.”
I pull my head back. Neal is not one to back down from an obvious challenge.
“You enjoy your evening,” Neal says, walking away with a slightly dazed look on his face.
“That was weird,” I mumble.
“Is he mean to you?” Thorn asks.
“He’s a total dick and I hate him, but I love my job, so I deal with it. He’s so ambitious I’m pretty sure he’ll get promoted to regional manager or another store in a biggermarket maybe. Everyone knows he’s gunning for the West Coast.”
“You dated him?” His tone is tense and bitter.
“It was a while ago, when we were peers.”
“Why did it end?”
“Can we talk about something else, please? Neal wasn’t one of my finer decisions. I’d rather focus on you.”
Thorn’s eyes soften as he smiles. “Yes, of course. What time do you get off?”
“Five-thirty.”
“I’ll pick you up at six. Your place?”
“Um, sure.”
“Great.” Thorn licks his lips. “What do you like to eat?”
“I’m not picky. Anything is fine.”
“Sweetheart, tell me your preferences.”
I clear my throat as my body heats. “I really like Chinese food.”
“Perfect. Do you like Chow’s on Sixth?”
“I’ve never been there. It’s little out of my price range, but I’ve heard it’s amazing.”
“It is. We’ll go there.” He reaches for my hand, lifting it to his lips. He kisses it before rubbing his lips over the back of it. “Your skin is so soft. You’re like a flower petal, lost on a breeze, but I found you.”
I can’t help but giggle like a child. “Thorn…”
“I’ll see you at six, babe.” He kisses my cheek then turns to go. I watch him leave, clutching the clipboard to my chest.
“Holy sex on a stick, Batman,” Sandra says. “Was that the guy?”
I nod, still staring after him. “Thorn. He found me.” I turn to my friend. “Can you believe it? He figured out where I work.”
“Cool. A little creepy. Make sure he’s safe, huh? New Onyx is a big city.”
“He doesn’t seem creepy. He’s romantic. He called me sweetheart and said I was pretty.”
“You are pretty. I’d pay good money for eyelashes like yours.” She smiles. “Neal looked like he was gonna shit himself.”
“He blurted out that we used to date. Isn’t that weird?”