Page 97 of Masters of Pleasure
“Avery, I need you over here,” Nick called from the counter.He was bent over a piece of paper, probably whatever he’d thought up for tomorrow night’s special.
“Yes, Chef,” Avery said, immediately turning.It didn’t occur to her until a moment later, she had answered him naturally, with none of the awkwardness from the walk-in.As long as she wasn’t thinking, everything was totally normal.
Good to know.
Nick
Thankfully, the shift wasn’t a total disaster when it came to him and Avery.She didn’t mention the finger guns, he didn’t do them again, and both of them settled into their normal routine while everyone else was looking on.Maybe a little more flirtatious than their normal routine, but not enough that anyone would notice.
However, their normal banter was tinged with the awareness the tension between them had already been satisfied once… and they could absolutely do it again tonight if they wanted to.Should he ask her?He didn’t want to presume, but he absolutely wanted to do it again, and again, and again…
On the other hand, weekends were also the most exhausting shifts, and they’d be starting class on Monday.
As the shift wound down, he kept shooting her glances.He couldn’t tell if she was ignoring him or deliberately making sure he couldn’t catch her eye, but so far, she wasn’t looking at him.She was focused on the checklist in her hand.
Nick stepped to the side, coming a little closer.A little closer.A little closer.
He bumped her hip with his.
Lifting her head from the clipboard, she finally looked at him with what was probably supposed to be a stern expression, but she couldn’t quite hide her smile.
“Yes?Can I help you?”Her lips pressed together, only twitching a little, her hazel eyes dancing with amusement.
“Are you done?I want to talk over a few things… in the back office.”
When her expression changed slightly to more repressive, he realized how it sounded, then shrugged.It was hardly the first time he’d said something similar to her, though it sounded far more suggestive now and less business-like, but oh, well.
“Give me five, and I’ll meet you back there,” she said, shaking her head, seeming to realize if she made a big deal out of his request, it would look more suspicious, not less.It wasn’t like they’d never had a meeting post-shift in the office.
Nick absolutely would not do something at work with a co-worker.Probably.
No, definitely.
Too much risk of being overheard.The gossip around here was lethal.Everyone knew when two of the servers had hooked up in the bathroom between shifts last month.Those that had missed that day of work were filled in within twenty-four hours.
If he was going to keep his promise to Avery about leaving their relationship outside the restaurant, nothing could happen in the office.
Hewasgoing to take the opportunity to ask her privately if she wanted to be private somewhere else together.
ChapterNine
Avery
Walking back toward the office,Avery tried to settle her nerves.Chances were, Nick wanted to talk about something to do with the shift.Or maybe have a private moment with her, but considering it was a shared office, she didn’t think so.
As she approached the ice machine, Alanna suddenly burst out from the side of it, her face flaming bright red.Jumping back in surprise, Avery put her hand over her pounding heart.It wasn’t uncommon for the servers to be back here, but she literally hadn’t seen Alanna.
“Hi, Avery!”Alanna’s voice was high, squeakier than normal, and she quickly rushed past Avery, headed back to the kitchen.What had gotten into her?
A second later, Avery realized exactly what had happened when she took two more steps and saw Jonathan, another server who was incredibly handsome with black hair and devastating blue eyes, leaning against the ice machine.He grinned at Avery.
“Hi, Chef.”
“Hi, Jonathan.”Shaking her head, Avery hoped Alanna knew what she was getting into, not just a workplace romance, but with Jonathan.He’d already been through Josie and another one of the servers, Delia.Delia seemed to have hooked up with Roger since then, but she still had eyes on Jonathan when she thought no one was paying attention.
Not my business.
That was another reason she didn’t want everyone to know about her and Nick.When Jonathan had been dating Delia, everyone had known it.When he’d broken up with her and moved on to Josie, everyone had known about that, too.She’d actually thought Delia might quit for a while, but she’d stuck it out.
