was satisfied that I had left her breathless, that when Dara Golding heard my name, her heart would skip a beat and heat would unfurl in her body, I took a step back.
“I’m conceited and a badass,” I said softly. “You’d best not forget it.”
Dara
My heart was beating out of my chest again, thumping so loudly that I wondered if he could actually hear it. Why did he have that effect on me?
Afraid that I would shatter into a thousand pieces if I moved, I stood motionless as I watched him turn away and walk into the building. My chest began rising and falling rapidly and only then did I realize that I had been holding my breath. I inhaled deeply, trying to regain my composure. When he watched me so intently with those wintry eyes, I was mesmerized, his gaze penetrating me to my very core.
He scared me. When he was near, I lost all control, all conscious thought. I was under his spell.
When my breathing finally returned to normal, I reminded myself why I was here. I desperately wanted to save enough money to buy my own car, and if I continued to let Stone distract me, Tom was going to fire me. Speaking of Tom, he was probably wondering what was taking me so long.
I took one more deep breath before I went through the back door in search of Tom.
I found him in his usual spot, slumped over the computer, working on spreadsheets and inventory.
“Tom, all the cardboard boxes have been broken down and put in the dumpster. What should I do now?”
He looked up from the computer screen and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Just watch the cash register. I gotta go out for a couple of hours and run some errands. You think you can handle it by yourself?”
I felt the panic swell in my chest. There really wasn’t that much to do, though. The cash register was pretty easy to work. “Sure. I can handle it.”
“Good. If you have any problems, Stone can help you. I’ll let him know that I’m leaving and that you’ve got the cash register covered.”
“Okay.” Stone was in the back of the store somewhere putting out inventory. I didn’t really want to have to ask for him help, terrified that I would have the same reaction that I did a moment ago.
Time ticked away.
With every customer that I checked out, my confidence grew. It felt great to be able to handle business on my own, and I was beginning to understand just how satisfying a job could be.
I hadn’t spoken to Stone since Tom left. I wasn’t sure if he was intentionally avoiding me or if it had just worked out that way. I thought I might actually make it until Tom returned, but then a customer presented me with a ten percent off coupon.
Darn. I hadn’t yet encountered a coupon, and as I stared at the cash register, I realized there was no way that I would be able to complete the sale without assistance from Stone.
I smiled at the middle-aged lady as she looked at me expectantly. “I’m sorry, but I’m new. Let me get someone to help me with this coupon. I’ll be right back.”
She smiled back at me. “That’s fine.”
I held the coupon tightly between my thumb and my index finger and went in search of Stone. I found him at a back endcap, stocking CDs.
“Stone, I hate to bother you, but a customer gave me this coupon. I don’t know how to ring it up.”
He looked at me, and it was all I could do not to physically squirm.
He motioned down the aisle, his biceps visible with the movement. “After you.”
I walked back to the cash register with him following me. The lady was still waiting patiently as I hurried up the aisle.
“Hey, Mrs. Foster! How’re you today?” Stone asked, greeting the customer. I noticed that he called her by name, and I wondered if she was a regular.
“I’m good, Stone. You?”
“Couldn’t be better.”
“How are your parents?”
“They’re doing just fine. They should be back in time for the Fourth of July.”
“Oh, good! I’ll have to drop by and see them.”
“You should definitely do that.
“I’m conceited and a badass,” I said softly. “You’d best not forget it.”
Dara
My heart was beating out of my chest again, thumping so loudly that I wondered if he could actually hear it. Why did he have that effect on me?
Afraid that I would shatter into a thousand pieces if I moved, I stood motionless as I watched him turn away and walk into the building. My chest began rising and falling rapidly and only then did I realize that I had been holding my breath. I inhaled deeply, trying to regain my composure. When he watched me so intently with those wintry eyes, I was mesmerized, his gaze penetrating me to my very core.
He scared me. When he was near, I lost all control, all conscious thought. I was under his spell.
When my breathing finally returned to normal, I reminded myself why I was here. I desperately wanted to save enough money to buy my own car, and if I continued to let Stone distract me, Tom was going to fire me. Speaking of Tom, he was probably wondering what was taking me so long.
I took one more deep breath before I went through the back door in search of Tom.
I found him in his usual spot, slumped over the computer, working on spreadsheets and inventory.
“Tom, all the cardboard boxes have been broken down and put in the dumpster. What should I do now?”
He looked up from the computer screen and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Just watch the cash register. I gotta go out for a couple of hours and run some errands. You think you can handle it by yourself?”
I felt the panic swell in my chest. There really wasn’t that much to do, though. The cash register was pretty easy to work. “Sure. I can handle it.”
“Good. If you have any problems, Stone can help you. I’ll let him know that I’m leaving and that you’ve got the cash register covered.”
“Okay.” Stone was in the back of the store somewhere putting out inventory. I didn’t really want to have to ask for him help, terrified that I would have the same reaction that I did a moment ago.
Time ticked away.
With every customer that I checked out, my confidence grew. It felt great to be able to handle business on my own, and I was beginning to understand just how satisfying a job could be.
I hadn’t spoken to Stone since Tom left. I wasn’t sure if he was intentionally avoiding me or if it had just worked out that way. I thought I might actually make it until Tom returned, but then a customer presented me with a ten percent off coupon.
Darn. I hadn’t yet encountered a coupon, and as I stared at the cash register, I realized there was no way that I would be able to complete the sale without assistance from Stone.
I smiled at the middle-aged lady as she looked at me expectantly. “I’m sorry, but I’m new. Let me get someone to help me with this coupon. I’ll be right back.”
She smiled back at me. “That’s fine.”
I held the coupon tightly between my thumb and my index finger and went in search of Stone. I found him at a back endcap, stocking CDs.
“Stone, I hate to bother you, but a customer gave me this coupon. I don’t know how to ring it up.”
He looked at me, and it was all I could do not to physically squirm.
He motioned down the aisle, his biceps visible with the movement. “After you.”
I walked back to the cash register with him following me. The lady was still waiting patiently as I hurried up the aisle.
“Hey, Mrs. Foster! How’re you today?” Stone asked, greeting the customer. I noticed that he called her by name, and I wondered if she was a regular.
“I’m good, Stone. You?”
“Couldn’t be better.”
“How are your parents?”
“They’re doing just fine. They should be back in time for the Fourth of July.”
“Oh, good! I’ll have to drop by and see them.”
“You should definitely do that.
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