“Renee,” she stated, clearly bemused. “How did you know about that?”
“I’m observant. I tend to notice things others don’t.” Hunter didn’t want to talk about himself, he wanted to get to know her. If she had half her mind on work, she would never relax enough to let him in. “Now, about that brownie.” Hunter let the statement hang in the air between them, content to let her decide in her own time. It wouldn’t be any good if she only agreed because she’d felt coerced.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”
Her answer, so quietly spoken, had his blood running hot. As she stood, Hunter did the same. “When should I be here?”
“Closing time is eight thirty. I’ll have some things to finish up, but if you don’t mind waiting you can come then.”
Hunter pulled out his wallet and prepared to pay for the coffee. “No problem. I can admire the view while I wait.”
“View?”
He handed her a few bills, then leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You, sweetheart.”
“Oh,” she breathed out.
As Hunter walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the café, three more customers came in. When he glanced back, he noticed Jeanette hadn’t moved to greet them. One of her waitresses ran over to her, drawing her attention. The primitive beast in Hunter wanted to sweep her into his arms and take her to the backroom. He could kiss those full, pouty lips and slide the buttons on her blouse free of their holes, then suck on her erect nipples. Give them both something to think about while they were at work the rest of the day.
Instead Hunter never broke stride until he reached his motorcycle. As he slung one leg over the seat and slid onto the soft black leather, he groaned at the erection pumping hard behind the fly of his jeans. Strapping the helmet on, Hunter allowed his mind to pull up an image of Jeanette’s pretty brown eyes so full of wonder and desire. She had the look of a woman on the verge of discovering her own passion. As if she were ready to embrace that side of herself she’d kept hidden from the world. Maybe she simply needed the right person to aid her in her little erotic journey. Hunter vowed to be that man. Her sweet innocence had lured him, but what would she be like once he moved past that layer, when he reached the sensual woman beneath? He had a sneaking suspicion she’d surprise the hell out of them both.
2
Jeanette dropped another mug and cursed. Thankfully this one didn’t break.
“That’s the third time you’ve done that. What the hell’s up with you today?”
Dean, her busboy-slash-dishwasher-slash-gopher, wasn’t one to mince words. Still, Jeanette wasn’t about to tell the nineteen-year-old college student that she had a crush on one Hunter Trace.
“I’ve just had a lot on my mind.” She paused, then added, “And you shouldn’t cuss.”
“I’m a big boy now, Mom.”
His sarcasm had her grinning. “You still shouldn’t cuss.”
He flicked water at her and winked. Jeanette swiped her hand down her blouse and pointed her finger at Dean’s chest. “You get water all over my blouse and there will be consequences.”
“You always work too hard, Jeanette,” he said, his voice suddenly soft with concern. “Why not let me handle the rest of these. Isn’t that why you pay me?”
Jeanette rolled her eyes at the familiar argument. Dean was a steady worker, but she knew the job she’d foisted on him was too much for one person. Not for the first time she wished she could hire more help. It just wasn’t in the budget. Yet, she reminded herself.
“I’m not leaving you in the lurch, Dean, so forget it.”
“Fine, but if you drop another mug, I’m telling the owner.”
She pretended to shiver in fear. “Ooh, I heard she’s a real witch.”
“She can be a pretty tough cookie. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with her.”
“I’ll try and be more careful then.” She winked. “Thanks for the warning.”
“No problem.”
They went back to rinsing off the dishes and adding them to the others in the dishwasher. After the last dish was placed on the rack, Dean poured the soap in the well and shoved the door shut. Jeanette dried her hands on a dishtowel and glanced at her watch—for the thousandth time. Ten minutes. Hunter would be there in ten minutes. Oh God, what if he didn’t show? Even more frightening, what if he did?
“Are you distracted because of that motorcycle dude you had coffee with this morning?”
Jeanette jerked her head up to see Dean watching her intently. “What did you say?”