Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
I blink the vision away and zipper a boot. When I have the other one on, Cannon pulls me up.
His hands come to my cheeks—the same way he did last night before he kissed me for the first time. I love that he does it to hold me captive.
“I’m really, really sorry,” he says again. “I should have gotten you home last night.”
I grab one of his wrists to chastise. “You weren’t in charge of nor responsible for me getting to work on time today, Cannon.”
His hazel eyes bore into mine as if he’s searching for some lie. But eventually he nods and pulls me in to press a warm kiss to my forehead.
“There’s a toothbrush on the sink for you. I laid it out last night. Can I get you some coffee or something?”
I shake my head. “No, I really don’t have time. But I will take advantage of your bathroom and the extra toothbrush.”
Cannon nods and heads out of the bedroom, and I hit his master bath. I pee, wash my hands, and then my face. I brush my teeth and search his pantry for Tylenol, which I take with a scoop of water from the faucet.
I locate a brush in one of his drawers and attempt to detangle my hair. It looks like we spent all night wrestling it’s such a mess, but I manage to make myself look halfway presentable.
Nothing I can do about the fact I don’t have my uniform but wasting any more time on my appearance isn’t helping any.
I exit his room and find Cannon waiting by the door with my coat. I let him help me into it and accept my purse he’s also holding for me.
I wish I had time to talk about what last night meant, because admittedly I’m totally confused. I’ve never in my life slept with someone on the first date.
I’ve also never had sex like that.
Heat warms my cheeks as I remember how ravenous we were for each other. How fast things happened, how the sex was frantic and slightly rough, and how I loved every second of it.
Cannon slips a hand behind my neck. “I’ll come by for coffee as soon as I get my shower, okay?”
“Sure,” I say with a smile that doesn’t feel right on my face. I’m too stressed about not being there to open the shop and slightly envious that he has a job where he doesn’t have to worry about such things.
I go up on tiptoes and kiss Cannon’s cheek. It’s the only thing that feels right, because a real kiss would only confuse me further, and I really have to go.
“See you later,” he says as I walk out the door and I don’t even know if he means it.
Last night could very well have been a one-night stand and I won’t be surprised if Cannon avoids the coffee shop now. He probably thinks I’m a skank for hopping into bed with him like that.
Those are thoughts for another time though as I rush out of his building and hightail it down the block. I pull out my phone and wince as I see the missed calls from Joyce, one of the early-shift baristas.
I’m perplexed when the store comes into view and no patrons are waiting on the sidewalk. As I get closer, I see lights on inside and people sitting at tables.
I open the door and find my morning baristas hard at work.
My stomach plummets because that can only mean one thing.
“Ava.” I cringe inwardly when I hear Stan Dubetsky’s voice. I look at the hallway that leads to the bathrooms on one side and a break room and storage closet on the other. “I need to see you.”
Fuck. One of the staff must have called Stan—the general manager—and he came down to open the store. I can tell by the look on his face he’s not happy.
My shoulders hunch forward as I move past the service counter. I don’t dare look at my coworkers because I’m honestly embarrassed I wasn’t here to open up for them. I hate that I put them in a position of having to call the big boss in.
There isn’t an office to work out of in this space, which is why I do my morning paperwork at one of the tables. I follow Stan into the break room, which is nothing more than a small kitchen with a round table that seats four, a counter with a sink, and a microwave.
I pull the door closed behind me and then shrink back into it when he yells at me. “What the fuck, Ava? You don’t show up to open the store? And I had to get woken up to come down here and do your job?” He steps toward me, taking in my appearance. “And God… were you on a bender last night? You look like shit and smell like booze.”