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AUGUST 7TH
Cam turned into the break room and saw Brook sitting at the long table sipping on an iced tea. "You heard from Lola?" He glanced at his watch. "I'm unlocking the doors in a few minutes and she's not here."
"No," Brook said, "I'll try her cell."
"Don't bother. I already did. She's not answering. I have a no bullshit rule. No call. No show. No job."
"She had an early class but she should be here by now."
Cam strode to the dining room and found Carina at the hostess stand making out the floor chart.
"Lola's not here. Hopefully she's just running late but for now change the floor plan to a five server board."
Carina rubbed a napkin over the laminated paper, erasing the names drawn in black crayon. "That's not like her."
Cam glanced at his phone, checking the time. "Unlock the door. If she's not here in the next ten minutes, take her off the schedule."
"She's one of the best servers we have. Are you sure?"
"Yup."
Jake turned into the break room and leaned over Emily's shoulder. "I got a surprise for you." He took a seat beside her and handed her a 15" C-3PO replica. "He obeys forty different voice commands."
"You're giving this to me?"
"Mom gave it to me last year for my birthday but you're into Star Wars way more than me. Besides I don't want anything from her."
"Are you sure? I mean it's gotta to be worth something to a collector. You could probably get a hundred dollars for it."
"I looked it up. I could get two."
She shook her head, holding it out to him. "I can't take this."
"No?" He strode to the corner of the break room and tossed it into a trash barrel.
Emily jumped from her seat. "You wouldn't!"
"I think I just did."
She crossed the room and took both his hands in hers. "I'm with Ajay."
He laughed. "Everybody knows you're with Ajay."
Emily plucked C-3PO from the trash. "I thank you for thinking of me but please, take this back."
Jake slid his hand around her waist and pulled the string on her apron. As it slid to the floor he gave her a sly grin. "Just think of it as a gift from one friend to another." He rubbed his palm along the top of her head, messing her hair up. "I got to set up the line. I'll see you later."
"Jake." When he turned, she said, "Thanks. I love it."
"You're welcome."
Carina unlocked the front door. She headed back to the break room to herd the servers to the dining room. She stood in the doorway looking each one up and down as they passed. "Emily, your hair."
"Right." She slid a black elastic band from her wrist and gathered her hair into a pony tail.
Carina said, "What you do on your own time is none of my business, but the next time you feel the need to get gnawed on make sure it's better hidden. This is a family establishment. Try to keep that in mind."
"I have no idea what you're talking about?"
Carina smiled. "Oh, you poor thing." Stifling a laugh, she asked, "Was it Jake or Ajay?"
Emily looked at her. "I repeat. I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Take a trip to the ladies room and look in the mirror."
Emily strode through the double doors into the dining room. She passed the counter where Ajay sat. He grinned, but something about his smile was not right. Frowning, she walked past him and opened the door to the ladies room.
Emily paused in front of the large mirror. Audibly gasping, she leaned over the sink, closer to the mirror. She traced the deep red and purple marks covering both sides of her neck. Far enough back that her hair hid it, but very visible with her hair pulled back and up. "Jerk!"
One hickie would of been bad enough, but . . . she counted . . . five!
Obnoxious!
She stammered out of the restroom. Emily felt Ajay's eyes following her as she turned into the drink station. Moments later, she emerged carrying a plastic pitcher full of ice and water.
Ajay hopped from the stool, his hands up. "Don't."
"Or what?" she asked, her tight smile unable to hide her outrage.
"Just at work. When you're home you can wear your hair down. Your father will never know."
She jerked her hand forward, tossing the icy water across the four foot gap and soaking Ajay's hair, face and shirt.
"Fuck!" He shook his wet head.
She ran.
He chased.
Dashing through the double doors, she smashed into her boss's chest and circled around him using him as a human shield.
Cam held his hand up to Ajay. "What's going on?" He coughed a laugh into his fist. "What did you do?"
"What did I do?" Ajay asked, water dripping from his nose. "She's the one you should be interrogating. I hope you don't get sued when one of your guests slips and falls from the water she dumped all over the floor."
"I'm confident Carina is already cleaning the mess. She's good like that. I'm also confident that you deserved what you got. Now get out of my kitchen. You're off the clock. You're not supposed to be back here until four."
"Being here off the clock has never bothered you before."
"It's bothering me now," Cam said, "Since I have a woman cowered behind me in an effort to escape my psychotic brother."
Emily peered around Cam's massive frame and stuck her tongue out. "Game on. Emily score one."
Ajay puffed out his chest and wore his soaked clothing and hair like a badge of honor as he strode back to the counter. He took a seat on a stool.
Maybe he went a little overboard last night, but when he realized Emms was giving him a second chance, a surge of protectiveness and lust overcame him. After she'd fallen asleep, he'd nuzzled and kissed her neck—for how long, he had no clue—before forcing himself to drive home.
Ajay looked toward the soda station for Emms. He saw Jake stocking plates behind the line when Emms' arm slunk around the corner. She had almost reached his glass of water when Jake snatched her wrist and yanked her forward. "Gotch!."
Fighting the growl threatening to explode from his chest, Ajay lifted himself off the stool and started toward them.
Jake unclasped her hair clip and untied her apron. His looked at her, his face contorted with a devilish grin. "Are you dating a vampire?"
"Shut up," Emily said
"Holy shit! Seriously. Did you see what he did to you?"
"Not another word."
Laughing, Jake began pulling hamburger buns from the clear plastic bag and stacking them on the stainless steel shelf. "Girl, it's going to be some time before you live this one down."
Turning the corner, Ajay lifted Emily into his arms. He wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her against the wall. He fingered one of the bigger and darker love nips on her neck. "Ajay, score one."
Emily opened her mouth but her words were blocked by his mouth covering hers. She moaned in protest as he devoured her mouth in a punishing kiss.
"Real professional," Cam said from behind the line. "Put her down."
"Sure boss." He set her down. "Game on."
Emily stomped on his booted foot.
"Fuck!"
Walking away, she murmured, "Emily, score two." She looked over her shoulder and gave him one slow, seductive wink.
"What's up the keeping score thing?" Cam asked.
Ajay's heated gaze followed her as she pushed through the double doors and into the dining room. "Holy hell, I love that woman."