When I looked back at her five minutes later her plate was clean, including the salad bowl, and I got that twist in my gut again. Most girls her age eat like birds for some fucked up reason.

Or they’d pretend not to be hungry in my presence for form’s sake. I liked her even more for that lack of artifice. I admire honesty above all else, well except for loyalty. Loyalty is a clear front runner when dealing with me.

I picked up the phone and called the bar to order her dessert and coffee. My reasons were twofold. I wanted to feed her yes, but I wasn’t ready to let her go. I felt almost panicked at the thought of her leaving.

“I should go. Thanks for the food.” She got up, taking the tray with the empty dishes in her hands. What should I do? Fuck! “Sit down!” We were both shocked by my words, me more than her.

She gave me another one of her glares and remained standing. Stubborn little twit!

I quirked my brow at her when she didn’t hurry to obey me, but it didn’t seem to have any affect that I could see. That’s something else I’m going to have to get used to. Everyone usually rushes to do my bidding.

I don’t know how long our stare off lasted, but I’m damned if I’m about to lose this shit. “Do you need help finding your ass in that chair?”

“Do you need help rearranging that pretty face of yours?” I would’ve laughed if she wasn’t dead serious.

I started to rise from my seat and she held up the tray defensively and thrust out her chin. I felt the blood heat beneath my skin with excitement as I watched her, so defiant, even though I was sure she knew she couldn’t win.

She hadn’t taken off her coat so I still had no idea what she looked like under the man sized garment that swallowed her tiny frame, but at least her cheeks looked a little healthier after the meal.

My eyes lingered on her face and I felt that jolt to my system yet again as I really studied her for the first time. She had wide set green eyes that tilted up at the corners, green pools of light that seemed to beg me to dive right in. A pert little button nose and the cutest rounded cheekbones, like she hadn’t quite gotten rid of all her baby fat.

I wanted to touch her and again a strong sense of knowing hit me square in the gut. I had to clench my fists on my thighs to keep myself from crossing the line.

I’d already done way too much shit that was suspect in the short space of time we’d known each other, touching her now would be totally inappropriate.

It wasn’t just that strange need that was the problem though, it was also the fact that I had a serious problem with letting her go. Since the fuck when?

“How old are you?” It suddenly occurred to me that her tiny ass might be jailbait. I picked up the papers she’d filled out to check for myself and breathed a sigh of relief. She was just past nineteen; a baby, but legal. I calculated the age difference in my head and cursed myself for being an ass.

What the fuck did it matter how old she was? Where are you really going with this Max? You don’t even know her, have no idea who she is. Though that had never mattered much in the past.

I looked up at her, still standing defiantly and wondered where she got the gumption. She must not have heard about me, otherwise she wouldn’t have had the nerve to defy me, especially in my own place.

“I told you to sit.” I leaned back in my chair like it didn’t matter to me one way or another. The knock came then and once again it was the bar-back Paul who came in with a tray of dessert and coffee. He took in the scene and skirted around her.

He took the tray with the empty dishes from her after placing the new one on the desk without uttering a word, before leaving the room just as quietly as he entered.

She eyed the variety of cakes on the plate and actually licked her lips before looking back at me. “What are you trying to do?”

“I don’t follow.”

What was I supposed to say? I’m just as confused

as you chick so just sit your ass down until I figure this shit out?

“I’m pretty sure this isn’t how you treat all your would be employees.”

“How would you know?” I looked from her to the chair meaningfully and she got the hint and sat her miserable ass down.

I wasn’t sure if it was in obedience or just the lure of the sweets. I was leaning more towards the latter. Her hand shook slightly when she lifted the cup of steaming hot coffee to her lips.

“Stop staring.” She put the cup down and folded her arms. Was glare the only look she knew?

“I’m not.” Busted. I pretended interest in the screen again before reaching for my own cup.

“So, tell me about yourself Annabelle.” I like her name. It has that old world feel to it, like mom’s, Sophia. In fact it seems there was quite a bit about her that reminds me of mom.

“There isn’t much to tell. I just moved here for school, I’m looking for a job. The end.” She’s a tough one alright. Was that her lure? The reason I was fascinated by her?

Women usually fell all over themselves to tell me their life story whether I showed an interest or not. With this one it was like pulling teeth.

I’m not new to the wiles of women and know they have a lot of tricks up their sleeves to draw men in. Somehow I didn’t get that feeling from her. I suspect she was just what she appeared to be. Uninterested.

She dug into the chocolate silk pie with relish and I was actually captivated by the sight of her sliding the sweet off the tines of the fork onto her tongue. My dick, which had not fully retreated at this point took notice.

She made it seem so sensual, the simple act of eating, that I found myself watching until her third or fourth bite before shaking myself out of my near trance.

That’s it, that’s what had drawn my eyes to her in the first place. It’s the way she moves. Like every movement was coordinated, like they were all designed to draw the eye of anyone watching.

Even the way she lifted the fork to her lips, the way those lips closed around the tines of the fork to bring the food into her mouth, had other ideas running through my head.

She made a sexy little sound in her throat and her eyes literally shone with delight as she polished off the dessert before sitting back in the chair and rubbing her tummy.

I can’t believe I’m sitting here watching a teenager eat, mesmerized with a growing dick. When she was done I didn’t have an excuse to hold her back this time and reluctantly let her go when she got to her feet again after finishing her coffee.

She flounced out the door, ungrateful wretch, without a backward glance. I was tempted to have her followed, but she was long gone before I could decide if that was a good idea or not.

I watched her on camera until she disappeared out the door and down the sidewalk and out of view. I’m not sure how long I sat there staring into space and wondering just what in the blue fuck had happened in the last few hours.

Now that she wasn’t here I could think again, but nothing made sense and I missed her already. There was an almost physical ache in my chest that I couldn’t explain and I rubbed my hand over my heart in wonder. The damn room felt empty without her in it.

Tony came in not long after she left and found me staring into space. “Bro, what was that?”

“I have no fucking idea.” He grinned and shook his head.

“If I didn’t know better…”

“Don’t say it, don’t even think it.” I knew what he was thinking, but it wasn’t that, it couldn’t be. She was little more than a kid for fuck sake.

Something about her just brought back memories is all. I felt some sort of compassion for her, nothing more. Even as I told myself that I wondered if I was just lying to myself.

I thought it best to change the subject before he got more of a scent. I didn’t know what was going on myself and wasn’t ready to discuss it, not even with my closest friend.

“How’s it going out there?”

“It’s all good. Sorry about earlier. I didn’t catch Arlene before she made it to the door.”

“No problem, I handled it.”

I almost told him to keep an eye on her and Annabelle but thought better of it. No sense in giving him more to think about. If anyone worries about the state of my love life more than my mother it’s him.

He’s wary of the wrong female getting her hooks into me and is always vetting my women whether I want him to or not. I guess it’s okay since I know it comes from a place of love, but they can both be a bit tiring at times with that shit.

“So, what job did you offer her?”

“Waitress. She starts training tomorrow.”

“You know there’s already a buzz started right.”

“Why is that?”

“You let her into the inner sanctum.” I shrugged off his words and finished off my lukewarm coffee.

“Are we still set to fly to Miami tomorrow?”

“No, I think I’ll put that off for a few days. Let the pilot know will you?” I ignored his smirking ass and the annoying voice in my head that asked me what the hell I thought I was doing.

I’ve never skirted my duties since I took over the business and my movements were like clockwork. Once I was finished here in New York it was customary for me to head to South Beach to do the same there.

This was the first time in three years that I was messing with the schedule. I wasn’t deceitful enough to pretend to myself that I didn’t know the reason behind the change. I was worried about her.

I looked at the scanty bit of information she’d added to the form before putting it away. I wondered how she was going to do in her training. I knew how vigorous it was, how hard I’d made it for anyone to get hired since I wanted only the best.

I was almost tempted to call the manager who would be in charge of her training to warn him to go easy on her, but caught myself just in time.

The last thing I wanted was for others to start questioning my motives, not when I didn’t know the answers myself. I’d already given away too much with my earlier actions as it is.

“We’ll stay another week here. It will be good anyway to drop in when they’re not expecting me. I’ve been too predictable in my movements in the past don’t you think?”

He just gave me a look because we both knew that I had eyes and ears all over my places that kept me more than well informed as to the true goings-on at my clubs.

That’s the reason I haven’t been cheated or betrayed too much. I usually get rid of first time offenders out the gate. They never know how I know the things I do, but word had spread that I had some sort of sixth sense when it came to that shit.

Whatever, it works to keep my management team honest, not to mention the rest of the staff. I expect people to try, it’s only natural for such things to happen in the work place, especially since I tend to hire a lot of down on their luck people.

Most of them are grateful and their loyalty unquestionable. But there are shady fuckers in every social group and the poor and needy are no exception.

“I’m done here for the night, I think I’ll head home.” The place suddenly felt dead. Even though three years had gone by I still get that feeling of excitement in my gut when I walk into one of my places. Now that feeling had dimmed.

Outside my office business was booming.

The music from the upstairs could be faintly heard, but didn’t interfere with whatever sets the girls on the next floor chose for their dance routine.

The restaurant as was to be expected was full, with still more people waiting to be seated. Again I didn’t feel that spark of excitement at the money I was sure to make from the night’s haul.

I tried to shake the feeling, not exactly comfortable with the fact that she could affect me this deeply on such short acquaintance.

I had the bartender call the manager over and gave him the forms she’d filled out. “She’ll be here tomorrow for training.” I didn’t tell him any more than that before heading out the door.

I was unusually quiet on my way home in the backseat of the town car, my eyes not registering the scenery as we passed.

My mind was somewhere else in the city with a young girl who for some reason I thought needed me. Dammit Max, get a grip.

Tony dropped me off at my penthouse apartment on Central Park South, before heading for his own place in Chelsea.

He seemed to sense my mood too, since he didn’t badger, but let me off easy. I knew though from the look he gave me when he let me out of the car that he was thinking about what had happened earlier.

If anyone should, he’d know how out of character that was for me. I didn’t have an explanation for my actions, I just did what I did without thought. But then again who the fuck do I need to explain myself to?

I dropped my coat on a chair back and walked to the liquor cabinet to pour myself a drink. I never partake when I’m working, and hardly ever drink anyway. But tonight I needed it.

There was something going on with me that I couldn’t get a handle on. It was the girl, but what about her? I’ve had prettier, nicer women that’s for damn sure.

But there was something about her that kept pulling at me. If it was just an attraction I would know how to deal. But I couldn’t quite get a bead on what it was that I was feeling and the shit was making me antsy.