I’m well into my shift and my feet are hurting as usual. Making us wear heels when they know all we do is walk a bazillion miles should be a crime. My poor tootsies. It doesn’t help that I decided to break in my brand-new designer shoes tonight. I’ve only worn them that one night with Grant so far. And well… I wasn’t on my feet.

I’m in the kitchen grabbing the meals for one of my tables when my co-worker Lex comes up to me. “Someone just sat in your corner booth.” Her smile should give something away, but it doesn’t.

“Do you know them?”

“Who doesn’t? It’s the boss. The big boss.”

“Oh snap. And they sat him at my table?” Damn, I’m not good with nerves. They make my hands shaky and I tend to ramble on and on.

“Oh stop. You’re the best waitress working tonight! Get out there and work some magic while getting yourself an enormous tip. Plus, he’s freaking gorgeous!” She winks and disappears with a tray full of plates.

Taking a deep breath, I take the meals to my waiting table before heading for the infamous corner booth. It’s where all the elite like to sit. Movie stars, celebs, entrepreneurs. If you’re famous you always get the best seat in the house which is the corner booth in my section.

As I get close I notice a man and a woman. The lady’s facing me, but all I see is the back of the guy’s head.

As I approach the table I look at the woman while asking what they want to drink. She orders a Cosmo. I want to roll my eyes at her originality.

I’m writing her order down in my notebook, which I don’t need to do but I’m trying to gather my composure before turning towards my boss. The owner of the entire restaurant and many more across the world. He clears his throat causing me to look up with a smile painted on my face and I almost die.

“I’ll take a Jack on the rocks.” He winks and I do absolutely nothing but gawk at him.

Because it’s the Big D. My eyes are bulging and I’m looking kinda crazy. I know this, but I can’t stop myself.

The man I’ve been having a tryst with is my boss. Not only my boss, but one of the wealthiest men in Boston. Hell, the world!

I hear a throat clear and look back at the woman. The very gorgeous blonde woman I’m now sizing up. Of course, he’s with her, they’re perfect together. Long blonde hair, clearly fake. Big ol’ boobies, also fake. Gorgeous designer dress with the matching bag. Totally not fake.

I mentally shake myself and nod my head before leaving for the bar to grab their drinks.

I place the order and put my hands on the bar top. “Holy shit!” I whisper shout to myself.

“Gorgeous, right? I told you so!” Lex hip bumps me laughing.

I can’t tell her what the real deal is, so I just nod and pretend like I have a school girl crush. It’s not a stretch since I really do have a big ol’ crush on the Big D. My boss. Fuck my life.

The drinks are done way too soon. I shouldn’t be surprised, everyone knows who he is apparently. Except for me. He jumped the list.

With both drinks in hand, I deliver them to the table and ask if they need any more time to look at the menu.

“We’ll have two prime ribs, rare.” He never takes his eyes off me and it makes me fidget almost knocking the Cosmo into his dates pretty little lap.

“Coming right up… ya weirdo.” I mutter the last part under my breath. But the right side of his mouth hitches and I know he’s somehow heard me.

I scurry to the kitchen to put their order in and head to the bathroom for a quick pow wow. By pow wow I mean two minutes to freak the hell out.

I’m pacing for about a minute when the door to the bathroom opens. I stop and head for the sink not wanting anyone thinking I’m going out of my mind.

I sense someone behind me so I scooch over to the far sink to make room. Girls are always coming in to gussy up for their dates. It’s funny to watch them plumping their boobs and pouting their lips into the mirror. Just thinking about it makes me chuckle.

“Agnes.”

I whirl around to find the Big D standing in the ladies’ room… with me.

I cock my head to the side and look at him with confusion. He hasn’t even acknowledged we know each other. Yet he’s in the ladies’ room, but why? No reasons make any sense.

I go to walk by him with an “excuse me” but he hitches an arm around my waist.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His breath on my ear causes goosebumps to erupt all over my body and I know if he looked, he’d see my nipples on display for his viewing pleasure.

“I’m working.”

“I thought we could have some fun in here.”

I pull myself from his arms and clock him right across the jaw. Boom, right in the kisser!

“Jesus! I didn’t mean…”

“Are you kidding me? You have a freaking date and you wanna get it on in the bathroom with me? Feel like slumming it with a waitress in public? Private wasn’t doing it for ya?” With that I turn on my heels and march out of the bathroom straight to the kitchen. I hear him calling my name but I don’t stop until I’m through the swinging doors.

Where is she? Ah, there she is. I march up to Lex and put my hands on her shoulders. “The corner table’s all yours. I’m not feeling so well. Do you think you can cover so I can go home?”

“Of course.” But she’s looking at me like she’s not buying it. I don’t care. I just need to get out of here.

I look around the kitchen as their plates are put under the warmer. “Those two right there, prime rib. Thanks, I owe you!”

She takes the plates and exits the kitchen with a smile on her face. Lex can have him for all I care! I head for the breakroom and grab my belongings.

When I’m riding the train home, I can’t stop laughing. This is my life. Everything’s boring as hell until bam! A multi-millionaire somehow delivers food to my grandmother’s house and decides to set his standards way below his usual level. I mean, what the hell was he thinking. He should have taken my dollar and sent me on my way. Has he known I work for him this entire time?

And he was with his girlfriend! What an asshole. Well, it’s clear. I need to quit my job and pick up more shifts at Lace of Desire until I can find another waitressing job.

A sleek sports car, the same one from the other night, pulls up to the curb as I’m walking up the steps to my apartment. Oh, hell no! It can’t be.

The passenger window rolls down and I’m staring into the depths of two magnificent brown eyes. “Five minutes Agnes.”

“Go away Big D!” I yell without thinking.

“Wait, stop Aggie.” He jumps out of his car that’s illegally parked and runs up the stairs.

I get the main entrance open and almost closed. Almost. He gets a freaking toe in the way causing the door to bounce back with force and nail me on the cheek bone.

“Mother Christ!” I yell as I grab my face with my hand. It throbs and feels like I broke my cheek.

“Fuck Aggie!” I’m scooped into Grant’s arms as he walks me the two feet to my apartment door.

“Put me down! Get away from me!”

“Stop it, I need to check out your face.” He grabs the keys from my hand and quickly opens my door one handed. I’m placed on my couch as he crouches in front of me examining the damage. He looks remorseful and a bit nervous.

“You’ve got a shiner. It may turn into a black eye. Fuck, I’m sorry baby.”

“Don’t call me that.” I push him away and get up off the couch, moving as far away as I can in my tiny apartment.

“You don’t understand…” I cut him off.

“You’re damn skippy I don’t! Please tell me what the hell you were thinking!”

He runs his hands through his hair in aggravation and sighs. “I don’t do deliveries. It’s not even my place, it’s my best friends. He just bought it and a few others that he’s trying to overhaul. Before he shut it down he bet me I couldn’t last a night as a delivery driver, and well, the rest is history.”

“I’m so stupid.”

“Don’t say that.”

“And every other Friday after the first time?”

He looks a little sheepish as his cheeks redden. “I made him keep the phone number so I could get your order and bring it to you.”

“Hello stalker…” I mumble.

“Aggie…”

“I don’t even know your name!” I cry out. “I slept with you all willy nilly, and I had no clue who you are. And I kept doing it!”

“Grant Donovan.”

“Oh my god, you even have a rich man’s name! It couldn’t have been Bob or Gary?”

He chuckles and it does things to me. Sexy things.

“You need to leave.” I practically beg.

“Will I see you again?”

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

He sighs again, and moves for the front door. My backs to him and I think it’s all over until I’m whirled around and his mouth crashes down on mine. His tongue invades my mouth as a tortured moan escapes my lips.

When he pulls back he makes sure to stare deeply into my eyes. “I’m not letting you go without a fight. Remember that.” He turns and heads for the front door.

“Why? I’m just… me.” I whisper.

He stops all while keeping his back to me. “That’s why I’m not letting you go.”

Then he exits my apartment leaving me with a million questions.

“You brought this upon yourself Aggie. Sleeping with a delivery boy in your Mimi’s bushes.” I mutter to myself.

The point is moot because this would never work out.

He’s high class and I’m just getting by.

He’s Gucci and I’m Faded Glory.

Then I notice something on the table next to my door as I’m locking it tight.

A single peony.

Ugh, this is gonna be harder than I thought.