Chapter Two
Elena smelled like cinnamon, and all Cole could think about was rolls with lots of sugar and cinnamon, and it was making his mouth water. Having her this close was a bad idea, but he was getting tired of waiting around. He wanted her, had always wanted her.
“So, are you dating anyone?” he asked.
She glanced up and shook her head. “Nope.” She ran her hands across the label before picking it up, and moving it toward the area where he was stacking them getting ready to send them. “You know, I never thanked you all those years ago.”
“For what?” He folded his arms and leaned against the desk, watching her. She bent down, and once again, he was gritting his teeth. Having Elena close was not going to do well in the long term for his teeth. Just seeing her bent over or in any way where her ass was on display was not good for him.
“Helping me with those bullies in high school. You didn’t have to do that at all, and could have joined right in, taunting me, being mean. You weren’t. I knew then you were a decent guy.”
“You think I’m a decent guy?” He liked that she thought about him at all. It meant he registered with her, that she knew he existed.
Stop sounding like a damn pussy, and kiss her.
“Everyone knows you’re a decent guy, Cole. It’s why you’re always the first place to stop, and not heading into one of those ghastly malls that are so popular.”
“You don’t like shopping?”
“I do, but I also like supporting the town. Besides, could you imagine me in a car for an hour just to get to town? It’s a nightmare.”
“You never did learn to drive?” he asked.
“Nope. The driving instructor said if I took another lesson, he’d quit. I decided that being the chubby kid was bad enough. I didn’t want to be known as the girl that cost drivers’ ed.”
She grabbed another box, placing it on the table. He watched as she put a layer of bubble wrap to keep the goods safe.
“You couldn’t have been that bad,” he said.
“I nearly overturned the car going too fast on the corner. I crashed into a wall, and I safely took out multiple cones. It’s safe to say I’m a hazard to the driving community. I’m happy to walk though.” She stood back, placing her hands on her hips.
The position she was standing in stretched the shirt over her breasts. With her hands cupping her hips, it just showcased her curvy body.
This was it, he was going to kiss her, and damn the consequences, whatever they might be. He took a second step, and his gaze was on those plump lips, and he wanted them on his body, wrapped around his cock. He intended to worship every single inch of her. The moment he got her in his bed, he wasn’t leaving for a month. He wanted that much time to learn her body, to find what turned her on, and to place his brand on her.
“Sir, Vincent is outside waiting for you,” Deuce said.
Cole paused and turned to see his other employee standing in the doorway. He was actually painting his nails black. “What?”
“Vincent is here for the deliveries. He wanted to know where to go.”
“Oh, around back.”
Elena moved ahead of him, opening the back door, and grabbing the pair of wheels that they could load up.
Within minutes Vincent was parking up, and Elena was helping him load up the truck. She shoved one box in, and when it got stuck, she knelt into the van, giving him once again a perfect view of her ass.
“Is that like the perfect scene for you?” Vincent asked.
“Shut the fuck up.” From high school, he, Danny, and Vincent were the only ones who had remained close. They’d been part of a group of jocks, several of whom had left town, and gone on to bigger things. Some of them were sportsmen. Cole was more than happy for them. He didn’t want the sporting life. He’d not lied to Elena when he told her about what he wanted out of life.
Being the center of attention never appealed to him, but a family did.
“Why don’t you just ask her out?”
“Shut up, Vincent.
“Crap, two seconds. Sorry to hold up, guys,” Elena said, her voice sounding slightly muffled.
“She’d go for you. You’ve got to do something soon. You’re acting like you’re going to eat her.”
He glared at his friend, and was about to say something, but Elena came out of the van, smiling. “Sorry about that. I caught the box on something. All is good. Do you need a hand?”
“No. You can go and help Deuce now. Thank you for your help,” he said.
“Do you want me to wait here for you later?” He frowned, not really sure what she meant. “The plumbing problem. Leaking pipe, that thing?”
“Ah, no. I’ll be late with this. I’ll pop by your place as soon as I’m done.”
“Okay. Have fun.” She turned on her heel and left.
“Wow, could you cut the tension with a knife,” Vincent said.
“Shut up.”
“That’s what, three times you’ve said that to me.”
“I don’t need you talking crap. Not in front of Elena,” Cole said, picking up two large boxes.
Vincent burst out laughing. “Are you telling me you don’t have a hard-on for Elena now? Have you evolved? Grown? Been taken over by aliens?” He even slapped a hand against Cole’s forehead. “Nope. You’re still you.”
He rolled his eyes, shoved him, and placed the last few boxes in the back of the truck. Climbing into the passenger side, he ignored Vincent as he was still laughing.
“You really don’t find it funny, Chubby Ch—”
“If you finish that name I will guarantee you’ll never father children.”
“It’s worth the risk,” Vincent said. He closed his door and didn’t say another word, which Cole was more than happy about. “You know I’m only joking with you, right?”
“Don’t care. I never liked it when you guys called me that for being a good guy for Elena. I don’t like it now, and I’m thirty-one years old.”
“You know, for a guy who has been craving a certain woman, why don’t you just ask her?”
“It’s not that easy.”
“Okay, I get why you’ve not dated her until now. You’ve both been apart, and rarely crossed paths. I get it, I do. But what’s the holdup now? You’ve got her working for you, and you’re both single.”
“I’m her boss.”
“Exactly. It will give that added layer of kink. ‘Fuck me, Elena, or lose your job’.”
“You’ll never make it in a porno,” Cole said.
“Ah, so you’re now admitting to watching porn?” Vincent asked.
Vincent and Danny were the two jokers in his life. They were convinced that he was a stick in the mud, and needed to loosen up. They’d made it their mission to make him have fun.
“I never said I didn’t watch porn. You’re the one convinced I don’t have a life.”
“You don’t. You rarely go out to drink, or to party, or to have fun.”
“I have fun.”
“When was the last time you came out and just had a dance? Some partying?”
“I’m not eighteen anymore.”
“Ugh, you’re so frustrating. It’s not like we’re going to get drunk, and bang the first babe that lands on our lap. Have you ever thought that Elena might want to be asked out on a date? To go out dancing, having fun, forgetting about her troubles, or her leaky pipe?” Vincent asked.
Cole stared at his friend. “Most of the times we were out, I’d be the butt of all jokes.”
“Yeah and?”
“And, if I invite Elena out on a date, you’ve got to come with dates, and you can’t say any shit about what you think of me?” he asked.
“That is one easy deal to make.”
“Fine. I’ll ask Elena out,” Cole said.
Seconds passed, and he looked out at the passing town. He needed to get to the post office, and then on to check out a new supply store.
“You’re really going to ask her out?” Vincent asked.
“Yes.” He’d been wanting to do it for a while. He was tired of finding some excuse or some reason that meant she couldn’t be his.
****
“What do you mean you had to work over?” Elena asked, tipping the water out of the bucket. She had her cell resting between her shoulder and her ear.
“They’ve got this really important case, and I’m needed here.”
“You know, I hate you right now.”
“Please, you love me. It’s Cole, and he’s hot.”
“Still. You know he makes me uncomfortable.”
“Elena, dogs make you uncomfortable, and so do babies, so you’ll feel right at home,” Juliet said.
“I totally hate you right now.”
“You’ll love me for it. Got to go, bye.”
Elena stared at her cell phone and cursed her friend. What if Cole thought this was some ploy to get her over to her place so she could have her wicked way with him? She’d be lying if she hadn’t thought about it a time or two, but that was not what this was, and she was so pissed right now.
Gritting her teeth, she made her way toward the fridge, and found the chicken she’d cooked yesterday. Pulling it out of the fridge, she placed it on the counter, followed by everything else she needed to make a salad. She had to go to the store soon, but there were tomatoes, lettuce, and other goodies she just loved.
When she saw a few pieces of bacon left, she made her mind up to make a Caesar salad, which she was just finishing up when the doorbell rang.
Quickly rushing to the front door, she tried not to think about the way Cole had walked toward her today in the storeroom. It had looked like he wanted to do something until Deuce interrupted. Had he meant to fire her? Kiss her? Tell her she was the only woman in the world?
Pushing all those thoughts out of her mind, she opened the door, and there was Cole, complete with his toolbox.
“Hey, come on in,” she said.
He stepped inside and waited.
“So, Juliet has decided to work over, so it’s just you and me, and a leaking pipe.”
Why did that make her think of his cock? He had a pipe and during sex it leaked. Crap, she needed to stop thinking about her boss’s dick.
“Erm, yeah, this way.”
Get a grip, Elena.
I’m going to kill you, Juliet.
She opened the cupboard underneath the sink, and showed him where the bowl was resting. “See, right there. I’ve got some Caesar salad afterward, if that’s okay?”
“Sure. I can eat.” He lay down on the floor, and with his head beneath the sink, she got the chance to have a really good, long look at his body. He started to talk about leaking, and water, and pipes, and she tried to pay attention. His shirt had run up, and it revealed a tempting glimpse of another tattoo. Damn, was that a lion on his stomach? Would it be wrong for her to just pull the shirt up a little bit?
Down, girl, down.
“It’s an easy fix. I can do it in a few minutes,” he said, sitting up.
She quickly looked at his face. “That’s fantastic news.”
“Let me grab some piping out of my truck.”
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.” She stepped out of the way, and went to the fridge. Grabbing a couple of juices, she placed them on the table. If he was going to his truck he wouldn’t want a cold beer.
Minutes later he came back into the house. “Is one of those for me?” he asked.
“Sure is.”
“Great.” He took a long gulp, and then got back to work underneath the sink. “What’s keeping Juliet?”
“Ah, she had to work. Something about it being really important and I could handle this with you.” She moved toward the prepared Caesar salad, and began to serve it onto plates. “Did you get to the post office okay?”
“Yeah, and I got to the supply store. Vincent got me back my truck this afternoon, as otherwise I’d have gone myself.”
“Vincent’s a good guy.”
“He’s always there when I need him,” Cole said. “It’s good to have friends you can rely on.”
“I know what you mean.”
Minutes ticked by as he worked on the pipe. There was some whacking, and some movement, and then he had something flammable. She really should have paid attention. Within thirty minutes, the pipe was fixed, and no leak was present. “That should do well now for some time.”
“You’re fantastic, thank you.”
“Always a pleasure to help a woman in need.”
“Well I’ve got dinner.” She pointed at the table to which he took a seat. “I didn’t know what else to do, and this was left over.”
“It’s fine. I got cooked for, so I’m happy.”
“I guess I’d better ask about payment.”
“It’s not going to cost you anything.”
She smiled. “You’ve got to charge something.”
He took a large bite of chicken and stared at her. “I’ve got a request, and we can consider it payment.”
“I’m listening.”
“I want you to go on a date with me.”
Okay, that was not what she was expecting. “A date?”
“Yes, a date. With me, Danny, and Vincent. They’ll bring their own dates. It’ll be dancing and stuff.”
“Oh, wow, I didn’t expect that.”
He chuckled. “See, I’m full of surprises. If you don’t want to though, it doesn’t affect anything.”
“If I don’t want to what?”
“Go on a date with me. I’m not asking you as your boss or anything. You’ve still got a job.”
She began to laugh. “I’ll go on a date. It’s a weird kind of payment though.”
“Let’s just say it’s something I want to do. Vincent said to me that I’ve become a bore. I’m lame, pretty much, which I didn’t like to be called. I want to prove him wrong.”
“And you do that with going on a date with me?”
“We’ll be going dancing. Are you adverse to dancing?”
“I love dancing,” she said, smiling. “A lot.”
“Then that’s it. This Friday, I want to take you dancing.”
“You’ve got yourself a date.”
After they ate, she saw him out of the apartment, and then went and sat down on the sofa. Cole had asked her out on a date.
A few hours passed before Juliet stumbled into their home. By that time, Elena had already gotten changed and was sitting with a carton of ice cream.
“I’m so sorry about that. It’s been a crazy day, and I’m not even going to get started.” Juliet flopped down onto the sofa beside her and sighed. “Did our leaky pipe get fixed?”
“It got all fixed.” She handed her friend the spoon, and Juliet began eating ice cream. “I forgive you.”
“I knew you would. I’d have been here if I could, and you know that.” Juliet took a second scoop. “What was the damage?” This was Juliet’s way of asking how much it cost.
“It didn’t cost us a thing.”
“How is that possible?”
Elena took the spoon back, and ate some more ice cream. “He wanted payment in other means.”
“You didn’t screw on the couch, did you?”
“No, ew, of course not. We totally did it in your chair,” Elena said, laughing.
“For real, what did he want?”
“A date.”
“A date?”
“Yes, a dancing date. Vincent and Danny think he’s some boring guy, and he wants to prove them wrong.”
“How do you feel about this?” Juliet asked.
“I don’t know. On the one hand I’m happy, and on the other hand, I don’t know. Should I feel used?” She had been gloriously happy at the thought of going on a date with him, and then that had turned to doubts.
“I think Cole likes you,” Juliet said.
“He doesn’t.”
“He gave you a job. When we were growing up he always said hey to you. You even told me about that time he stopped those bullies from hurting you. You’ve always had a crush on him, and you’ve always tried to hide it. He’s never had a steady girlfriend.”
“He’s not lived like a monk.”
“Neither have you. That goes two ways, sweetie,” Juliet said.
There had been men in her past. Two total, and they had been so disappointing. Elena tried not to think about it. The first had been her prom date, and that had ended up as a disaster in the back of his truck. She’d hated every second of that. The second guy had been a guy just passing through. He’d also been screwing several other women but decided she was an easy target. Before he left, and she didn’t even want to think of his name, he’d told her she should be happy he wanted her. For a fat girl, she wouldn’t do any better.
She didn’t understand men or why they felt the need to put a woman down because she had a few extra curves. She adored her body, and would never be changing it for a guy.