Page 98 of Someone Like Me
A low chuckle rumbles from me. “Okay, Guppy. See? You’re in charge.”
This, I can tell from the way her green eyes flare, pleases her immensely. And that look is addictive.
Hmm.I could be in real trouble.
The clerk returns wearing a friendly smile. “Sorry about the wait. What can I get you?”
Evie checks in with me one last time. “No allergies, right?”
“Nope.”
“Okay.” She hits the kid with her stellar smile, and I watch him swallow in response. “We’ll have two strawberry cake doughnuts, two almond milk lattes, one sweet potato hash with sriracha on the side, and one Spanish omelette.”
Evie rattles off the order, and it takes the poor guy a minute before he can shake off the effect of her smile and start tapping the items onto his iPad. I almost feel sorry for him. But I’m too busy letting the truth of it sink in.
This woman is here with me.Me.
The kid gives me the once over, and I imagine he’s wondering the same thing.What the hell is she thinking?
And I’m a fool if I think this is going to last.
That thought lands like a fist to the solar plexus. If I’m being honest, it’s not really a surprise. But it’s the first time I’ve let it sink in since I’ve tasted her. Touched her. Slept with her in my arms.
Fallen for her…
When she goes, it’s going to hurt like hell.
The sight of Evie reaching into her back pocket jerks me out of my funk. “Whoa,” I say, stilling her hand that holds her debit card. “What are you doing?”
She blinks up at me in surprise. “Paying. What does it look like?”
I cough my offense. “You’re not paying.”
“But,” Evie’s curls shake with obvious affront, “you said I could order.”
I screw up my brows. “I said order, not pay.” I pass the guy a couple of twenties, do a double take at the total, and hand over another ten.
Shit, this hippie place is expensive. I’ll need a second job to give Evie a house and a third to take her back here again.
“But you said I was in charge.”
Laughter shakes from me. “And look how fast I regretted that.”
Her mouth falls open and a vexed huff escapes. “But you paid at Champagne’s.”
“So you should be used to it by now.”
Evie’s eyes narrow to slits. Something like a kitten growl rises from her throat. It’s as sexy as sin, but it does her no good. One day she’s going to drop me like the dead weight I am, but until then, I’m going to give her everything I have.
She crosses her arms over her chest. “So, you’re not only stubborn but sexist, too?”
The poor kid behind the counter hasn’t picked up my bills yet. He’s just watching us wide-eyed. I give him a pointed stare and tilt my gaze to the cash. He finally gets a clue and scrambles to claim it.
“Keep the change,” I say and gently tug Evie by one of her crossed arms to a table. I pull out the chair for her, but she doesn’t sit. She just glowers at me.
“I’m not sexist,” I tell her in a low voice. “It’s been a while since I dated. I’m just trying to make up for lost time.”
Evie’s jaw softens. Her arms drop to her side, and she sits. “Okay. Fine. You can pay for now.” Her voice has softened too. “But eventually, there will need to be some give and take.”
