About ten minutes before closing, the table with the college students was still there joking around. They weren’t being rowdy or anything, but you could just hear them talking and cutting up with each other. They didn’t look like they had any plans to leave soon.
Elle went over to their table and took away some of their dirty dishes. “We close in about ten minutes.”
The good-looking one smiled at her. “We were just about to head out.” Then he quickly moved his elbow and a fork fell to the ground. “Sorry, babe.”
Elle’s heart started racing. She quickly looked over at Nero, silently pleading for him not to do anything. When the guy didn’t make a move to pick it up and the other guys stared at her in anticipation, Elle had to pick it up.
She quickly squatted down to hurry up and retrieve the fork. When she stood up and grabbed for the rest of the dishes, she noticed their displeased faces. They had clearly wanted her to bend over and get it. No way in Hell.
Elle tried to force a smile as she walked away. She prayed Nero wouldn’t do anything and just leave it be as she went behind the counter and pretended to be busy so she could see if anything were to happen. She could tell Nero was on the verge of going crazy. She hoped he had listened to her earlier.
When the college guys walked out of the diner, Elle stood frozen as she waited to see if Nero would follow after them. When he didn’t, Elle relaxed.
Elle went to the now-unoccupied table and grabbed the tip off the table as well as the little dishes left. Dropping them off at the dishwasher, she headed for Nero’s table, unable to meet his gaze.
“How much?”
Elle kept her eyes on the table. “Ten for the meal.”
Nero stood and pulled out a silver money clip full of cash and handed her a hundred-dollar bill. “Keep the rest.”
Elle looked at Nero finally and started shaking her head. “I’m not taking your money, Ne—” Nero swiftly grabbed her and had her sitting on the edge of the table. How in the hell?
He parted Elle’s legs with his body and pressed himself up against her. His face came close to hers as he harshly spoke. “You are lucky I’m just asking you to take my money after fucking watching that. I am desperately trying to restrain myself right now.” Nero took the folded hundred-dollar bill and touched her chin with it before slowly sliding it down her neck to her chest and under her dress.
Elle’s chest started to rise and fall heavier than it ever had before. Nero had blocked her legs, making it impossible to squeeze them together. She could feel the wetness start to soak her panties when Nero’s hands went to her bare thighs under her uniform, pushing it up. He greedily kissed her as he stroked her sensitive thighs, sending chills up her back.
Nero’s hands went to the inside of her middle thighs when he said, “Now, you’re going to send me the rest of your work schedule in return for not shoving my foot up his ass. I’m not stupid, Elle. I know there was more.” Nero moved his hands higher up her thighs. “I can go back there and find it for myself and still have enough time to catch him if you don’t.”
His hands were now mere centimeters away from her mound. She was sure he could feel the heat and dampness coming from her.
She nodded, half of her hoping he wouldn’t go any farther and the other half hoping to find out what it would feel like to be touched there for the first time.
Nero slowly slid his hands back down her thighs and returned her to her feet. “Now, hurry up. I would like to get the fuck out of here.”
Elle didn’t know how she got her legs to hold her up, much less walk to the back kitchen. She tried to shake off what had happened between her and Nero as she quickly took out her phone and sent Nero the first picture she had taken yesterday, showing her whole schedule. Elle figured there was no harm in giving it to him. She had already planned to keep riding with him to work now.
She walked farther back into the kitchen to tell the cook she was leaving. “See you this weekend, Steve.”
He didn’t even look up from the dishes. “Bye, Elle.”
Elle walked back through the swinging doors and went to the cash register, putting in ten dollars’ worth in tips instead of breaking the hundred. Elle smiled. She didn’t want to take Nero’s money. But I did work for it all night. She turned some lights off and grabbed her coat before walking to Nero, who was waiting by the door.
Her smile never disappeared when Nero drove her home. As they reached her house, Nero parked at the next house down, making Elle curious as to why he had done it. When he spent a long time kissing her goodbye, Elle realized why, remembering her family looking out the window earlier.
She lay in her bed that night, still unable to stop smiling. Being with Nero made her happy in her life once again. She had forgotten the feeling.
That night was the first in years Elle fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Chapter Twenty—Five
Thanks for Killing Our Fucking Dreams