Page 13 of Passion in Store

Tor looks at the two of us. “Let’s get tomorrow’s ordering done now so Minnie’s got everything under control. Jimmy, we’ll need Paige and Andy to come in to help with the staffing. Are they rostered this week?”

“No, I haven’t done the roster!” He puts both hands on his head as if to stop it bursting open. “I was just going to leave the café closed.”

Tor nods. “Don’t worry, Jimmy. If you can give us their contact details, then Connor and Minnie can make sure we have just the right amount of staff. I think you’ll find that if you let us do the schedules and planning, you’ll see your profits go up, too.” I make a mental note that Tor needs to be put on the payroll. This operation could run so much smoother and it’s our chance to show him.

Jimmy holds his hands up as if in surrender. He’s realized there’s nothing else he can do. He shakes my hand and waves, then nods at the girls as he goes.

We set ourselves up in a booth at the rear of the closed café with the laptop and menus, and Tor, Minnie, and I make a plan for the week, focusing on tomorrow first. Once we’re finished, Tor goes off to do her workout at Roasters. But Minnie and I have been making eyes at each other, and the desire to be alone together in the deserted café after closing time outweighs our desire to go back to the gym. After I see Tor out, I make sure the café door is latched.

“Did you end up having to cancel your clients today?” Minnie asks me, concern in her beautiful eyes.

I’ve been stealing glances at her for the last two hours, watching as she and Tor have done most of the planning. I’ve memorized lots of important details like the angle of her chin when she turns her head, and the smooth, rounded ends of her fingernails as she makes notes.

“I’d only scheduled a few clients today as I was going to work on my Instagram for the boot camp. Yolanda was able to step in for me, she owes me heaps.”

“Oh, Connor, let’s do your Instagram now. I can help you!”

She’s sitting on the other side of the booth, clearing space in front of the laptop, so I slide out and move over to be next to her.

I slide close, intent on looking at the laptop screen. My phone is in my hand, and I bring it to life, but when I turn to look at Minnie, all thoughts of Meta and the boot camp disappear. Her blue eyes are like mosaics, the pupils large and inky-deep.

Next thing I know, I’m dropping my mouth on hers. She opens her lips and I search them with my tongue. She sucks gently, her lips stroking mine, our tongues together at last. There’s not a lot of room in the booth but it’s private from the front of the café with a trellis that reaches to the ceiling covered in an artificial vine. I hold her face and she puts her hand on my shoulder as I deepen our kiss.

Chapter 12

Minnie

Ican hardly believe that Connor and I are making out at table twelve. I’ve been watching him since Jimmy left, stealing glances while we did the planning. I’ve noticed his big shoulders, his tattooed biceps peeking out of his sleeves, his intent and caring voice. I fixate on the memory of his cock from the weekend, and the prospect of that piece of delicious manhood that is so close right now. Thinking about it fuels my passion as we kiss. Making out is pretty special, too. But then my mind catches up. I need to know what happened this morning.

I pull back from our embrace.

“Awww, come back,” he says, nuzzling my neck.

I stroke his cheek, gently raising it. “You scared me this morning when you shouted in the café in front of all those customers. You were angry and you left so suddenly.” I stop, feeling a bit awkward that I’m chastising him.

He sighs. “Yes, I know. You must have been very upset, and I’m sorry.” He picks up my hand and kisses it.

I gain some courage as he seems sincere, and I try to elaborate. “We were so close at the beach yesterday, so I was shocked that you could flip out and get so angry at me. What was that all about?”

He puts some hair behind my ear. “Minnie, I wasn’t angry with you. And yesterday? Yesterday is what changed me. Being so close to you made me see what I want for my life, and I realized how much you mean to me. When I saw those tears in your eyes this morning, all those angry people in the line, and how Jimmy had dumped you in it again, something came over me and I had a sudden urge to protect you.”

This cave-man-hero thing is pretty cute, but he could really use some modern communication techniques to soften the impact. I scold him. “You didn’t think to tell me that?”

He looks sheepish. “Oh yeah, well, I had to act before I chickened out. Jimmy always walks all over me, and this time, I was going to stand up for myself. For you. I did actually think I was going to punch him when I found him, but I didn’t, of course.”

The look on his face is so remorseful that I’m in his arms again in an instant. I kiss the stubble on his cheeks, kiss his smile. His jaw moves. He starts kissing me deeply and I give in to him. I pull his T-shirt over his head. He’s untying the strings of my apron, putting his hands up my top.

“Connor, the way you care for me is so lovely, thank you.”

“Minnie, I love caring for you. It makes me feel like so many great things are possible for us. Together. For you and me.” He holds my face, kissing my nose.

“Oh, Connor, I feel that way too. When we are together, something amazing happens.”

“Let’s do something amazing right now, my Minnie. Are you up for it?” Cheekily, he raises his brow.

I nod. I love his spontaneous ideas, especially the naughty ones.

Connor lifts me up on the table like I weigh nothing. I sit in front of him and he looks at me with a ruthless hunger. I unhook my bra and pull the strap down my arm so the whole thing can come out my other sleeve. My breasts fall forward and he catches them under my shirt. He reaches into my skirt, helping me wriggle out of my panties, then moves one of my legs to the other side of where he’s sitting and rubs his thumb against my clit. It feels slick and hot under his touch, wet as he works it back and forth. With his mouth on one nipple, it’s not long until I’m a hot mess.

---