Page 11 of Rent Free

She smiled, eyes still watery, and said, “I’m Pepper.”

“Atlas Carter.” I introduced myself but didn’t offer my hand.

“What can I get you?” she asked.

I called out Ande’s regular order, then added an extra cookie on for good measure.

That one was mine.

Maybe if I was feeling better later, that was.

“Add in a couple of extra cups of sprinkles,” Maven instructed. “The kiddos love spelling their name out.”

I flashed her a grin.

She was right.

The kids did love doing that.

“Okie dokie, pokie,” Pepper butchered the saying.

My lips quirked.

I liked her already.

She bagged everything up, then handed it over the counter to me.

I got a great view down the gap in her shirt, and my throat went dry.

Or drier than it already was.

Seriously fantastic tits.

“Gotcha some help, Maven?” I asked as I kept my gaze on Pepper.

Pepper smirked at me.

“Sure do,” Maven said. “She’s fantastic. She works at the hotel off the interstate—the one you have to be a member of to get into—and then comes over here.”

“Two jobs?” I asked Pepper.

She shrugged. “Gotta make ends meet.”

I felt that.

“Sucks,” I agreed. “But you gotta do what you gotta do. Be careful over there, though. Lots of cheaters out and about. Shit gets kind of ugly there once a week.”

Pepper’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, I know.”

Chuckling, I waved goodbye and headed out.

The entire way to my sister’s house, my mind stayed on the woman. Pepper.

I even considered asking her out on a date.

Which was honestly quite impressive for me seeing as I’d sworn off women for life.

I wasn’t going to be like Quincy and Quaid.

---