Page 24 of Saving Bonnie

“Is it?” The order looks about the same as always, maybe one or two things short. Now I’m wondering if Sergio had been padding the orders.

Rick sticks a hand into the front pocket of his jeans. “You getting everything you need, Bonnie?”

Yeah, he said it like that. I look up as his gaze runs across the front of my apron. Not the first time a guy does that. In fact, I put a logo across the front of my aprons so I could tell myself they were reading the bib. But this time things are different. Tino happened. And he may be watching this camera—full screen. Just what I need. My…lover watching me with the guy I’d been lusting after a few days ago. Was I giving off vibes? Can Rick tell? More importantly, can Tino tell? And, should I care?

I retreat a step, putting a little more room between us. I wet my bottom lip as I double-check the clipboard.

“You’re low on chile pods for your delicious homemade mole,” he says, leaving the statement in the air, probably expecting me to agree.

I go through the list again, concentrating on the items. What else could he have possibly seen we’re missing?

“And you’re out of the pickled carrots.”

Ahhh. In an instant it’s Sunday night, and I’m staring at the dark dining room, gasping. I’m on my tiptoes, Tino’s cock filling me for the first time. One of the green sandals is tearing away as he thrusts inside me, hard enough to nearly knock me off the box. I didn’t gain my balance until the end…when I’m weak and fulfilled.

I snap back to reality. I’m standing here, fantasizing about sex with Tino while talking to Rick. “Um, yes-yes.” I’m too flustered to think of an excuse. How I could have used so many carrots so soon? I glance over toward Manny, hoping he’ll offer some sort of distraction. But no, he’s busy with the orders. “They-ah, they were gone in a flash.”

“Could you use some more?” he asks, without needing an explanation.

The heat of embarrassment creeps up my neck. There’s no way he can know what happened on those carrots. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know.

The phone vibrates in my back pocket. I don’t have to pull my phone to know it’s Tino. I can almost feel him standing behind me, his hard body supporting mine.

“Bonnie?”

I have to pull myself together. “Um, I’ll go ahead and add some for this weekend’s order.”

“Sounds good.”

His smile comes into play again, and I try not to squirm where I’m standing. “You want them the same as the last batch?”

I swallow hard, my smile is a little more brittle than what I would’ve hoped for. “Yeah...yes. Just like the last ones.”

*****

Tino

The screen changes, showing a call coming from Dante. “Hey?”

“You got cameras in the building.” Dante’s statement is somewhere between incredulous and curious.

“I got cameras in the building,” I confirm. Which is really what he’s looking for.

“How the hell did you manage that?”

Is that a sliver of amusement in his voice?

“How about you log on to the conference port,” Kassy interrupts.

“I thought we weren’t meeting this week.” Sitting up, I pull the laptop over from beside me, opening the link to our usual video conference before shutting down the phone. Considering we’re going to discuss Bunny at some point, I plug in the earbuds.

Dante and Kassy appear on the screen, while the final slot is filled with a camera icon.

The corner of Dante’s lips twitch. “Ah. Now I see how you got in.”

“Pardon me,” Montoya says, making his presence known.

Kassy raises an eyebrow.

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