Page 50 of The Fate of Us

“Do you really hate the boy next door look?” I ask her.

She pulls away from me, grinning. “Oh Detective, you know me better than that.” She leans into my ear. “I only like one and I think he might need to strip search me later.”

My lips find their way back to hers before setting her back on the ground. “I think I could arrange that.”

She adjusts her shirt and her pants before heading to the back door. “I need to get back to work.”

I pull her back to me, running my hands through her curls. “I messed up your hair.”

Her thumb goes to my mouth. “You have some lipstick on you. Of course maybe I should leave it.”

I nibble on her thumb and then wipe my mouth. “Better?”

“Yeah.” She blushes.

I press a kiss to her forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

We walk back into the restaurant. She heads for the kitchen to pick up an order and I go back to my table.

“Did you really give her a foot massage?” Jon asks.

I laugh as I shake my head.

“I’m sure he will be giving her more than a foot massage tonight,” Marcus chimes in.

I rub my lips and smile.

“Did you kiss her?” Jon questions angrily.

“Just like I do every night,” I say nonchalantly.

Marcus slaps his hand on the table cracking up. The rest of the guys must have figured it out too because they are all laughing as Jon stares at me in disbelief.

“Next time you want to talk about a girl like she is a piece of meat, Jon. I suggest you know who she is first,” I order.

“Who she—?”

“That’s my girlfriend. And I don’t take too kindly to assholes talking about her like that.”

Jon’s face turns red and he quickly leaves the restaurant without saying a word.

“Classic, Marcus. Classic move.” Elliot chuckles just as Anna comes back with our food.

She smiles at the guys then leans over and kisses me in front of them.

17

Anna

I wipedown bottles at the bar. It’s a Friday night at The Beer Garden and it’s been crazy. Spring is in the air. It’s early March but temperatures have been hitting the seventies during the day making all the college kids crazy. At least spring break is next week and most head to the beach.

I slump against the bar, sipping on some water, feeling like I’ve been at this for days when it’s only been four hours.

“Don’t die on me now,” Liam says as he makes a pitcher of margaritas for a table of sorority girls.

“I’m getting too old for this.”

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