Page 30 of Privileged (Adrenalin)

“Will you schedule time off?” His strong fingers chase a drop of water trickling down my cheek.

“When?” I ask breathlessly.

“As soon as possible.”

I barely force my head to nod before his lips claim mine again.

***

“You get caught in the rain?” Lennon takes note of my damp hair hanging in a thick curtain over my forehead, which must make me look like a shaggy dog next to his pressed khakis rolled neatly at the ankle.Going for the preppy look today, and just like every other look on him, it works.

“Something like that.” I reach for the little apron that holds my notepad and pens and tie it around my waist, which has the added benefit of keeping my eyes away from his so I can’t reveal where I’ve been. Not that I want to keep secrets indefinitely, just a little longer.

“Did you give any more thought to the bike race? Ally really wants you to come out.” I put the focus on my sister to keep it off me.

“It’d be a whole lot easier if you guys all came in here.” Lennon ducks past me on the way out of the break room, but I don’t take that as my answer.

“Aside from the fact there’s no way you could seat all of us together on one of the busiest days of the year, the point is for you to take a break.” I’m hot on his heels as he approaches the bar.

“Ally’s lived here a lot longer than you have, Sloan. She knows how hard it is for me to get away on an average day let alone that one.” Lennon casts me a look that says my sister should know better.

“Then you know as well as I do she’s used to getting her way, and she’s decided her way includes you in costume on a bike this year.”

“The only way that happens is if I hire and train a new manager in the next ten days.” Lennon starts stacking glasses on the counter in anticipation of the evening rush.

“What about Beck? He’s worked here long enough to take over, right?”

“What about me?” Beck crashes into the bar, nudging me with his arm in the process.

“You can cover for Lennon during the bike race. At least for a little while.”

“Sure, why not.” He shrugs. “As long as I can get the fourth off.”

“You already have the fourth off.” Lennon spares him a quick glance before resuming his prep work.

“Only the lunch shift, and that’s because I’m on the dance school float in the parade.” He reaches across the bar for a maraschino cherry and pops it in his mouth.

“I thought you wanted the holiday pay for working the fourth?” Lennon says.

“After careful consideration I think holiday pay isn’t worth sacrificing the chance to watch fireworks with a sexy stranger,” he replies with a comically straight face.

“How will you meet this sexy stranger if you aren’t serving him drinks at the bar?” Lennon counters.

Beck chews on his lip for about half a second. “After careful consideration it seems I’ll be working the fourth.” He grabs his tray and heads off to check on his tables.

“That boy is too curious for his own good,” Lennon mutters.

“What?” I choke back a laugh. “There’s nothing wrong with a little harmless curiosity.

“There is when people are so anxious to grow up they make bad choices.”

“He’s not a little kid anymore,” I remind Lennon.

“He’s not quite an adult either, which tourists won’t realize since all they see is a lean body and a pretty face. That’s why I want him to work the fourth. People can get carried away on vacation. I’d rather have him here where I can keep an eye on him than roaming around where he might attract the wrong attention.”

“Nice bait and switch with the night shift then. Although, I thought this was the town that’s so safe that no one locks their doors?”

“It is.” Lennon grabs a few limes and starts slicing them for garnish. “That doesn’t mean people wouldn’t try to pick him up, and he’d probably be so flattered by the attention he’d say yes to the wrong kind of girl. Or guy.”

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