Page 14 of Falling for My Best Friend's Dad
“I’ve had he thought for a while. I want to take some time off to do other things. I’ve been wanting to travel, but haven’t been able to find a person I can trust. You’re the best candidate, Kayla, you love the restaurant like your own.”
“Thank you for trusting me, I’ll consider it.” I say, my chest ached with emotions. “So where are you going to travel?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know yet. Penny suggested Italy…”
Penny. My world that’s been brightened just a second ago crumbles to pieces just like that. He wants to spend time with her. He’ll give up the restaurant for her.
“I see,” I say, my smile freezes and my tears threaten to come back. Damn. What’s gotten into me today? What’s with the tears? Why do they keep coming? It’s like I open a floodgate. I push him away. “I need to go.”
Chapter 8
Richard
Words just slipped out of my mouth like they had their own will. How did I even come up with that idea? Hiring Kayla to be the manager? Why did I make her that offer? She’s competent, no doubt, but she surely doesn’t want to be cooped up in the restaurant every day. Her future is brighter than that. Am I putting her in a difficult position? Shit. I couldn’t help it. Although I saw it coming, when I heard the confirmation that she was quitting, I just lost it. Kayla had become way more important to the restaurant, or to me, than I realized. I was suddenly desperate to keep her in my life.
To make things worse, I tried to hide my desperation by giving her irrelevant reasons and making it sound like a rational decision. I was flattered to see her eagerness, and then I got carried away. Fuck. Why the hell did I mention Penny?
I go after Kayla and grab her hand as she reaches the bar counter. “It’s not what it sounds, Kayla. I’m not going with her.”
She pulls her hand out of my gasp and says without looking at me, “It’s none of my business. You can go with whoever you want.”
I grunt, cupping her face with both hands and forcing her to look at me. “Tell me it isn’t what you really feel.”
Tears brim her beautiful hazel eyes again and stream down her cheeks as she speaks. “I can’t believe you went out with Penny. You don’t even like her. You even let her touch you!”
I ask for her true feelings, but now the realization makes me dizzy. “Are you saying you’re jealous?” I lean closer and whisper into her ear.
She shudders. “I’m not...I’m just…”
I cover her mouth with mine, not letting her finish her sentence. She gasps and holds on to my arms, but she doesn’t push me away. As I brush my lips against hers, she mewls and tilts her pelvis against my hardened center. I groan, dipping my tongue between the seam of her lips, until she parts them and greets me with her silky warmth. I stroke her slowly at first, and then I ransack every inch of her mouth until I’m deprived of oxygen.
I pull away and we both gasp for air. Kayla smiles. “Wow, that was… I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been kissed like that before.”
I can’t help being flattered by the comment. “When was your last kiss?”
“Back in high school.”
“That long?” I’m pleased by the information. “You haven’t let anyone kiss you for the past four years?”
She shakes her head, a bit embarrassed. “I haven’t had the time to date.”
“Not even the guy you were with this afternoon?”
“No!” she cries out. “He’s my boss. I’m not dating him!”
“Good,” I say with an audible sigh of relief.
“What is it?” Kayla teases me. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”
“I am,” I say. “Have you thought about how I felt when I saw you coming into the bar with a jerk’s arm draping over you?”
Her eyes widen. “How do you know he’s a jerk?”
I grit my teeth as I recall the young man’s manner as he spoke over the phone. “I believe he was contacting his lawyer about the woman he fired. The way he spoke of her was very disrespectful.”
Kayla nods. “That’s how Jason is.”
“Listen,” I say to Kayla. “I don’t want you to work for this guy any more. I don’t trust him. Quit that job and work for me only, okay?”
