Page 14 of Nines's Time

With a grin in place, I head for the doors, intending to find out what her deal is but also how to make her mine.

CHAPTERTEN

MEADOW

I’m just finishing up the dress I’d been working on for days when the bell chimes over the door. I glance up and my heart nearly skips a beat at the sight of the man who enters my boutique.

Holy smoking pins and needles.

He’s far sexier than in my dreams and imagination. I swear since the cookout and meeting him I’ve not been able to stop thinking about how good he looks and that’s not something I do. It’s not who I am.However, Nines is definitely worth thinking about. What with his broad shoulders, beefy arms, and of course that hat he’s wearing. This one black with a flag patch on it.

Standing, I wipe my hands along my corduroy pants and face him with a professional stance, hoping he doesn’t see past the facade to the nervous being that I am at being near him. But with him, it’s for totally different reasons. Mainly because he’s him and I’m me.

I inwardly shake the thought away. He can’t see the filth that coats my skin. Or at least I hope not.

“Can I help you?” I finally ask.

Since stepping into the boutique, Nines hasn’t looked at me, he’s been glancing around. Meaning when he brings his eyes to me and gives me an up-and-down appraisal, I feel my stomach clench, and between my legs aches with a need I’ve never known.

“Hey, Buttercup,” he says, giving me that lopsided grin of his.

Buttercup?

“Um, hi,” I mumble, completely unsure of anything in this moment.

“I was in town, figured I’d stop in and see what the rave was all about,” he explains and closes the distance between the two of us. I’m unable to move as his eyes have me frozen in place. His hands come to my hips, and he tilts his head keeping eye contact. “Sweet place you got here.”

“I don’t think anything in here would be your style,” I blurt.

Nines chuckles and that grin gets wider. “You’re probably right, but there’s something here I wouldn’t mind trying.”

“What’s that?” Damnit, why did I have to go and ask him that.

Smirking, Nines pulls me closer using his hands at my hips and I find myself flush against his chest without thinking of pushing away. I swallow and lick my bottom lip nervously.

“Tomorrow, I wanna take you out after you close,” Nines announces, removing his fingers from my sides and reaching up to slide his hands in my hair, his thumbs stroking my temples. “We’ll go out on the bike. I’ll take you out to get a bite to eat and go from there.”

“You want to take me on a date?”

“Yeah.”

“But . . .”

“No buts about it, Buttercup, you and me, we’re gonna go out. No pressure. Just a ride and to get some damn good food. Okay?”

I find myself nodding before I can stop. “Okay.”

“Good,” Nines says, his head coming down until we’re nose to nose. “I’m not gonna wait to kiss you though. I’ve been wanting to taste those lips since I first saw you.” Without waiting for me to agree to him kissing me, his lips are on mine, and his tongue sweeps inside, claiming my mouth in a way I didn’t know was possible.Just as quickly as he kisses me, he breaks his lips away, presses his forehead to mine, and lets out a harsh breath. “Fuckin’ better than I thought it would be.”

Oh my.

Nines steps away and drops his hands. His eyes lock with mine and that lopsided grin is in place as he pulls out his cell phone. “Give me your number, Buttercup,” he commands, and I find myself giving him my cell number without thinking about the repercussions of doing it. A moment later, my phone rings and he waves his phone. “Now, you got mine. I’ll text you later when you get off,” he says and turns to walk away. At the doors, he glances back at me. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Be ready and wear jeans and boots or sneakers. We’re on the bike, meaning you cover that skin, baby.”

I nod and glance down at what I’m wearing. I’m covering my skin, but I don’t say anything about it. Maybe there’s a rule that if you’re on a bike you gotta be in denim. This is fine with me. I love wearing jeans. Any time I can wear them, I do so.

Finally, Nines leaves, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Holy crap, what just happened?” I whisper to myself, pressing a hand to my stomach and the other to my lips.

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