by Hart, Rebel
I crouched down and began unpacking the items while she took a break. I sat on the floor, divvying everything up and secretly wishing I could pop open a container of icing and start eating it. I unloaded one box before Dani scooted another toward me with her foot. Together we got the baking aisle restocked. Took about two hours, but we handled it.
Then it was back to my post and dealing with customers.
“Do you have this, but in blue?”
I paused. “You want a blue ice cream carton?”
“Yes. Everything has to be absolutely perfect for this party I’m throwing. Everything has to match. I like rocky road, but I can’t find a rocky road in a blue carton.”
“Sure, just give me—”
“Miss?”
I whipped my head around as Miss Blue Ice Cream scoffed. “Yes?”
“Is the bakery going to be making any more cakes? I need a freshly-baked carrot cake for something tonight.”
I shook my head. “We stop producing cakes at seven.”
“So no more cakes.”
“No, ma’am.”
“What if I pay for the cake?”
“There isn’t anyone to make the cake right now. The bakery’s completely shut down.”
“What if I wait for a bit?”
I paused. “Waiting won’t do you any good. There’s no one here to make your cake.”
“Well, can you call someone in?”
“To make your cake?”
“Yes. Aren’t you listening?”
Miss Blue Ice Cream Spoke up. “I need help. This is melting, and I need you to help me.”
I sighed. “Then go put it back so it won’t melt. I can be there in a second to help you track down some rocky road in a blue container.”
Mrs. Carrot spoke up. “Oh, a blue container? If you like non-dairy products, there’s a rocky road in a nice light blue container at the end of the aisle, on the left. It’s tucked beside the sherbets.”
Were these people fucking serious right now?
Thankfully, Bryan came over and busted up the convention. Which enabled me to check out the three customers that had gathered around my register. I checked them out, moving as quickly as I could while Bryan dealt with the crazy that had been dumped into my lap. He checked them out personally, thank fuck. Before disappearing into his back office to take ‘a breather.’
Like he’d put in some hard work for the day or some shit.
“And here I thought I’d find you smiling.”
The second I heard Clint’s voice, a massive smile did cross my face.
“Just like that one, actually.”
I giggled. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He leaned against my kiosk. “Maybe I came to see a gorgeous girl. Or maybe I came to pick up an apple.”
“Or maybe you came to distract yourself because your father’s back home.”
“Maybe you’re smarter than you look.”
I laughed as he leaned over, kissing me on the cheek. Thankfully, we were tanking into my last hour of work before the store had to close down. Which meant not many more people would come in. I leaned my hip against the register, gazing into Clint’s eyes. I enjoyed having him there. He’d already popped in on me a couple of times to say ‘hello’ and grab something for Cecilia. But he hadn’t ever stuck around.
Until now.
I licked my lips. “I take it you have nowhere else to be?”
He winked. “You mean, other than home? Come on, don’t you remember? I reorganized my priorities. I’m a brand new man.”
I rolled my eyes. “Until your father leaves to go back out of town.”
He shrugged, and it made me shake my head. He was relentless in all the best ways. I reached out for his arm, patting it softly before his hand fell on top of mine. He brought my hand to his lips to kiss, sending goosebumps traveling up my arm.
And I watched his eyes follow their trail.
“It’s okay, Clint. You can stay as late as you want. I won’t tell anyone you hang out at Grady’s Groceries in your spare time.”
He chuckled. “Bless your heart.”
“It needs some blessing. It’s been having some inappropriate feelings lately.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Oh? Care to share with a curious ear?”
“That depends. What are you willing to do for them?”
“Oh, I like a good barter.”
“You curious enough to do my homework for me?”
He smiled. “Not on your life. But, I can hold you close while you do your homework after your shift.”
“And let your wandering hands distract me? Hardly. I’d end up flunking all my classes.”
He shrugged. “I don’t do my homework and I don’t flunk classes.”
“Because the teachers don’t wanna hold you back and deal with you another year.”
“Potato, po-tah-toe.”
I snickered. “To answer your question, no. I don’t have much homework to do after my shift. I usually get it done during my breaks on nights like this. Why?”
“Well, I was hoping I could sweep you away and steal some alone time with you. You know, if your attention doesn’t have to be elsewhere.”
“Oh, alone time. That sounds nice.”
“I could make it real romantic for you. A shoulder massage. With some nice lotion.”
“Can you make that a foot massage? My heels are killing me.”
“Rae, I can make it a full body massage, if you want.”
He winked at me and my stomach flipped over with desire. My heart skyrocketed to a rate that threatened to burst the blood vessels in my head. I licked my lips, watching his eyes rake over me before a soft chuckle fell from his lips. And while I still had a bit of history reading to do, I could also do with some one-on-one time with Clint.
Especially after this shift.
“Hey, Rae!”
I looked up. “Yes, Bryan?”
“Got a family emergency, I need to leave. Can you lock up the store? I sent Dani home to get some rest. She couldn't get back up on her feet after the incident in aisle four.”
Clint quirked an eyebrow. “Incident?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir. I can do that.”
“Good. I’ll count the registers when I come in. Just wipe down your area, sweep up a bit, and make sure all returned groceries are back on the shelves.”
“I hope everything’s okay!”
“Me, too!”
I watched my manager zoom out of the grocery store, leaving me and Clint completely alone. I looked over at the clock, then groaned when I saw I still had forty-five minutes.
“So, what’s the plan, Stan?”
I giggled. “If we don’t get a customer in five minutes, I’ll start shutting this place down.”
Clint grinned. “Anything I can do to help?”
“You can keep your hands to yourself until we can get out of here.”
“And here I thought grocery aisle sex sounded kinky.”
“Not with video cameras recording us.”
He shrugged. “I mean, I’m down for it.”
I scoffed and swatted at him as giggles fell from my lips. And as we continued to talk, no one came in. Not a soul. With forty minutes left in my shift, I felt confident that if I shut things down, we wouldn't lose one single customer.
So I grabbed the paper towels and the cleaner fluid to start cleaning.
36
Clinton
Despite Rae’s protests, I jumped in and helped her. While she wiped down her register or whatever, I grabbed a broom and swept up some of the bigger dirt piles. I rolled the cart of returned groceries over to her, and together we started down the aisles. She handed me things and I placed them back on the shelves. And every once in a while, I stole a kiss for myself. The camera, too. But, mostly for myself.
Rae giggled. “You’re gonna get me fired.”
I grinned. “I mean, all I hear is more time with you.”
“And what am I going t
o do when I graduate high school and don’t have the money to move out on my own like I want?”
“Eh, we’ll figure something out.”
I stole one last kiss from her before I let her push me away. I chuckled as we continued walking up and down the aisles, putting back everything from all-natural peanut butter to gluten-free snack items. She gave me a kiss on the cheek before she shooed me outside, telling me she had to lock everything down from the inside out.
I headed over to my bike to wait for her.
Nighttime had settled over Riverbend. And in our little side of town, there were more stars in the sky than usual. I stared up at them, my arms crossed over my chest. I found myself discovering more things like this. Like the stars overhead. Or the beauty of a sunkissed horizon. I’d been writing more and more lately. For the first time in over a year, I had to go buy a new notepad. My muse attacked me at all times of the day and night, waking me from a dead sleep and forcing me to write things down so I didn’t forget them.
And while I still struggled with this whole thing between Rae and me, I knew it was due to her.
She was my muse.
“You look lost in thought, handsome.”
Rae’s voice ripped me from my trance and I found her staring at me. Leaning against me. Sliding her arms around me with her lips only inches from mine.
“And what if I am?”
She smirked. “Well, I’d say ‘penny for your thoughts,’ but I think that price is a bit steep.”
My lips puckered. “Oh, you’re gonna pay for that one.”
“Really? How—ah!”
I smiled as I slapped my hands down against her ass cheeks. The resounding crack made her jump closer to me, and I felt her chest pressing against mine. I captured her lips, swallowing her moans and protests as I massaged her butt. We leaned against my bike, our tongues intertwining, her soft whimpers of frustration turning into moans of pleasure.
I never wanted it to end, either.
“You really need to get a car.”
I nuzzled my nose against hers. “A car? What on earth for?”
She kissed my lips softly. “They’re much easier to make out in.”
I chuckled. “Actually, that’s the most convincing argument to buy a car I’ve ever heard.”
“Does that mean you’ll buy one?”
“That means I’ll think about it. But only if you promise to break it in with me.”
“Sounds like a good time.”
“Sounds like a good promise.”
She giggled before her lips captured mine again. Only this time, she stepped between my legs. Her body molded to me as I cloaked her back with my arms, trying to feel as much of her as I could at once. Her tongue slid across the roof of my mouth and I felt my cock aching for her beyond my jeans. My hands slid from her back to her ass, down her thighs and back again. I gripped her hair and pulled her head back softly. I licked down her pulse point, hearing her gasp softly as my name fell from her lips.
“Clint, oh.”
That never ceased to make my heart skip a beat.
I buried my face in her chest. “What kind of trouble should we get into tonight?”
Her hands raked through my hair. “The kind of trouble that continues this saga.”
I kissed her skin. “Mm, you had me at ‘oh.’”
I hoisted her against my body and threw my leg over the bike. I settled her down against it, feeling her legs lock around me. Her hands clung to my leather jacket, pulling me closely against her. And as we sat in the shade of the trees planted specifically for this little shopping complex, I felt myself give way to her.
“Shit, Rae.”
My hands slid up her shirt. I cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples through the padding of her bra. She rolled against me, my bike holding us steady as her tongue explored my mouth religiously. I wrapped my arms around her, running my palms along her bare skin, feeling her shake and shiver as goosebumps poured over her skin. I sucked on her lower lip and she kissed across my cheek. I felt her nibbling on my earlobe, causing me to growl out as my cock jumped with need for her.
Then she pressed her lips against the shell of my ear. “We really should get out of here.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice, beautiful.”
It pained me to feel her slip away. But I knew it was headed toward something more pleasurable. More beautiful. More amazing than I could have ever expected from tonight. I handed her the helmet I’d dug out for her all those weeks ago, then slid my own over my head. I flipped up the visor, then reached out and flipped hers up. She gave me a massive smile as her cheeks flushed, then she inched her way onto the back of my bike. She was getting better at it. More steady, if that made any sense. Usually, she teetered, almost tripping over herself trying to get on.
But she’d gotten the hang of it.
I liked that.
I cranked up the engine. “Ready to get out of here?”
“What was that?”
“I said, are you ready to get out of here?”
Before she could answer, a set of headlights filled the parking lot, causing Rae to curse. They come straight for us, pulling up to my bike, blocking me in between the car and the tree that sat behind us.
Rae clung to me. “Who’s that?”
I shook my head. “Probably Roy. But he can piss off. There’s nothing to see here.”
I slipped my helmet off and got off my bike. I kept my voice raised, hoping that Roy and the goons from school would buzz off and leave us the fuck alone. I hung the helmet on the handlebars, but felt Rae reach out for me. She pulled me back to her, so I wrapped my arm around her waist, trying to comfort her as she sat on the passenger’s seat of my bike, pressing closer into me.
She was scared. And I couldn’t blame her for it.
“I don’t think that’s Roy, Clint.”
As the car door opened, I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out who the fuck was beaming us down with their high-beam headlights.
“Fucking cars,” I murmured.
All at once, I saw the darkened outline of four guys. Two in the front, and two in the back. They leaned against the hood of the car, their silvery outlines looming over us. Once they stepped closer into the light, leaning against the hood of the car, I recognized them. Well, two of them.
From the football field last week.
Shit.
They stood there, looking at us. Like fucking goofballs with their arms crossed over their chests. They tried puffing out their muscles to look bigger, but I swear they were gangly little fucks. Rich bitch boys who didn’t have a hope or a prayer in this world of stacking on muscle. And yet, I remembered the fight clearly. All three of those gangly assholes had a mean punch to them. They had been much stronger than they looked, and I’d be a damn fool to assume these other two fuckers would be any different.
“What do you want?”
My voice filled the space between us, but they didn’t move. They didn’t speak. They just stared at us with dumbass smirks on their faces. Rae pressed closer into me, and I felt her trembling. Shaking with fear. That pissed me off. No one scared my girl. No one rolled up on us and intimidated her like that.
She leaned into my ear. “Let’s get out of here, okay? Speed away on your bike?”
I didn't answer her. I didn’t want my answer to scare her. While motorcycles were fast, we didn’t have time or space to get away from them. I wouldn't even get situated on my bike before they rammed into both of us, pinning us to the tree behind us. And I couldn't put Rae in danger like that. I couldn't let her get hurt again.
Which meant running wasn’t an option.
“Please, Clint.”
Hearing her beg made me sick to my stomach, but I shook my head. I felt her disappointment as she leaned her head against my shoulder, silently begging me to step down. But there was so much to this interaction she didn’t understand. So many ways for her to get hurt that she didn’t realize.
And if she had a chance to g
et hurt, it meant that option wasn’t really an option at all.
37
Raelynn
The more the men came into view, the more of them I saw. They were lean, but tall. Three of them as tall as Clint. Easily. They all had beer cans in their hands and the glossy look in their eyes told me they’d been drinking. Probably all night, up until this point. I felt sick to my stomach. The smiles on their faces were wicked. The palms of their hands dwarfed those regular-sized beer cans, and the way they looked at me was frightening.
Their eyes darted between Clint and me, but they kept resting their gazes on me.
I gasped. “Clint.”
He pressed further back into me. “It’s gonna be all right, Rae. Just do exactly as I ask.”
I wasn’t so sure about that, though.
Each of them leaned against the hood of the car, blocking out parts of the high beams that shone against us. And when the blind spots faded from my vision, I found all four of them licking their lips. Staring at me. Raking their eyes up and down the parts of me they could see. I slid off the bike, staying behind Clint. I fisted his leather jacket, drawing him closer as his arm wrapped around behind me. He tapped my waist, trying to comfort me as the boys started laughing to themselves.
Then one of them finally spoke up.
“You look scared.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You think?”
Clint squeezed my side, telling me to stop. And for once, I listened. I didn’t like the way they were looking at me. I didn’t like the way they slowly boxed us in. They all pushed off the hood of the car, stalking toward us. Making their way for us. Eyeing me hotly as Clint tried obscuring their view. Clint stood his ground, despite the fact that I knew we needed to run. He locked eyes with the boy in front, who stood a little over an inch taller than him.
I still felt the other three boys staring me down. Looking at places on my body that made me want to punch them straight in their noses.
I snarled. “Fuck off.”
Another boy snickered. “She’s got spunk. I like spunk.”
The boy staring at Clint grinned. “I hate spunk.”
Clint grimaced. “Good thing it isn’t up to you either way.”