“I think you broke my nose.” Roman held the ice-filled cloth to the bridge of his injured appendage and eyed the space between him and Coralee. If she made one more step his direction, he was out of there.
“I’m sorry, but you called me that … that … name.” She stood before him, one hand curled upward on the counter.
“It was just a jo … ow …” He winced and pulled away from her grasp. “Don’t touch me.”
She approached him anyway. “I want to see if it’s swollen.”
“Of course it’s swollen, you broke it. Gah, you broke my freakin’ nose. I can’t believe it.”
“Stop whining,” she said, throwing her weight on one hip. “You’re such a baby when you whine.”
“I’m allowed to whine when you break my nose.”
This comment made her giggle, and the sound of it brought out his own laughter. Yet laughing too hard hurt, and it wasn’t long before he was back to whining.
“Where’ve you been anyway?” he asked. “A boxing match?”
She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Psh. You haven’t heard? I’m trying to see how long a person can sit in one place.”
“Doing what? Arm exercises?”
She sighed. “No. How come I didn’t know your grandpa owned this place?”
“You never asked.”
“Cute. I had no reason to ask. It’s not like we were friends.”
“Or are friends,” he added. He lowered the ice from his nose at last and sat it on the counter.
She gave a hiss. “Oh, wow, I really broke it. It’s kinda … crooked.”
“Great. Ow.” Talking hurt. Breathing hurt. Looking at her hurt. Man, she was fine, and strong as an ox, and outspoken, and not about to give him the time of day. And now his nose was warped and she’d be working here. Here, where he’d have to look at her each day and wish he could put his lips on hers.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.
He looked away. “I’m not looking at you like anything except a girl with a mean right cross.”
“Well, I apologize, like I said. You promise not to call me that, and I’ll not do it again.”
“Believe me,” he said. “I’m not calling you anything.” He turned his back on her and wandered back through the folding doors. Unfortunately, she followed. “What?” he asked, a few steps in.
“Your grandpa said for you to show me what to do.”
“Now?”
She rested one hand on her hip. “Why not now? I need money, and I’m ready to work.”
Money? What did she need money for? Then again, what did he know about her? They’d attended school together, graduating last spring and going their separate ways. He’d taken a handful of classes at the local community college, and she’d, according to her, done nothing.
They hadn’t particularly been friends, more like kids in the same classes on occasion. It wasn’t until their senior year that he’d noticed her as an appealing female. But as far as she was concerned, he’d been invisible, so rather than have his hopes dashed, he’d given up and watched her walk away.
“What do you want money for?” he asked. If she was unemployed as she’d indicated, then she obviously hadn’t cared about being broke ’til now.
“That’s personal,” she said. “Let’s just say I need it fairly quick, and it’s really important so here I am.”
He stared at her for a minute then shrugged. “Fine. Take that box over there to aisle three and hang up what’s in it up.”
“Sure thing, boss,” she said. Prancing across the space, she bent over, thrusting her butt outward and took hold of the box.
He swallowed. This would be a long, long summer with sightings like that every day. Then again, looking at that might make things interesting – so long as she kept her hands to herself.
She straightened, and he glanced away. Paperwork. He’d do much better right now to concentrate on ordering inventory than staring at what was a very attractive backside.
“I’m sorry, but you called me that … that … name.” She stood before him, one hand curled upward on the counter.
“It was just a jo … ow …” He winced and pulled away from her grasp. “Don’t touch me.”
She approached him anyway. “I want to see if it’s swollen.”
“Of course it’s swollen, you broke it. Gah, you broke my freakin’ nose. I can’t believe it.”
“Stop whining,” she said, throwing her weight on one hip. “You’re such a baby when you whine.”
“I’m allowed to whine when you break my nose.”
This comment made her giggle, and the sound of it brought out his own laughter. Yet laughing too hard hurt, and it wasn’t long before he was back to whining.
“Where’ve you been anyway?” he asked. “A boxing match?”
She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Psh. You haven’t heard? I’m trying to see how long a person can sit in one place.”
“Doing what? Arm exercises?”
She sighed. “No. How come I didn’t know your grandpa owned this place?”
“You never asked.”
“Cute. I had no reason to ask. It’s not like we were friends.”
“Or are friends,” he added. He lowered the ice from his nose at last and sat it on the counter.
She gave a hiss. “Oh, wow, I really broke it. It’s kinda … crooked.”
“Great. Ow.” Talking hurt. Breathing hurt. Looking at her hurt. Man, she was fine, and strong as an ox, and outspoken, and not about to give him the time of day. And now his nose was warped and she’d be working here. Here, where he’d have to look at her each day and wish he could put his lips on hers.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.
He looked away. “I’m not looking at you like anything except a girl with a mean right cross.”
“Well, I apologize, like I said. You promise not to call me that, and I’ll not do it again.”
“Believe me,” he said. “I’m not calling you anything.” He turned his back on her and wandered back through the folding doors. Unfortunately, she followed. “What?” he asked, a few steps in.
“Your grandpa said for you to show me what to do.”
“Now?”
She rested one hand on her hip. “Why not now? I need money, and I’m ready to work.”
Money? What did she need money for? Then again, what did he know about her? They’d attended school together, graduating last spring and going their separate ways. He’d taken a handful of classes at the local community college, and she’d, according to her, done nothing.
They hadn’t particularly been friends, more like kids in the same classes on occasion. It wasn’t until their senior year that he’d noticed her as an appealing female. But as far as she was concerned, he’d been invisible, so rather than have his hopes dashed, he’d given up and watched her walk away.
“What do you want money for?” he asked. If she was unemployed as she’d indicated, then she obviously hadn’t cared about being broke ’til now.
“That’s personal,” she said. “Let’s just say I need it fairly quick, and it’s really important so here I am.”
He stared at her for a minute then shrugged. “Fine. Take that box over there to aisle three and hang up what’s in it up.”
“Sure thing, boss,” she said. Prancing across the space, she bent over, thrusting her butt outward and took hold of the box.
He swallowed. This would be a long, long summer with sightings like that every day. Then again, looking at that might make things interesting – so long as she kept her hands to herself.
She straightened, and he glanced away. Paperwork. He’d do much better right now to concentrate on ordering inventory than staring at what was a very attractive backside.
♥
The Girl In The Pink Bikini (The Coralee Chronicles) Book 1
99 Cents
Amazon (ebook and paperback)
Other ebook retailers*
99 Cents
Amazon (ebook and paperback)
Other ebook retailers*
The best way Coralee Pirtle can think of to be noticed by Roger Keen, is to show up at the big pool party in the right suit. Problem is, she doesn’t own one and hasn’t a dime to her name. Easily solved ... she’ll get a job. Working alongside Roman Avery at the local hardware store isn’t exactly what she had in mind, but how hard can it be? Two weeks, one paycheck, and she’s set. However, plans change, and the more time goes by, the less appealing Roger seems, and the more Roman Avery becomes the man of her dreams.
For ages 12 and up. Clean romance parents can trust.
*Other ebook retailers usually includes: Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Tolino, Vivlio, Smashwords, Gardners, Fable, Everand, Overdrive, Odilio, cloudLibrary, Hooplan, BorrowBox, Bookshop
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