Chapter 4 #4
“It was something mi abuelo started. Employees would make announcements with a happy or a sad dollar. That way his employees would learn about each other, and he could stock the good coffee and treats in the breakroom.”
“So you use the money to stock supplies?”
Trixie shook her head. “He did. I don’t.
I collect it and, at the end of the year, match their funds a hundred percent and then I split it up evenly into a bonus for them.
Last year one of Victoria’s kids graduated high school.
It was voted that we use the collection money to buy her a graduation present.
Yesterday Payton’s daughter was born. We already pulled from the collection to buy a baby gift.
” She shrugged. “This way not everyone feels obligated to give gifts and such when things like that happen. With a small business like mine, sometimes those obligations can get pretty hefty, and I don’t want anyone feeling pressured to do more than they can. ”
Cayden reached forward and took her hand.
She gave it, lacing their fingers together.
It was a nice and easy gesture that connected them while keeping their bodies physically separate.
“You’re really something, you know that?
Just watching you interact with everyone here…
” He shook his head. “I might know a lot about human nature and, you know, how to get around security systems, but you could teach me a lot about interacting with people.”
Trixie snorted. “I suck at interacting with people. That’s why I’m in here working during my lunch hour instead of out there with them.”
Cayden glanced over his shoulder and then back at her. “I was wondering where everyone was. This is the lunch hour?”
She nodded. “We’re closed from one to two every day so the employees can eat or run home or do whatever they need to do.”
“And you’re in here because you don’t want to have to socialize with them?”
She rubbed the back of her neck nervously.
“Sort of. I used to eat with them all the time, but back then I was their co-worker, not their boss. After I inherited the shop, I felt it was better to give them their space. They shouldn’t feel pressured to act or say something just because I’m there.
” She shrugged. “They might not mean to, but everyone acts differently when the boss is around.”
He squeezed her fingers. “I know I do. For one, I can’t seem to keep my dick under control when my boss is around.
” Trixie’s eyes landed on the mentioned appendage, and she let out a laugh when she saw it was indeed not under control.
Cayden put his hand to his heart, feigning pain.
“Oh, just what every guy desires: for a sexy as sin woman to look at his dick and laugh.”
She couldn’t help it; her laugh only intensified at his words.
Still gripping his hand in her right, her left wrapped around her waist in an effort to keep her sides from hurting so much.
When she was finally able to make herself stop and stand up, she had tears in her eyes.
He didn’t look dejected in the least. In fact, he looked rather pleased with himself.
Likely getting her to laugh had been his goal.
He’d succeeded.
“Thank you.”
“I’d rather you suck my dick instead of laugh at it, but I am at my lady’s command.” He bowed mockingly.
She swallowed at the mention of going down on him. She glanced at the clock overhead. The boys would start coming back in any minute. “Come on,” she pulled him towards the door. “Let’s go up to my office. We need to talk.”
“Oh dear, the dreaded Talk.”
She released his hand to punch in her new ten-digit code. She also made sure to use her body to block his view of the pad. Opening the door with her back, she said, “I’m not breaking up with you.”
That got her an eyebrow raise. “Does that mean we’re going steady?”
She rolled her eyes, again using her body to block the pad to the door to go upstairs. They walked up to the second floor in silence. When she got to the door to her office, he lowered himself to rest his chin on her shoulder. “If I get this code correct, what do I get in return?”
A shiver ran through her. There was no way he knew her new code. But she’d already underestimated him once. “Bragging rights?”
“Ouch.” He stood up off of her. “I was hoping for at least one orgasm.”
She snorted, not turning around to look at him. She bit her lip, suddenly unsure. “Do you really know the code?”
Cayden put his mouth to her ear as he started to list off the code, “Five, seven, seven, two, four—”
“Ah!” she turned around to stop him. She pushed him back to force space between them. “How the hell do you do that? It was a random code the computer selected!”
She crossed her arms and waited for his reply. He lowered his face down until they were eye to eye. “Baby girl, which computer selected the code?”
She shrugged. “Mine. The one in my—oh!” Her eyes widened at her stupidity, and then narrowed. “You looked through my search history?”
He had the nerve to press his lips to her nose. “No. You left it written on a sticky note attached to the side of your laptop screen.”
Trixie’s cheeks burned. “Oh God! I’m so stupid.”
“No, you’re not.” He reached over her shoulder to punch the code into the pad. “I’d also like to point out that you haven’t questioned how I made it downstairs without assistance.”
“You used my new code?”
He nodded, pushing the door open so she could enter her office. “Baby, it’s not a bad thing that you don’t think like a thief. That’s why you hired me.”
Trixie plopped down in her office chair. “I’m beginning to regret that decision.”
He gave her a sly smile. To her disappointment, he sat in the chair on the other side of her desk rather than crowd her on her side as he had last Friday. “What did you want to talk about?”
Cayden really should stop teasing her, but he couldn’t get enough of that blush on her cheeks. She looked so adorable and innocent.
“I want us to have sex.”
His eyebrows shot up. Okay, so not that innocent after all. “You’re already aware of where I stand on this subject.”
Her chocolate eyes narrowed. “I am not begging you, but I do have conditions.”
Interesting. “Consider me intrigued. Go on.”
“You said you wanted to learn about me, that once wasn’t going to be enough. I assume that means you’re looking for a relationship?”
Cayden nodded once. “I’m done with one-nighters and quickies. Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to a quickie in your office on lunch break or on the bay floor after closing, but I want it to be with you. I only want you.”
And there was his reward: that red flush on her cheeks. “I need to be honest with you. I suck at relationships.”
He couldn’t help but smile at that confession. “I’ll admit you’d be my first.”
Her voice raised an octave as she exclaimed, “You’re a virgin?”
Cayden let out a barking laugh. “I’m as virginal as a professional gigolo.
What I mean is, you’d be my first girlfriend.
Baby girl, I haven’t been in a ‘relationship’ since I told my prom date that I wanted to go out with her just so I could fuck her under the bleachers.
Trust me, whatever track record you’ve got, mine’s worse. ”
“I doubt that.” She said it so low that he almost didn’t catch it.
Interesting. He was dying to know more. “Look,” she said louder, “I do like you. I want us to…try, but I need you to understand that that is literally all I can offer right now. To try. I haven’t been on a date in forever, and I haven’t had sex in nearly as long. ”
He leaned forward on his knees. “How long?”
“Since I’ve had sex?” He nodded. Her blush returned. “Um, about that… I’m not entirely sure I’ve, you know, done it.”
Cayden’s jaw dropped. Fuck, that’s about as innocent as it gets. “You’re a virgin?”
She fiddled with a pen on her desk and didn’t meet his eyes.
“My high school boyfriend and I got drunk after homecoming. He said we did it, but I honestly don’t remember.
Right after that, there was a lot of family drama and then mi papi was diagnosed with cancer.
We lost mi abuelo right after we lost him, and I took over the shop.
Sex hasn’t exactly been a priority for me, I guess. ”
Cayden got up quickly and rounded the desk.
He reached for her, pressing her shoulders and face into his stomach.
He felt like a million bucks when she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight.
“I am so sorry, Trix. You deserve so much more than that.” He paused, realizing, “And you deserve so much better than me.”
Damn, she was a virgin. Or as good as. What did it say about him if he took that from her? He had no history with virgins. What if he hurt her? He knew that much at least, that it hurt the first time for a girl.
Trixie stood up. Her eyes were red, but her cheeks dry. “It is my choice who I sleep with whether it’s my first time or not.”
Cayden wiped his hand down his face. “Christ, the things I’ve said to you. I’ve been so crass—”
“And I’ve found it exceedingly hot. Now, are we going to do this or not?” When he shook his head, her eyes narrowed, “Come on, Russo, don’t wimp out on me now—”