Chapter Eleven #2
I checked the bathroom, but it was empty, and then I heard voices coming from the kitchen.
I pushed open the doors and found Jaxon in his shirtsleeves, sitting on the counter talking to my kitchen staff, including Tony and Freddy.
They were enthralled by a story he was telling, and I stood and listened.
“I had that guy up on the stand, and he thought because he was the chief of the department and this huge drug lord, he could put the fear of God in me like he’d done to all those people he had under his thumb.
But it was my courtroom, and he had to play by the rules.
We had undercover officers testifying plus voice and video as well.
With Deputy Starr’s testimony and the recording from the hidden camera he wore, I played the scene in the car where they force-fed him drugs.
There was no way that bastard was getting away with what he did. ”
“So dope, man,” Freddy said, and Desmond, my line cook frowned and set his jaw in a hard line.
“I can’t believe he was a cop. Man, I knew never to trust them.”
Jaxon spotted me and hopped off his perch.
“I wouldn’t say that. There are bad apples everywhere. The majority are decent people, but some let the power go to their heads. We need to send a message that breaking the law won’t be tolerated even if you wear a uniform, and you’ll face serious consequences if you do.”
He shook everyone’s hand, and I pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. When it was just the two of us, he rolled down his sleeves.
“Hey. How long were you standing there?”
“Long enough to see why you win most of your cases. You’re pretty persuasive.”
“You think so?”
To my shock, he brushed the hair off my brow. The unexpected closeness left me reeling, and I stood mutely, locked in his heated, blue-eyed gaze. No one had ever looked at me like that, and my dick hardened.
No. This can’t happen. It’s all for show, remember?
“Y-yeah.” I stepped back, and his hand fell away. “They left believing what you said.”
“Because it’s the truth. Are you hungry? You must be, you didn’t stop for a minute tonight.”
“Yeah, kind of. I’ll make a sandwich after I get home.”
“Nah. Let’s go to the Blue Bird. I could use some coffee anyway.”
“Won’t it be late by the time we’re finished?”
He shrugged, picking up his coat, and we left the kitchen. I grabbed my parka from the office as we passed.
“Maybe you’ll let me stay over.”
Heat rushed to my face, and again my cock throbbed, but I did my best to ignore it.
“S-sure. I can make up the spare bedroom for you.”
Which meant I’d be thinking about him on the other side of the wall, sleeping ten feet away from me. My breath caught.
The car alarm chirped as he disarmed it, and I climbed into the passenger seat. Jaxon handled the powerful SUV like a pro on the icy roads, and to my surprise, the parking lot of the diner was crowded. Jaxon didn’t seem to think anything of it.
“It’s the only all-night spot in town. After people leave Sweeny’s, they come here for coffee and dessert.”
“Hmm.”
Made sense. I should think about putting something sweet on the menu, like ice cream or pie. I could contact Dolly’s Bakery.
“What’s going on in that mind of yours?” Jaxon nudged me but I brushed him off. I needed to see if I could make it happen before talking about it.
“Nothing. I’m just thinking of what to eat.”
When we entered, the same server we had the other night greeted us.
“Hi, again. Come on, follow me. Your booth is available.”
Jaxon took my arm as we passed by townspeople who nodded at us, but I didn’t miss the raised brows and slight smiles. Were people wondering what a man like Jaxon—suave, well-spoken, and polished—was doing with a plain guy like me, someone with no education beyond high school?
Oh, God. How was I supposed to talk to all the sophisticated people he was around?
“Easy,” Jaxon murmured, probably noticing I’d grown stiff, and I managed to relax into his side. “That’s better. It’s not so bad being close to me.”
It was too good—that was the problem.
But I kept my thoughts to myself, and we slid into opposite sides of the booth.
“Coffee?” Julie held up the pot, and Jaxon pushed his mug toward her.
“Yes, please, and a toasted corn muffin with butter.”
“Hot chocolate, please. No whipped cream.”
“But that’s the best part,” Jaxon teased as Julie poured him his drink.
“You really love your corn muffins, don’t you?” I asked when Julie left us. “You ordered one the last time as well.”
“Nice to see you noticed,” he murmured. “What happened back there?”
I cast my gaze downward. “I guess I’m wondering how I’ll fit in with the people you know. I’m not a lawyer—I didn’t even go to college. I feel so out of place.”
“You need to get used to it. For now, your place is right beside me.”
Julie returned with Jaxon’s muffin and my hot chocolate, and I put in an order for a turkey sandwich.
“If that’s true, I think we need to get to know each other better and start sharing things.”
“I’m an open book,” Jaxon said before taking a bite of his muffin.
This fake dating was giving me courage I wasn’t aware I possessed. Perhaps because it wasn’t real, I didn’t have to worry about impressing Jaxon, and that made me freer.
“Are you? You know about my father and how isolated I felt growing up, but I-I know nothing about you.”
“You mean you haven’t read my bio?” he joked, but when I didn’t join in, he wiped the crumbs from his lips and clasped his hands around the mug of coffee, as if he grew suddenly chilled. “Not here.”
I held his steady gaze, watching the light fade from his eyes.
“Later, then. We have all night.”