Chapter 5
AURORA
My heart skitters in my chest as I make my way into the store. Yes, I was supposed to be home, putting my feet up and enjoying myself with some Netflix. I even had plans. Not party plans, but I heard so much about this series, and I thought I could binge-watch it tonight.
The manager lifts her eyes when she sees me walking back in. A perfectly groomed eyebrow arches. “I thought you had left for the day.”
I lift a shoulder. There’s not much I can say here. I thought so too, and I was halfway home when Johnny called me. “Johnny can’t make it to the night shift.”
Her jaw drops. “Again?”
Another shrug. “Yeah. I guess he’s busy.”
“With what?” She throws her hands up, frustration across her face.
“There’s nothing much to do in this city.
He must have found some good pussy out there.
” Her cheeks grow red when she meets my eyes.
She’s not even wrong. I think Johnny was hanging out with the cashier girl who told me not to knock on Mr. Miller’s door the first day.
“Sorry, Aurora. You don’t need to hear this.
It’s just... It’s so frustrating. Mr. Miller works so hard, and he keeps coming up with ways to bond with his son when Johnny isn’t interested. ”
“I get it.” A sigh escapes my lips, my shoulders drooping. “I feel the same. Which is why I came. Since Mr. Miller will be upset, I can make it easier. If I work in Johnny’s place, maybe he won’t be so down.”
And maybe I can get another kiss out of him.
It’s been two days, and I can’t stop thinking about it, no matter how hard Mr. Miller tries to avoid me.
Some of my co-workers mentioned it. How he’s always been quiet, but how it’s noticeable he’s been spending longer in his office.
Some think he’s upset about Johnny, and I don’t cross that out...
But I’ve heard more than one joke about him being in love...
I shouldn’t be thinking that. Should not let myself get in too deep. It’s just a crush. Just a tiny crush.
“You’re right, Aurora,” the manager sighs, turning back to her clipboard. “But don’t stress out too much. You’ve been spending all your time here. I don’t want you to get overwhelmed because Johnny’s lazy. No offense.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Why would I be offended?”
“You dated him, right?”
“I did, but I’m not offended. He wasn’t the best of boyfriends either.”
“So you get it.” She chuckles, then juts a thumb over her shoulder. “Why don’t you find Mr. Miller in the storage? He was taking inventory. He likes to do it himself sometimes. I’m sure he needs some help.”
I nod and leave her behind, my entire body thrumming with silly excitement. The others have already left, and in the storage, there’s only going to be me and him... Pressing my lips together to stop myself from smiling, I push the door open.
Mr. Miller has his back to me. He’s huge, even from a distance. My stomach churns, and I press a hand to it to calm it down. How can he still make me nervous?
“Mr. Miller?” I call out when I’m close enough, my small voice almost disappearing.
He whirls around and his eyes darken when he sees me. “What are you doing here?”
The rude words make me take a step back. He’s right. I shouldn’t have come. Johnny should have dealt with his consequences by himself, without my help. We all know I’m here just because I wanted to be close to his father, anyway. Does that make me a slut? Does that make me a bad friend?
Mr. Miller relaxes, shoulders drooping, and he places a clipboard on a shelf. “I’m so sorry. That sounded much worse than I intended.”
“It’s alright,” I cut in, waving a hand in dismissal. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be here. Johnny isn’t coming, and he asked me to take his place, and I thought...”
“Aurora.” In his voice, there’s almost a plea. “Don’t let Johnny do this to you. He’s been ordering you up and down because he’s not responsible. He’s been playing with the two of us.”
My brows arch. “You knew it?”
“Of course I did.” And a sad smile crosses his handsome face. “I’ve been trying to create some sort of relationship with him for years, but he just...” A shrug. “We can’t make people like us. It can’t be forced. And I’m not an easily likable person.”
His words are a slap to my face. My blood boils, energizing me. I can’t stop the words from pouring out. “You’re very likable, Mr. Miller.”
“Call me Bruno...”
“You’re smart and very dedicated to your job. You built this whole thing from the ground up. And yet, you’re not proud or arrogant. You hear your employees out, and you’re kind with them, Mr. Miller.”
“Call me Bruno, Aurora.” His shoulders tighten, but I don’t stop.
“And though you keep to yourself, that’s not a bad thing! It’s not bad to be a quiet person, to prefer to be alone. You’re still humble enough to come back here and help with the boxes and do the inventory and these things your employees could be doing, Mr. Miller, and yet?—”
And then I notice I spoke his name too many times, even after he asked me not to. Like the evil monster in a fairy tale, after speaking his name three times, something breaks inside him. Something that might have been his restraints.
In two strides, his body collides with mine.
My hands shoot out to grab his arms, and my mouth drops with surprise.
It’s then he takes me. He kisses me hard, his lips demanding, and his tongue dips into my mouth.
My gasp is choked in his lust, and my body responds with heat.
I cling to him, kissing him back with shy curiosity, wanting his hands all over me.
Mr. Miller grips my hips, picks me up, and sits me down somewhere. I don’t know where I am or if someone could see us. The one thing I focus on is his warmth, his huge body overshadowing mine. His fingers rope through the strands of my blond hair, and he devours my mouth with hunger.
Every inch of my skin buzzes. I arch into him, soaking in the feel of his hands moving up and down my hips.
The hard proof of his arousal presses against my core, and I feel my panties growing wet.
Everything in me wants him. Desires him.
My nipples pebble with lust, and I almost beg for him to touch me there.
Without saying a word, he does. He cradles my breasts in his hands, fondles them, then circles his thumbs around the hardened knots, making me whimper.
Every motion of his turns me into a mewling mess.
We make out against a shelf, or a desk, or whatever this is, his lips searing into me, his breath coating my tongue.
When my head goes fuzzy for lack of air, he pulls back, looking into my eyes.
“Bruno,” he repeats, out of breath, chest rising and falling. “Call me Bruno.”
I nod, my voice too weak to reply. Craning my neck, I try to kiss him again. I just want to kiss him, to taste his lips for the rest of eternity. But Bruno pulls back, gripping my hips to put me down. My knees quiver for a moment and he holds me against his body until I can stand on my own.
“Someone’s coming,” he murmurs against my lips, his hands pulling away slowly. As if he doesn’t want to stop touching me.
I nod again and step away, turning to a shelf and pretending to read the label of a box.
My heart still skitters when the manager comes in to help with the inventory.
It still takes me another couple of minutes to get a hold of myself.
Throughout the rest of the hours I put in, Bruno never leaves my side, touching the small of my back when he wants to talk to me or my elbow when he wants to show me something. Talking to him becomes natural. Easy.
And I can’t help but hope this is only the beginning.