Part 16 (1/2)
”Oh my,” Sydney whispered, stunned by his brazen declaration.
”Oh my, indeed.” He took a sip of the coffee she handed him to cool the flames that had erupted between them. ”You look beautiful.”
The sincerity in his voice made her heart flutter. ”Thanks. We were just goofing around.”
”I've missed you.” They were the words Sydney had been holding out hope to hear and she couldn't stop the wide smile that spread across her face.
”I missed you, too,” she said shyly. She went over to the window and put his order in, ignoring the big grin on Pete's face and the way Cara was fanning herself beside him.
”You two are terrible,” Sydney whispered with a laugh.
Cara stuck her head out the window and waved to Wade. ”That's why you love us, Syd.”
Funny thing was, she was right. From the crazy couple in the kitchen to the loony waitress trying to strong arm a deputy into dating her to the dear friend on a European adventure to the primal male who threatened to drag her to bed if she wasn't careful, she loved all of them, and more than anything, she wanted to stay in Elton and make a life for herself and Faith.
Wade's phone rang, and she could tell by the tone of his voice it was work. She took care of her other tables while he took the call, not wanting to intrude. When she came back to the counter and handed him his food, he was tucking his phone back into his pocket.
”Any chance I can get that sandwich to go?”
She did her best not to show her disappointment as she took his barely touched plate off the counter. ”Sure, let me go box it up.” She was digging in the closet for a Styrofoam box when she felt someone standing behind her. Her senses on high alert, she took a deep breath and spun around ready to strike. Fortunately she stopped herself when she saw it was Wade.
”You scared me to death.”
”Sorry,” he said coming closer, trapping her against the storage rack. It was amazing how he always seemed to fill the s.p.a.ce around her. ”What are you doing after work?”
”I-I was going to head home and see Faith. She's been with Agnes all day.”
”Any chance she could stay a little longer? I want to take you out, for a drink, maybe? Things have been crazy lately, and I need one night of normal.”
”Wade Jenkins, are you asking me out on a date?”
He flashed his teeth at her. ”I think I am.”
”It's the hair, isn't it? Hailey will never let me live it down.”
”It's all you, Sydney. The hair and the makeup are just the icing on the cake.”
She bit her lip, suddenly feeling nervous and shy. ”I get off at seven. Will you be done by then?”
”I'll pick you up here at seven. If Agnes can't watch Faith, call me. We can hang out at your place instead.” He brushed his fingers across her cheek. ”I just want to be with you tonight.”
”I'd like that.”
He gave her no warning, but in the blink of an eye he was on her, his tongue sweeping past her lips and brus.h.i.+ng against hers. He was taking complete control, and all Sydney could do was hold onto his shoulders for dear life and enjoy the moment. It was what she'd wanted, what she'd been thinking about the last few days. There was nothing like being kissed by Wade. Fire raced through her veins with each slide of his tongue. The feel of his rock hard body pressed against hers was heaven. His hand knotted in her hair, pulling back, giving him better access to her pliant body. When she thought she might pa.s.s out from lack of oxygen, she finally broke the kiss, both their chests heaving from the pa.s.sion that blossomed between them.
”Later, Sydney.”
”Oh my,” Sydney said again with a smile.
”Definitely,” he said with a quick peck on the lips. He grabbed the Styrofoam box with a wink and disappeared out the door, leaving her stunned in a supply closet. Sydney took a second to try and fix her tousled hair and twisted s.h.i.+rt before she walked back into the kitchen where, of course, Cara and Pete were waiting.
”Your lipstick looks a little smudged there, Sydney,” Cara pointed out as Sydney walked past.
”Wade certainly was in a good mood when he left,” Pete yelled after her, but Sydney just kept walking back to the dining room.
With a big goofy smile on her face.
”YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS.” Hailey stood behind Sydney glaring at her reflection in the mirror. Wade was going to be at Pete's in fifteen minutes to pick her up and she was checking her hair to make sure there wasn't a French fry, crusted over mustard, or some other weird condiment in it for their date.
”What's wrong now?”
”You're not wearing that!” Hailey said, tugging at the bright yellow Pete's T-s.h.i.+rt. ”He's taking you out. You want him to look at you and think 'd.a.m.n, she's hot,' not 'I wonder what the phone number for Pete's Place is?'”
Sydney put her hands up in frustration. ”I don't have time to run home, Hailey. This will just have to do. He liked it enough when he was in here earlier.” That was an understatement. The way he'd kissed her and the obvious arousal she felt pressed against her in that supply closet, he thought she was hot, ugly T-s.h.i.+rt and all.
”I don't get old people,” Hailey said, dropping a black s.h.i.+rt into Sydney's hands.
”You're crazy! I'm only five years older than you.”
”Then why are you dressing like my mom when you have a date with the hottest guy in town? Next to Sam, of course.” Her lips turned up in a wry grin because she knew she had her.
There was no reasoning with Hailey, and she was right, a Pete's T-s.h.i.+rt wasn't s.e.xy. ”Get out of here so I can put this on. Will it even fit me?”
”I said you're old, not fat. Yes, it will fit. And you won't smell like a burger in it. Trust me, he'll love that top.” She waggled her eyebrows at Sydney's reflection. ”It shows plenty of cleavage.”
As much as she hated to admit it, the s.h.i.+rt did look great. It was a black wrap that clung to her like a second skin. The plunging neckline did give a tantalizing view of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s just like Hailey said it would. It was amazing how much a simple thing like changing her s.h.i.+rt could boost her confidence and settle her nerves. Gone was the anxious flutter in her stomach, and in its place was the slow burn of desire and excitement for what was to come. As she gave herself a final once over, her phone rang.
”Mommy!” Faith's excited voice always made her smile.
”Hi, baby. How are you?”
”I'm good. Mrs. Whittman and I are going to have a sleepover!”
”A sleepover? No honey, you're just staying a little longer than usual. I'm going out for a little bit after work, but I'll be home later.”
She could hear Faith's curls brus.h.i.+ng against the receiver as she shook her head. ”Nope, Mrs. Whittman said sleepover. She said Wade is taking you on something called a hot date. It sounds like fun! Here, you talk to her.”
A deeper, more mature voice came over the phone. ”Sydney.”
”Agnes, I won't be out late.”
”That's not what I heard from Cara.”
”When did you talk to Cara?”
”Doesn't matter. She filled me in on what went down this afternoon. Said the temperature shot up about a hundred degrees when a certain sheriff walked into the diner. Lots of fireworks, from what I understand.” In the background Sydney could hear Faith complaining that she missed the fireworks.
If only she knew.
Sydney walked through the kitchen and gave Cara the stink-eye for her gossiping ways. She just smiled and blew Sydney a kiss, then went back to loading a rack of gla.s.ses.