“Good, glad we had this talk.” We both laugh at my corny excuse of a joke. The conversation is said and done. I look at the schedule to see that I’m closing tonight and decide to take my break at seven. Next on my list is texting Berkley.
Me: Hey, sugar, 7pm good for you?
I put my phone down where I can see it. I still need to get shit ready for the day. Clearly, Dan didn’t do the best of jobs with closing down last night, what with how things are put away. Everything looks like it was done in a rush. All it does is make me shake my head, curse under my breath, and get to work.
After I clean everything up the way it should be, I glance at my phone and see that my woman has responded. Yeah, I’m calling her that probably before she knows it, but that’s too fucking bad.
Berkley: Hey, there yourself, handsome. Can we push our date to later this evening? I have an appointment this afternoon after school.
Me: Anything for you. See you then.
Berkley: Can’t wait!
She didn’t elaborate on her appointment, and I won’t ask. I just hope everything’s okay. It might actually be better to push our date out further into the night, just so I can prepare it all perfectly.
Once I know what time exactly Berkley will be here, I get started on today’s special, hoping like hell she likes what I come up with.
I usually get a menu prepped on Sunday nights, put my order in Mondays for the market, and it’s delivered Tuesdays. Of course, tonight I’ll be making what I had on the schedule, but what I’ll be making for Berkley and me, that will be completely different.
“Shit!” I grumble, startling everyone in the kitchen.
“You okay?” Mel asks.
“Yeah, forgot to ask Berkley something. Hopefully, I can get ahold of her. I’ll be right back.” I nod to her, wash my hands, and grab my phone again. There’s no way I’m about to have this conversation in front of everyone. Sure, I could text, but time is of the essence. Even more than that, I want to hear her voice.
The phone rings once before I hear Berkley ask, “Miss me already?”
“You know it. Love hearing your voice, sugar,” I reply. I’m out in the back alley. No one is around. There aren’t even cars coming or going.
“Ryder.” Damn, that voice of hers, sultry and calling to me.
“There you go again, making me want to drop what I’m doing and go to you. I forgot to ask if you were allergic to anything?”
“Anytime you want to see me, but can’t we have this nifty thing called FaceTime, you know? And no, I’m not allergic to any foods. Not that I know of, at least,” she smarts back.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t tempt me.” I have more innuendo in my voice than I thought I would.
“I would never do a thing like that.” Berkley is definitely a temptress. The face of an angel with the body of a goddess. I can’t wait to get my hands on her.
“That ass, Berkley, it’s gonna feel my palm against it, and soon.”
“I’m game if you are.” Her tone is all too serious. That’s when I know Berkley is willing to try something like that. Game fucking on.
“Alright, I’m getting off this phone. See you tonight.”
“Later, Ryder.” I hear the click of her phone hanging up and pocket my own before heading back into work. This is going down in the record books, that’s for sure.NineBerkley“Oh my gosh, Aspen! You could have warned a girl, you know?” I’m referring to the Brazilian wax she somehow talked me into last night. Thank god I did it then and not today, because the way Ryder was talking, tonight is going to have more than dinner involved.
“Tell me you’re not enjoying it though?” It’s not like I had a jungle down there, but it is nice feeling, so much smoother than shaving, that’s for sure.
“Let’s just hope I don’t enjoy it too much and decide to take Ryder down the second I see him, and yeah.” We couldn’t all FaceTime yesterday or today, due the time difference and Peyton working for a hard-ass, plus Rowen is still in the honeymoon phase with Braxton. Not that I’m blaming her, not at all. It’s a state I hope to be in myself soon. The only reason Aspen and I talk as much as we do is because I help her out at Vintage Threads, and I call her every single day when Jasper is out on the oil rig, and when he is home, I stick to texting her just to let her know I’m thinking about her. I may have gone to college with Rowen, but out of all my cousins, Aspen and I are probably the closest, relationship and friendship wise.