was probably a bad idea—or maybe he just didn’t want to get nagged.
Lex only wished he knew.
I
T HAD been nearly a week that Tally worked for Lex, and he was determined to make his new boss like him. It was important to him; who knew why. Maybe because he had to work for the guy every day, or because he was so damn gorgeous, and Tally hated the idea of someone that pretty not liking him. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because there was something in Lex’s smile that he wanted more of.
Every day he learned more about the business, the people of Rock Bay who he’d always considered beneath his notice before, and Lex— him most of all. Tally learned that Lex was nothing like the asshole he’d thought at first, at least not with most people. He smiled at people’s long-winded stories and remembered what they liked. He laughed with his best friend every day and fed her free coffee and treats and talked about her dog like it was a real person. He had a smile and a wave for everyone who came in and seemed to know them all by first name. Tally had never seen a friendlier person.
But when they were alone and there was no more business to talk about, Lex was completely different. It grew awkward and quiet, almost like Lex was trying not to get to know him, trying not to let him in like he so obviously did for everyone else. Tally understood, at least to a point. He’d been a jerk. His dad was the town scandal. But that was all so long ago. It didn’t make sense for Lex to still hate him, but it made Tally even more determined to win the guy over.
When Lex had let him in that morning, he’d looked cautious, guarded, not a whole lot more friendly than he’d been the morning before, or the other three before that, for that matter. He’d quietly greeted Tally and then gone to work setting up the pastries, which had been delivered soon after Lex had unlocked the door. They’d worked through the morning customers, exchanging only the words necessary for the job, never anything personal. Tally had spent the time making sure he was comfortable with the ordering and pricing, while observing Lex so that when it came time for him to learn the coffee machines he would already have a basic idea of how everything worked. Tally tried not to notice Lex’s ass or the way his scent made Tally’s nose and chest and stomach tingle every time he got close enough.
It didn’t matter how much Tally wanted to strip him naked and lick him up and down, though. Project “Win Lex Over” wasn’t exactly going swimmingly. Every time Tally thought he was getting somewhere, everything went right back to the uncomfortable silence that was, right at that moment, lying heavy on the shop.
Tally was busily wiping the crumbs and coffee dribbles off of the bistro tables and surreptitiously watching Lex as he continuously reorganized the offerings in his glass shelves until they looked perfect. Lex had a soft little smile on his face, the genuine kind that already made Tally’s stomach weak, but Tally knew that as soon as Lex looked up and caught him watching, the smile would disappear like it had never been there in the first place. It surprised the hell out of him when, instead, Lex looked up and continued smiling, hesitant.
“So, Tally, I know you’ve got a day off coming up the day after tomorrow, right?”
Tally nodded. “Yeah, is that still okay? I mean, I can work if you want. Honestly, I could use the hours.”
“It’s fine. I was just hoping you could stay a little late tomorrow. I host a local open mic once a month. It gets a little hectic. I can pay you overtime.”
“Really?” Tally tried to control his grin. “I mean, yeah, that’s no problem.”
“Good. You won’t have to stay until it closes down, just until the main crowd gets settled in with their orders.”
“I’ll help as long as you need, Lex. Really, I’d be happy to.”
Lex nodded and went back to arranging the pastries on his shelves.
T
ALLY was shocked by how
Lex only wished he knew.
I
T HAD been nearly a week that Tally worked for Lex, and he was determined to make his new boss like him. It was important to him; who knew why. Maybe because he had to work for the guy every day, or because he was so damn gorgeous, and Tally hated the idea of someone that pretty not liking him. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because there was something in Lex’s smile that he wanted more of.
Every day he learned more about the business, the people of Rock Bay who he’d always considered beneath his notice before, and Lex— him most of all. Tally learned that Lex was nothing like the asshole he’d thought at first, at least not with most people. He smiled at people’s long-winded stories and remembered what they liked. He laughed with his best friend every day and fed her free coffee and treats and talked about her dog like it was a real person. He had a smile and a wave for everyone who came in and seemed to know them all by first name. Tally had never seen a friendlier person.
But when they were alone and there was no more business to talk about, Lex was completely different. It grew awkward and quiet, almost like Lex was trying not to get to know him, trying not to let him in like he so obviously did for everyone else. Tally understood, at least to a point. He’d been a jerk. His dad was the town scandal. But that was all so long ago. It didn’t make sense for Lex to still hate him, but it made Tally even more determined to win the guy over.
When Lex had let him in that morning, he’d looked cautious, guarded, not a whole lot more friendly than he’d been the morning before, or the other three before that, for that matter. He’d quietly greeted Tally and then gone to work setting up the pastries, which had been delivered soon after Lex had unlocked the door. They’d worked through the morning customers, exchanging only the words necessary for the job, never anything personal. Tally had spent the time making sure he was comfortable with the ordering and pricing, while observing Lex so that when it came time for him to learn the coffee machines he would already have a basic idea of how everything worked. Tally tried not to notice Lex’s ass or the way his scent made Tally’s nose and chest and stomach tingle every time he got close enough.
It didn’t matter how much Tally wanted to strip him naked and lick him up and down, though. Project “Win Lex Over” wasn’t exactly going swimmingly. Every time Tally thought he was getting somewhere, everything went right back to the uncomfortable silence that was, right at that moment, lying heavy on the shop.
Tally was busily wiping the crumbs and coffee dribbles off of the bistro tables and surreptitiously watching Lex as he continuously reorganized the offerings in his glass shelves until they looked perfect. Lex had a soft little smile on his face, the genuine kind that already made Tally’s stomach weak, but Tally knew that as soon as Lex looked up and caught him watching, the smile would disappear like it had never been there in the first place. It surprised the hell out of him when, instead, Lex looked up and continued smiling, hesitant.
“So, Tally, I know you’ve got a day off coming up the day after tomorrow, right?”
Tally nodded. “Yeah, is that still okay? I mean, I can work if you want. Honestly, I could use the hours.”
“It’s fine. I was just hoping you could stay a little late tomorrow. I host a local open mic once a month. It gets a little hectic. I can pay you overtime.”
“Really?” Tally tried to control his grin. “I mean, yeah, that’s no problem.”
“Good. You won’t have to stay until it closes down, just until the main crowd gets settled in with their orders.”
“I’ll help as long as you need, Lex. Really, I’d be happy to.”
Lex nodded and went back to arranging the pastries on his shelves.
T
ALLY was shocked by how
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