onlookers. But when Sprocket got Chaz alone…when he breached Chaz’s personal space or stared at his plump lower lip a tad bit longer than acceptable or begged Chaz to stay for just one more episode of Star Trek or Dr. Who …smoke curled after the hasty exit Chaz made rushing to get away from the obviously dangerous Sprocket.
The writing was on the wall in a fluorescent fire-engine red—back the fuck off.
Not willing to ruin the pseudo-comfortable friendship they’d spent time rebuilding, Sprocket firmly explained to his treacherous libido that Chaz was off limits to him. The man was cemented in the friend zone column, never to be moved back to the exclusive holy-shit-how-many-orgasms-did-we-just-have column. Which, if Sprocket cared to admit, no other name besides Chaz’s ever had (or probably ever would) hold a prestigious spot in that column.
So, unlike Lydia who just glanced out the window for the sixth time, Sprocket would not be joining her in hopes of perhaps seeing the man that ran through his brain on a repeating loop.
Judging by the smile on Lydia’s face, it looked like the sixth time was the charm. “Sprocket, I’m gonna take my lunch break now.” She reached under the register and pulled out her purse.
Putting the skull and pumpkin silicone candy molds aside, Sprocket wandered up to the register where Lydia quickly checked her face in her mirror compact.
“ Really? It isn’t even noon yet. Hot plans for lunch?” He nonchalantly looked out the huge window, noticing a uniformed Officer Tod Dodgers loitering in front of the store.
Lydia swung her gaze from Tod to Sprocket and back again. Finally, she sighed. “Okay fine, he might’ve asked me if he could take me to an early lunch before he goes on shift. I only agreed because he always is so kind walking me to my car.” She quickly added the last sentence, but she wasn’t fooling Sprocket.
“ Grab me a chicken salad on croissant?”
She smiled up at him. “Absolutely. No mayo and extra pickle?”
“ A woman after my heart.” He winked at her as he grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket.
“ You better keep your money right where it is. Tod’s waiting. I’ll be back in thirty.”
“ Now, honey, don’t rush it.” He laughed.
She humphed as she hurried out the door and Sprocket watched her walk over to Tod and thread her arm through his. They walked down the street together. It was a nice sight.
Turning around, he realized he was left alone in the store, and had to man the registers. “Well, damn it,” he mumbled under his breath. Luckily Xander was supposed to be back from the bank run soon, and he could pawn off the tedious position on the manager.
Another good thing, Tuesday mornings were a slow time, so only two regulars roamed the store at the moment. He went back to his last minute Halloween impulse-buy display, keeping an eye on the counter.
But it didn’t matter if he was watching the front or not, there was no way in hell anyone could miss the mountain of a man who’d just entered the store. Sprocket didn’t know the guy personally, but had seen him enough times around town. Specifically in the store, usually friendly chatting with Xander, so his size didn’t intimidate Sprocket.
In fact, even though the huge brick shithouse wasn’t Sprocket’s normal kink of a body type, he had no issue with hustling over and ogling…er, helping the gentleman.
“ Hello, welcome to Craft Time, what’s your pleasure?” Sprocket purred.
The guy looked around the store, and Sprocket thought, at that height, he probably had no problem seeing down every single aisle. “Is Shawna around?” he asked.
“ Holy shit, you’re big.” Sprocket widened his eyes, fisting his hands to stop from covering his mouth and bringing more notice to his stupid comment.
“ Holy shit, you’re small,” the stranger retorted with a wry grin.
Oh, so he was the playful type. Sprocket should’ve guessed that with all the times Xander and
The writing was on the wall in a fluorescent fire-engine red—back the fuck off.
Not willing to ruin the pseudo-comfortable friendship they’d spent time rebuilding, Sprocket firmly explained to his treacherous libido that Chaz was off limits to him. The man was cemented in the friend zone column, never to be moved back to the exclusive holy-shit-how-many-orgasms-did-we-just-have column. Which, if Sprocket cared to admit, no other name besides Chaz’s ever had (or probably ever would) hold a prestigious spot in that column.
So, unlike Lydia who just glanced out the window for the sixth time, Sprocket would not be joining her in hopes of perhaps seeing the man that ran through his brain on a repeating loop.
Judging by the smile on Lydia’s face, it looked like the sixth time was the charm. “Sprocket, I’m gonna take my lunch break now.” She reached under the register and pulled out her purse.
Putting the skull and pumpkin silicone candy molds aside, Sprocket wandered up to the register where Lydia quickly checked her face in her mirror compact.
“ Really? It isn’t even noon yet. Hot plans for lunch?” He nonchalantly looked out the huge window, noticing a uniformed Officer Tod Dodgers loitering in front of the store.
Lydia swung her gaze from Tod to Sprocket and back again. Finally, she sighed. “Okay fine, he might’ve asked me if he could take me to an early lunch before he goes on shift. I only agreed because he always is so kind walking me to my car.” She quickly added the last sentence, but she wasn’t fooling Sprocket.
“ Grab me a chicken salad on croissant?”
She smiled up at him. “Absolutely. No mayo and extra pickle?”
“ A woman after my heart.” He winked at her as he grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket.
“ You better keep your money right where it is. Tod’s waiting. I’ll be back in thirty.”
“ Now, honey, don’t rush it.” He laughed.
She humphed as she hurried out the door and Sprocket watched her walk over to Tod and thread her arm through his. They walked down the street together. It was a nice sight.
Turning around, he realized he was left alone in the store, and had to man the registers. “Well, damn it,” he mumbled under his breath. Luckily Xander was supposed to be back from the bank run soon, and he could pawn off the tedious position on the manager.
Another good thing, Tuesday mornings were a slow time, so only two regulars roamed the store at the moment. He went back to his last minute Halloween impulse-buy display, keeping an eye on the counter.
But it didn’t matter if he was watching the front or not, there was no way in hell anyone could miss the mountain of a man who’d just entered the store. Sprocket didn’t know the guy personally, but had seen him enough times around town. Specifically in the store, usually friendly chatting with Xander, so his size didn’t intimidate Sprocket.
In fact, even though the huge brick shithouse wasn’t Sprocket’s normal kink of a body type, he had no issue with hustling over and ogling…er, helping the gentleman.
“ Hello, welcome to Craft Time, what’s your pleasure?” Sprocket purred.
The guy looked around the store, and Sprocket thought, at that height, he probably had no problem seeing down every single aisle. “Is Shawna around?” he asked.
“ Holy shit, you’re big.” Sprocket widened his eyes, fisting his hands to stop from covering his mouth and bringing more notice to his stupid comment.
“ Holy shit, you’re small,” the stranger retorted with a wry grin.
Oh, so he was the playful type. Sprocket should’ve guessed that with all the times Xander and
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