Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Redemption for Misty (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Pierce Securities Book 5) by Anne Conley

stare at her out of the corner of his eye while he relished it slowly. It didn’t take Chris ten minutes before he was at the poor boy’s elbow. Ghost and his warnings must have spooked Chris, as he was tense and agitated. Misty drifted over.
    “You don’t see what this place is all about? The signs around?” Chris pointed to the new sign above his head that explained the shop’s profits went to victims of stalking and violent crimes against women. Misty’s eyes rose to the sign as she listened with growing horror at what Chris was saying. “She was attacked by a man who stalked her at the coffee shop where she worked, and if you don’t quit your mooning around, I’m going to make sure you don’t have a ball sack anymore. Shit or get off the pot, man. If you’re going to ask her out, just fucking do it. Quit sitting here and staring at her like a fucking psychopath.”
    She dropped her eyes to where Saul sat, mouth agape, as he stared at Chris. His eyes cut to Misty, who was angrier than she’d ever been, and then to the floor. The blush was creeping up his neck, mottling his skin.
    “Right,” Saul muttered before gathering his things for a hasty retreat. Customers stared. Misty had never been this embarrassed in her life.
    “Get in the back store room, right fucking now,” she seethed in a stage whisper. Then she turned to the next in line at the counter and helped customers until Mia walked in the door, Jordan and Evan in tow. “Thank God. I’ve got to go deal with something. You can handle this a minute, right?” She’d had little time to gather her thoughts; she only knew she was about to serve Chris his ass on a platter.
    Striding back into the store room off the kitchen, Misty flung open the door to find a slightly sheepish Chris standing there. Good. He’d apparently had time to think about his actions.
    “Do you have any idea what you just did?” Her finger rapped against his chest, poking the rock solid piece of flesh. “ Do you?”
    “I’m sorry. I was just pissed at him doing that.” His voice was subdued, apologetic. “That’s all.”
    “That’s my story, Chris. Mine. You don’t get to run around telling everyone what happened to me.” His face paled, but she continued, “Saul was a great customer, the best. The kind who comes in every day on his morning break and sits for a half hour. Then comes back. Now, thanks to you, he’s not coming back. I just lost a customer.” She turned her back on his pathetic expression. The regret in his eyes made her feel bad, but she wanted to finish. Running her fingers through her hair, she pressed on, “What if he goes back and tells his friends there’s some guy here pissing all over any other guy who comes in? Huh? Are you going to do that, Chris? Are you going to yell at Ghost next? Or Jordan? Are you going to chase off all my regulars just because you don’t have the guts to ask me out?”
    Wait. What? Did she just say that?
    “I mean…”
    “You’re right,” he interrupted her, stepping closer. His eyes captured hers, sweeping across her face and landing on her lips. Chris opened his mouth to speak but didn’t, instead swiping his tongue across his lips. “Fuck,” he said right before he grabbed her hair and pulled her close. When his mouth was a hair’s breadth away from hers, he muttered, “Stop me.”
    Misty shook her head. “Nu-uh.” She’d been trying to come up with a way to make this happen since he’d moved in. She’d be crazy to stop it now. And then his lips were on hers in a kiss that needed, demanded, and then took. At first, she was struck numb with the feel of his mouth on hers—hot, raging hard. Then she gripped his biceps, and his lips softened. His hands in her hair tilted her head to the side and deepened the kiss, his tongue conquering the insides of her mouth.
    His hands slid down her sides and gripped her waist tightly, pulling her against the bulge in his jeans. He broke the kiss. “Do you feel