Chapter 6

The air in the private back room of the diner was thick, heavy with the scent of stale coffee, fried grease, and the distinct, musky aroma of our own heat. The neon sign from the front window buzzed like a trapped fly, casting a rhythmic, pinkish-purple glow across the cracked leather of the oversized couch. It was 2:03 AM. The world outside was asleep, or at least pretending to be, but in here, time had stopped. We were the only two souls left in the universe, trapped in this booth-like purgatory of intimacy. I was on my knees on the plush, slightly worn rug, my knees aching from the pressure, but I didn’t care. I was waiting. I could feel his eyes on the back of my neck, dark and heavy, watching me with that predatory patience that always made my stomach flip. He had loosened his tie, letting it hang loose around his neck, his dress shirt unbuttoned just enough to show the pale expanse of his chest. He looked like a boss ready to collect a debt, and I was the currency. "Come here, baby girl," he rumbled, his voice a low growl that seemed to vibrate right