On His Terms (6 page)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Sorry about that, Mike. I’ll be back with your check in a sec,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The obnoxious customer nudged his sidekick as she walked off to retrieve the check.
He spoke just loud enough for her to hear him, “With an ass like that I’ll pay double
if I have to.”

She stopped dead in her tracks, contemplating the fifteen ways to avenge herself,
then
proceeded
not to do any of them.
 
“Your check, sir.” She attempted to hand the bill to the customer, but he wasn’t through
with her yet.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“What can you throw in if I toss an extra twenty in your tip?” he asked, licking his
lips as he gawked at her thighs.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Here’s the check, Mike.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“How about you shake that tight little ass of yours for me and I’ll make it twenty
percent this time?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A hand came out of nowhere and grabbed the rude patron’s shoulder.

“How about you take the check that this hardworking lady is trying to give you and
move on with your day?”
 

Kallie looked up and saw a sight that blew her away.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It was
him
.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mike stammered an apology.
 
“Yes sir, Mr. Westbrook. I didn’t mean no harm to the lady.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hale made a face of disgust. And his large, muscular frame was much more apparent
in his street clothes. He remained calm, but clearly ready to rip this guy’s head
off at any given moment.

Mike’s hand shook as he fumbled through his wallet. After throwing down way too much
cash, he bolted out of the diner.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ally could barely breath. All eyes were on her, including Hale’s.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Come on, I think you deserve a break,” he said, reaching his hand out to her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She looked over at Chef Denver who nodded in approval.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hale proceeded to whisk her away for a few minutes, finding a bench to sit on a couple
of blocks from the diner.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He looked at her softly, and it was all she could do not to burst into tears. It was
the first time in her adult life that any man had ever defended her honor like that.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Yes, I did. I told you Ally, you’re better than all of this.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
His message was the same, only after the abuse that she took back in the
diner,
it was impossible to argue with him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I want you to reconsider my offer. My intuition has never let me down Ally. And this
time it sent me back to you,” he paused and pressed his lips together. His eyes locked
in with hers. “I’m here, Ally, to try one more time.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She didn’t know if it was her head or her heart that made the choice, but suddenly
she was anxious to take him up on his offer.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maybe it was just the fact that he’d helped her more in one week than anyone else
had done in years.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I think maybe I’m willing to try too,” she said. She noticed his soft, flush lips
hint at a grin. And his body… his white t-shirt stretched around his muscular chest
and biceps. He reminded her of one those delicious looking men from the cover of GQ.

She was willing to roll the dice.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You won’t regret it, Ally Shore.” He was pleased with her consent, but didn’t waiver
in his focus. “I’ll pick you up at six tonight.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I have class tonight,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He smirked. “You don’t give up, do you?” he asked.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Neither do you, do you?” she replied as her lips curled up slightly.

But when he gently wrapped his warm hand around her shoulder, she felt all of the
tension in her body dissolve.

“One night,
Ally
. I need you to give me one try.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hell, what’s one class?
She knew she had the tendency to be way too rigid, and it seemed like life had just
given her a sign.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“One night. One try,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ally walked back towards the diner and adjusted her apron. She knew that she would
face a heavy burden of scrutiny the moment she returned to her shift. And for the
first time ever, she could have cared less about the harsh world around her.

* * *

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone on a date. And somehow calling this
a date seemed ridiculous.
What am I getting myself into?
She couldn’t remember the last time she did something so daring… and a night out
with a billionaire was never in the cards.