Bedding the Billionaire

Sutton

“You’re late, Sutton.”

I winced internally as I listened to my boss chastise me for being late. Flinging my bag under the dingy counter at Abberly’s bar, I looked up from my crouched position to see Gabriel Reece glaring at me.

Rather than answer him, I yanked my apron out of my bag and went to work tying it on. Sadly, the next time I glanced over at him it was just in time to see his nasty ass staring at the way my t-shirt pulled tight across my chest as I tried on my apron.

Perve.

“We have a start time for a reason, Sutton” he stated in that lofty tone of his.

Seriously, who was the man kidding? There wasn’t another soul in town who would put up with his shit and we both knew it.

“I’m sorry,” I grit out between clenched teeth. I knew better than to give an excuse, even if it was a valid one. Gabe didn’t care if I had an excuse, he just liked riding my ass. It started in Kindergarten and he hadn’t got bored of it yet.

“Look, this is getting to be a problem,” he began, scratching his chest. I didn’t even want to know what the stains were that currently decorated his shirt. There had been a time when Gabe was somewhat attractive. That time was long gone.

“I’m never late,” I started, but he cut me off with a raised hand.

“Sutton, Sutton, Sutton.”

I hated the way he said my name. It was as if he were speaking of dog poop or erectile dysfunction.

“Yes, Gabriel?” I answered frostily.

I could swear that there was a glint of smugness that entered into his cold eyes as he continued to stare me down. Finally, he spoke, “You are late—again. I told you the next time you came in here late I would be taking it off your wages.”

late in over two years. I was so tempted to tell him what he could do with this job, and the stick lodged in his ass. But the familiar grumbling of my stomach forced

smartly, “It’s three minutes after the hour,

hadn’t done the math. But at a waitressing hourly wage, I wasn’t bringing home the big bucks. I could see by his reaction that I wasn’t

here at three, not three minutes after three. This isn’t a difficult concept, so even you should understand

hadn’t always been the owner of Abberly’s. His mama, God rest her soul, had always been good to me. Ruth Ann treated me like gold. Which was saying something in this town, where I not only came from the wrong side of the tracks, but the wrong side of the blanket.

way past Gabe, I took in the current customers. I smiled when I saw two of my favorite older ladies glancing surreptitiously over their menus, clearly trying to eavesdrop. As my eyes continued to scan the room, I saw a few of the other tables were taken. Nothing too stressful. This would be

hour for his drink.” Gabe shot me a smug look when

at me?” I grumbled just loud enough for Gabe to hear.

dark hair into a messy bun and secured it with a

Thinking that Max had already sat there for thirty minutes, I went ahead and poured another drink. Then I carefully balanced the tray on one arm and strode across the old wood planks completely unaware that

ignoring his growl of

“You alright?” he

that lived hard. I had heard any number of rumors about him over the years. The people in Otterville Falls loved

because honest to goodness I have no flipping idea even to this day. Max knew what Mama was, and when he rolled into town on his big motorcycle and stopped at our trailer, I knew what was going on. But I also knew that Mama never cried in the morning when Max stayed over, and there were often groceries in the fridge when he left. Even after Mama died, Max still came in town every few months

“You need money?” he asked in

answered the same way I always did. “Nah, I’m doing

went back to his drink. But I didn’t miss the slight twitch to his lips that indicated a smile was lurking somewhere

notebook out of my apron and moved to the next table.

as I greeted Alice and Reena. The two elderly ladies couldn’t have been a day over seventy- five. Best friends, roommates, and having

the regular or do you want to spice things up?”

pursed her lips wickedly. “Unless you have found a way to get that boss of yours to lose his boxers, I am betting that

I gagged a little. “Eww!”

Gabe got a kick

like to harass him—sexually,” she licked her old lady lips lewdly,

in your way,” I said, pointing to the office. “Go get your man.”

menu. “Maybe tomorrow. I am