Page 16 of Above ’N’ Beyond

As Jimmy transferred the sleeping dog to her arms, his forearm brushed against hers, his knuckles grazing her left breast. Her belly quivered, and as she looked into Jimmy’s handsome face, a muscle in his lean jaw twitched.

Carefully, so as not to wake him, she laid the dog in the box. It didn’t wake, didn’t so much as bat a doggie eyelash. Whatever trauma he’d been through had tuckered the little guy out. “He needs a serious bath and a trip to the vet.” She turned to thank Jimmy, but he was gone.

Quietly, she went to the door and closed it behind her, leaving the light on so if the dog woke, it wouldn’t be so afraid.

She went into the Bistro’s office, which was really no bigger than the closet she’d just come from, then hastily scribbled DO NOT OPEN on a piece of paper. She grabbed a roll of tape, returned to the closet, and taped the sign to the door.

Cracking the door open an inch, she peeked in on her new guest, who was still sleeping contentedly, full belly and all. Was she making a mistake keeping the dog? Until that moment, she hadn’t truly realized she’d decided to keep it. But there it was. A new addition to her nonexistent family.

Back in the dining room, she looked around for Jimmy. They barely had enough time for her to show him the ropes, get him settled, then resume her own duties with the rest of her staff.

Sierra filled salt and pepper shakers at the bar. Lou was finishing up a glass of red wine. Rebecca and Lori continued setting the tables. Jimmy Santoro was…nowhere.

Before asking the question she was pretty sure she already knew the answer to, Bella parked her hands on her hips. “Has anyone seen Jimmy Santoro?”

“The new hot guy?” Using a fork, Lori pointed to the door. “He left a few minutes ago.”

“Seriously?” Bella curled her hands into tight fists. He hadn’t even started his first shift, and already he’d bailed on her. “Did he say if he was coming back?”

Rebecca and Lori shrugged, both shaking their heads.

“Great,” Bella muttered, heading to the bar which, at this point, she’d have to prep and man herself tonight. Again.

Disappointment was a steady pounding in her head. Once again, she’d made a mistake by thinking she could rely on someone. Stupidly, she’d thought Jimmy had been sincere about his offer to help. Apparently not. Shame on her for expecting too much. She’d known better, but there was something about him that had her believing he’d be different.

She picked up a clean rag and started wiping down the bar. Believing in anyone had always been a mistake. No one could be trusted to be there for her. Certainly not Jimmy Santoro.

If only the man weren’t so handsome.

Bella groaned. She’d only known him for a few hours. There was no justifiable reason for her to keep thinking about him. Or the fact that he was the most intriguing man she’d met in a very, very long time.

Chapter Six

Jamie pushed open the door to the Bistro. Before it had even clicked shut behind him, four pairs of eyes—female eyes—pinned him in place.

Bella’s eyes narrowed, skewering him like a stuck pig. Looked like he was in the doghouse. She probably assumed he’d skipped out on her. He kinda had. Partly because he’d had an idea, and partly because he’d needed air and a little space.

Crammed inside that tiny closet, standing only inches from her, it had been impossible not to inhale her floral scent. Within seconds, the entire closet had smelled like a florist shop, a mixed bouquet of dozens of different flowers. He also hadn’t meant to inadvertently touch her breast, but again, the tiny closet…

She stalked from behind the bar, her jaw set, and still glaring daggers at him. “Why did you take off? Dinner starts in less than an hour, and we still have to—” She looked at the box under his arm, then her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. Her gaze, which had softened considerably, lifted to his. “You—you…”

“Sorry,” he said. Eyes he already thought were the prettiest he’d ever seen shimmered like blue glass in the river shallows. “I probably should have told you where I was going.” And that he’d be back. He’d only been gone fifteen minutes tops. Well, maybe thirty.

“No, it’s not that. It’s—it’s…” She pointed to the box.

“A dog cage. I know.” She acted like he’d just invented red wine.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “You didn’t have to do that. I’ll pay you back for whatever you spent.”

He shrugged. “Forget it.” Given his ulterior motives, the last things he wanted or deserved were her money and, least of all, her gratitude. “I’ll get this set up for him.”

Ten minutes later, Jamie left the dog sleeping in his new cage with a bowl of fresh water and the closet door cracked to let in fresh air. The cage had been a nice touch. If the shocked look on Bella’s face was any indication, he was racking up the brownie points. Getting into her good graces hadn’t been the initial reason he’d run to the pet store. The more he thought about it, that move was instinctive, and damned if it hadn’t made him feel good. When was the last time he’d felt good about anything he’d done?

He frowned as he scanned the dining room. The place was warm, colorful, and inviting, an odd contrast to Bella’s prickly sarcasm. She might be all snark and spitfire on the outside, but inside there was a hidden softness that had made itself known when she’d risked having her fingers bitten off by a dirty little puppy who’d had the audacity to infiltrate Lou’s kitchen.

She stood on her tiptoes to hang wineglasses on the wood rack suspended above the bar. The movement tightened her slacks over her ass and the shirt across her breasts.

He needed to focus. On work. Not on how good Bella Bianco looked or how pleased she’d been by his gifts.