No Name | Completed

Chapter 51 - Hell Froze Over

"Ugh," I groaned, pushing the store door open and trudging over to the main desk. I tossed my bag behind the counter and rubbed my eyes. A yawn started, stopping me in my tracks for the full stretch affect with it.

"Way too early to be here," I grumbled to myself before heading for the back to find Jesse. He had been pretty busy buying new inventory the last two days and I haven't seen him much. Things hadn't changed between us, something I wanted desperately to bring up, but was too afraid to ruin our friendship by asking the dreaded question: "what are we?"

I stepped into the back and glanced in between the large aisles of inventory, but didn't see him.

"Jesse?" I called out, walking over to the desk.

"Yeah?" He responded from somewhere in the back.

There he was. I sat in the rolling chair next to the desk and kicked my feet up. He came strolling in through the far aisles, his hair slightly disheveled, like he had been digging through something.

"Hey," he grinned as he walked toward me, his flip flops smacking with each step. "You wouldn't happen to know where the recent shipment of wax went, would you?"

He set his iPad on a tall file cabinet next to the desk and flipped his head forward, shaking out his hair.

"By the way, it's disgusting back there," he mumbled upside down before moving upright again and smiling.

"Oh right," he laughed. "Not a morning person."

I shrugged, but nodded in agreement with him.

"Why on earth did I have to be here so early?" I sighed.

He moved closer to the desk, picked up my feet and sat down with my feet in his lap. I stared at them on his thighs, trying to find the meaning in it.

"I need your help with something before Florida," he replied, resting a hand on my ankle as he leaned against the wall.

I cleared my throat at the feel of his hand on me. "Okay, what is it?"

"I'll show you in a bit," he smirked. "Maybe you should get some coffee first."

I rolled my eyes and removed my feet from him, setting them on the floor.

"Hilarious," I mocked. "But true."

He stood up, holding a hand out for me to help me up. I carefully took it and he brought me up out of the chair and toward him. Standing directly in front of him, he didn't let go of my hand.

I glanced down at my hand in his, but he pulled away slightly, repositioning it to spread his fingers, matching mine. I looked up at him just as he slipped his in between mine.

My heart raced.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" I challenged. "What you probably did with other girls back here in high school?"

He chuckled. "Baby Dess," he leaned forward, his face mere inches from mine. "You couldn't handle it."

The build up left me deflated and annoyed at his comment so I shoved him away, but he caught my hand and jerked me back into his chest. Stumbling, he wound an arm around me to steady me.