Constantly ♡ (Paul Lahote)

13 - Assuming

"Miss?"

"Be right there," I called, trying to extract myself from junior's grasp.

"Let her go," I heard a deep, gravelly voice that sounds like...

"Butt out, asshole," junior sneered.

I looked up to see Paul in front of me. Is this a dream? He was focused on junior as he pulled his hand from my wrist and bent his fingers back painfully. Junior yelped in pain as Paul clenched his jaw and the whole table stood, ready to fight.

"Let him go, Paul," I insisted, taking his face into my hands and forcing him to focus on my face. "Don't do this," I urged quietly, finally getting his attention.

Paul sucked his lower lip into his mouth and released the little punk. I returned my attention to the table, offering them a comp on their appetizer before shoving Paul to the other end of the restaurant, his gaze never leaving theirs.

"This is a great place you're working at, Rachel," he snarled, finally looking at me.

"What are you even doing here?"

Paul gave me one of his million dollar smiles, but his eyes conveyed a bitterness I've never seen before. Did I cause that? "I was in the mood for pizza," his voice was low and sexy, instantly causing my mind to delve right into the gutter.

I smiled back and took in a deep breath before skeptically replying, "You drove four hours for a pizza?"

He laughed. Damn him. That warm, sexy laugh of his washed over me and I couldn't think straight. "No. I drove thirty-five minutes for a pizza."

"Huh?"

He sighed. "I came from Tacoma, not La Push."

"What's in Tacoma?"

"I'm visiting my mom for the holiday," he explained.

"Rachel!"

I growled, hearing the teen table and then I remembered that I never put in that app order for them. "Be right back, Paul." I turned back briefly and said, "Don't leave, okay? Promise?"

He nodded and laughed as I scurried off to the place the order.

"Are you okay?" Amanda asked as I tried to ring in the app order, all while keeping an eagle eye on Paul. Other than my roommate, Kira, Amanda was my best friend at work.

"Oh yeah, I'm just peachy. I got the 'high school brats from hell' table and Paul just showed up."

"Paul?" she echoed. "As in the Paul you talk about obsessively?"

"Not helping, Amanda," I scolded as she took over punching in the order while I started filling drinks for the teen table. "I can't believe he's really here."

"Tall, dark, and really handsome, huh? You poor thing," she scoffed as she helped me load the drinks onto a tray.

"Ha, ha. Seriously. I'm freaking out, Amanda."

"Let me deal with the brats and you go flirt with that man of yours," she urged, giving me an encouraging smile.

I nodded quickly and headed in his direction, remembering to grab some silverware and menus. I avoided the teen table as I approached Paul and noticed the way he watched me. Good. I have your attention.

He eyed me up and down before announcing, "This uniform is a little different than the one you wear at the diner, huh?"

I smoothed the front of my jeans down and nodded. We have screen-printed tees with the restaurant logo on them and small aprons for our notepads and pens. Most of us girls have altered our shirts by cutting off the neckline and allowing our shoulders to show. When you paired that with some body hugging ripped jeans, the tips were better. Sad but true. Suddenly I wondered if Paul thought junior's advances were my own fault.