Slow Burn - a Novel: The Elite by KB Winters Read Free Book Online Page A

make your lunch unsupervised?”
    “I do. I just wasn’t ready for the conversation to end,” he shrugged, his answer so matter-of-fact that it disarmed me.
    “I see…” I continued into the kitchen and went to the large stainless steel prep area and opened the hood. I kept containers of prepped veggies and condiments in plastic bins inside for easy access, but there were also a few stacks of premade food items. I pulled two pesto chicken wraps from the stack and set them inside a paper box. Nick propped against the opposite end of the counter, watching me work. Having him so close was unnerving. There was something about his easy confidence that both attracted and intimidated me.
    I wasn’t used to being so jumpy around a man. But between his dark eyes, chiseled jaw, and lazy smile, I was a basket case.
    “Did you start this place from the ground up?” he asked, gesturing around the kitchen.
    I nodded and reached for two handfuls of chips to set in the box around the sandwiches. “Yeah. When I got here this place was an old book store that had been abandoned for years. The owner was a longtime resident, but he was old and sick and had been forced to give the place up. It sat vacant for a long time and when I showed up, it still had the bookshelves and this ancient cash register. His family never cleared it out after he passed and the landlord didn’t care since he’d received enough to cover the lease.”
    “Wow. And you did this all by yourself?”
    I worked at my lower lip with my teeth. Keeping my eyes down, I fussed with the chips in the box, and then picked two pickles from another container and slid them into a wax paper bag and tucked them carefully in the box to keep the juice from spilling. “Mostly. I cleared everything out, painted, decorated. I had some help with renovating this part and turning it into a kitchen. But other than that, yep, just me.”
    “Impressive.” Nick took a step closer and I sucked in a breath. He snagged a chip from the box and popped it into his mouth, offering me a smile when my eyes flew to his.
    I abandoned the box, needing to put some space between us, and went to get some napkins. “Thanks. It’s a labor of love. I wouldn’t trade this place for anything.”
    I handed Nick a stack of napkins and then turned to seal the box shut. “Lunch is served.”
    He took the box with another half-cocked smile. “What do I owe ya?”
    “Rosen’s card is on file. I’ll charge him.”
    Nick nodded. “All right. I’ll give him my share. Probably not a good move to mooch off the boss on day two.”
    I laughed. “Right.” I led the way out of the kitchen, back to the front counter, and took a sweeping glance around the full dining space. Alesha was buzzing through the crowd, filling glasses, retrieving napkins, and stopping at each table to make sure they had everything they needed. I smiled, slightly in awe, as she glided through the room.
    When I’d seen her flirting with Nick at the counter, I’d been tempted to ring her neck and ask if the whole “boyfriend dumped me” thing was just another one of her tricks to get her way. But as I watched her work and interact with the guests, that frustration melted away and I decided not to bug her about it.
    “Well, I guess I better get back to the grind. Thanks for this,” Nick said, tearing my attention back to him. He rounded the corner and held up the box in his large hands when my eyes found his. “You have a nice afternoon, Carly.”
    “Thanks. You too.” I offered him a smile before he turned and went through the front doors.
    I watched him pass by, mesmerized by the half smile he wore, as he walked past the floor to ceiling windows along the side of the shop that opened to the patio. At the last second, right before he passed out of sight, he turned and flashed me another heart stopping smile before he disappeared from view.
    “He’s so hot…”
    I jolted at Alesha’s purring voice and jerked to face her, my