Priceless: Urban Fairytales, Book 3 Read online

“Choy,” Eric called out as they stopped in front of the table where the trio was sitting. “Let me throw out a hypothetical.”

  His friend placed his arm along the top the backrest and turned his body a bit more so he was facing them. “Hit me.”

  “If you were on your death bed, just minutes away from dying, and my wife…” Eric gestured to her and she struck a pose, amused by where he was going with this, “…walked in and offered to give you a sponge bath, would you try to get her to give you a happy ending?”

  Dominic thought about it for a second then answered with a pensive look on his handsome face. “Are you dead?” he asked solemnly.

  “Yes.” Eric nodded.

  Dominic didn’t even hesitate. “Then hell yeah. I’m a guy. I’m about to die, you’re already dead, what do I have to lose? I’m going to have to go for it. She can only say no once, but I’d have to live with what if if I didn’t go for it.”

  “But to be truthful,” Nia added. “You wouldn’t have to live with it long.”

  “True. But I’d still go for it, and I promise you, Nia, it would be the best last seven minutes of my life.”

  Dominic was a fool. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She bit back a smile.

  Dominic winked at her. “You do that. So what’s up with the kid you were molesting?”

  Heat filled her cheeks. Was she the only one who didn’t confuse kindness with kinkiness? “He’s hurt. I was soothing him.”

  “You were giving him a chub,” Dominic countered.

  Nia shook her head. “I’m officially done talking to you.”

  Dominic turned to Eric, all trace of joking gone. “How hurt is he?”

  “From a glance I’d say it’s a fairly minor burn. Nia’s already immersed it in cool water. We need to clean it and dress it, but he’ll have to come in for a DT shot later.”

  “I have some gauze to wrap it in the car.”

  “Let’s handle this then.”

  “Let’s.” Dominic turned to the blonde woman sitting next to him. “I need to get out, honey.”

  “I thought we were eating lunch.”

  “Yes, after.”

  With a long-suffering sigh, the woman rose from the bench, letting him slip out.

  As one, the two men headed out of the diner to Dominic’s car, leaving Nia alone with the women at the table.

  Before she could try to come up with filler conversation, the brunette piped up. “So you’re Eric’s wife?”

  “Yes. That’s what he keeps telling me anyway,” she teased.

  “Aw. How sweet. I’m Corrine.” The cheerful young lady gave a little wave. “I work in the ER with your husband.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you.” Nia smiled. The woman’s sunny disposition was a warm welcome on such a dreary day. Expecting the same reaction, she looked over at the other lady, who to her surprise was glaring at Nia with disdain. Never one to let a frown stand in her way, Nia tried to be pleasant. “And you are?”

  “Hungry.”

  Okay. Apparently this one didn’t want to have sleepovers and braid each other’s hair. Whipping out her order pad, she pasted a fake smile on her face and did her job. “What can I get you?”

  “Food from another restaurant.”

  “Bethany.” Her companion gasped. “What are you—?”

  “No, it’s fine.” Nia wasn’t going to let the other lady get her down. Besides, she could always spit in the bitch’s food later. With that pleasant thought in mind, she slipped the pad back in her apron and smiled. “Actually, I see your waitress right over there. She’ll take your drink order while you decide if The Greasy Spoon is really the place for you today. You ladies have a great day. It was really nice to meet you, Corrine.”

  “Likewise,” the woman responded with a stressed smile.

  “I’m going to go see what’s keeping the men. Have a nice evening.”

  Bitch, she muttered to herself as she walked quickly from the table. On her way to the back office she bypassed Julia. “Eric’s table.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Just became your table.”

  “Aw,” Julia grumbled. “Why?”

  “Because blondie,” she said, pointing the lady out, “is a bitch and I’m not in the mood.”

  Julia took one look at Bethany and shook her head. “I’m not in the mood either.”

  “Yes, but Eric has to work with them, so I can’t do anything that will mar that.”

  “Fine, but if his friend doesn’t stop hitting on me…” Julia’s voice trailed off without finishing the threat.

  “Oh, stop it. You like it.”

  Julia frowned. “Girl, please. I don’t have time to be messing around with that himbo.”

  Nia adored her husband’s friend. “Dominic is a sweetie.”

  “Who’s probably slept with every woman in this city.”

  “Not me,” Nia reminded her friend.

  “Or me, and I plan to keep it that way.”

  “Fine.” Nia spotted the man in question coming up behind Julia, and she couldn’t resist trying on cupid’s wings for a bit. “Admit it though. You think Dominic is pretty damn hot.”

  Dominic paused silently behind Julia and crossed his arms. From the quizzical expression on his face, Nia could tell he wanted this answer as badly as she did. Oh, she was so going to best-friend hell for this, but still, she needed to know. “Well?”

  “Well, what?” Julia responded stubbornly.

  “You think he’s hot.”

  “I’m not blind. The man is beautiful, and if his penis wasn’t a Petri dish filled with the ghost of pussy past and the ghost of pussy present, I’d be all over him.”

  “Julia, Julia, Julia.” Dominic stepped up right behind her, so close it was almost obscene. His presence startled Julia, but she didn’t back down. She stayed where she was, staring straight ahead as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “My penis is many things, like big, thick and long, but it isn’t a Petri dish. I’m all about safe sex.”

  “Which is why we don’t hang out.”

  “Because I practice safe sex?”

  “No.” Julia turned around until she was facing him, but she didn’t step back. The same lack of space between them to begin with seemed even smaller now that the two of them were staring at each other. “Because you’re all about sex.”

  “You have a problem with sex?”

  Julia tilted her head to the side. “I have a problem with being one of many.”

  “Does it matter how many were before you as long as you’re the last?”

  Nia felt like a voyeur in this very private conversation, but she didn’t want to leave. Neither Dominic nor Julia appeared to care much that she was there. It didn’t stop them from getting their flirt on, that was for sure.

  “Says the man here with a date.”

  “A bitchy one at that,” Nia couldn’t help but add.

  Dominic laughed and stepped back. Moment apparently gone. “She’s not that bad.”

  “Right.” Nia didn’t know what his definition of that bad was, and after meeting the blonde, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “Where’s my old man?”

  “In the back washroom. Cleaning up. You guys need to send the kid home for the rest of the night, and I would let him take a few days off to make sure he’s healing before you allow him to come to work again.”

  “I’ll let my brother know.” Julia went to leave but was stopped by Dominic’s hand on her arm.

  “Running?”

  “No, you did your job, now it’s time I did mine. If you’ll excuse me.” Julia pulled her arm free and headed toward the kitchen, leaving Dominic staring after her.

  He was so gone, Nia thought. And Nia bet he didn’t even realize the depths of it yet. “I don’t think your girl wants to eat here, and I don’t think you want Julia waiting on her if she decides to stay.”

  “Yeah, good point.” Dominic watched Julia intently as she made her way to the kitchen. “I’m going to marry that woman.”
>
  “Right.” Nia laughed.

  “No, I am.” He faced Nia, and for the first time, she didn’t see any sign of teasing from him. He looked utterly and completely serious.

  “Marry her?”

  “Yes, and give her a house full of blasian babies for her to spoil, much in the same way she does every male member in her family.”

  “You seem to know a lot about Julia’s crew.”

  “It’s important to know your in-laws, isn’t it, especially when they’re slowly working my future wifey to death.”

  Nia couldn’t deny Julia went above and beyond the call of duty for her family, but that was the kind of person she was. If Dominic was serious about getting to know her on a more intimate level, he was going to have to accept the way she was, but it wasn’t the only thing he was going to have to accept. “If you want to get anywhere with Julia, can the whole marrying thing.”

  “No, I want her to know my intentions so she has time to come to grips with them.”

  Suddenly Nia didn’t think he was joking about any of it at all. “Are you serious?”

  Then his devilish smile was back, and Nia couldn’t tell what had been real or what had been merely a lark. Either way, he didn’t have a chance in hell.

  “Good luck with that. First things first though.” Nia gestured to the women who were chatting softly at the booth. “Deal with bitcherella.”

  Choy didn’t even spare the other woman a look. “I’m only messing around with her until your friend comes to her senses.”

  “Bringing other girls by is not going to help your cause.”

  Choy shrugged. “Hey, what can I say? Love makes me stupid.”

  “I don’t think you can blame that on love.” Nia laughed. “Something tells me you were stupid long before you met Julia.”

  “You might have a point,” Dominic conceded. “So, what are the chances of me getting that sponge bath?”

  “You know how lots of people say when hell freezes over.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Call two weeks after that, then maybe we’ll talk.”

  “Aww.” Dominic placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a little-sister-like hug. “You’re mean.”

  “Every time I turn around someone is pawing my wife.” Eric’s voice had Nia and Dominic turning around to face him.

  “I’m only complimenting your taste.”

  “Instead of hitting on my wife and upsetting her friend—”

  “You mean my future baby mama,” Dominic interrupted to add.

  Eric nodded as if he concurred. “Yes, your future baby mama, maybe you should join the chick you invited in the first place.”

  Dominic glanced back at the table with an extremely disinterested look on his face and let out a heavy sigh. “I guess.”

  Without bothering to see if Dominic returned to the table, Nia turned to her husband. “So, Doc, will the patient live?”

  Eric wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer to him. “Only if he stops eyeing my wife like she’s the blue-plate special.”

  “We don’t have a blue-plate special.” She smiled. “Dominic says Oscar will be okay.”

  “He will. Although I still want him to come in later tonight for a DT shot, and I’ll check in on him again later this week to see how he’s faring.”

  Something Nia knew he’d do for free because Oscar didn’t have any insurance. “You’re such a good person.”

  He tried to brush her words away. “Because of you.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “So am I. You make me want to be a better man. To do good things. You remind me why I’m in this field to begin with.”

  That was probably the best compliment she’d ever received. “I do all that?”

  “And then some.”

  “I guess you’re lucky to have me then.”

  “I don’t guess. I know.”

  “Kiss her on your own time,” Darnell warned from the pass-through window. “Orders up.”

  “The boss is calling, but we will pick this up later.”

  Eric gave her a sharp smack on the bottom as he whispered in her ear, “You can count on it.”

  Nia quivered. She couldn’t tell what turned her on most, the smack on her ass or the promise of more in his voice. Either way, she couldn’t wait for later.

  He loved watching her work. Nia was such a nurturer she never failed to make each and every customer feel as if they were her only concern. She laughed with them, teasing and cajoling the ones who’d come in with sour moods thanks to the shit-ass weather, until they too began to smile. There was a light about her, the essence of her that made Nia…well, Nia.

  Even now there were women in the room who debatably could be described as more physically attractive than Nia. The other waitress, Miranda, for instance, was fucking gorgeous, yet Nia was the one whose every move was being followed.

  Even though she would deny to her last breath that she flirted, she was pushing out the pheromones so strong he got aroused when she merely walked past him. And he knew he wasn’t the only one. The outfits Darnell had the waitresses wear were far from demeaning. They were actually on the conservative side. The button-up short-sleeve shirt was flattering, but it covered her ample flesh, which was a bit more than the thigh-high black skirt did.

  Eric would have preferred slacks, but as long as it wasn’t Hooter wear, he wasn’t going to complain. It wasn’t the shirt’s fault the color complimented Nia’s dark skin, nor could he blame the garment’s little collar and V opening that showcased her lush breasts. That would have occurred in a burlap sack. It wasn’t the outfit doing the damage or causing the stares. It was Nia.

  She had a womanly shape in what could arguably be called a schoolgirl outfit. Those two things just didn’t mix. Or they did, but only for pervy men. From the looks of the many male customers who ogled her, Eric knew he wasn’t the only one wanting to have Nia come visit his pretend principal’s office. He could make her stay after school. And maybe break out a ruler or two for some punishment.

  The more he thought on the matter, the more turned on he became. Hungrily he watched as Nia slipped out of the main dining room and into the broom closet. It was next to the restroom and not so out of the way that it would seem weird for him to follow in the same direction.

  “Athers.” Choy’s voice pulled his thoughts away from devious plans. “Are you even listening to me?”

  “No,” he admitted with no shame.

  “The ladies are leaving now. Do you want to bail too?”

  Eric slipped his hand beneath the table and pulled his shirt out of his pants to cover his budding erection. There was only one place he was going. “No. Not yet. In a minute.”

  “A minute?”

  “Yeah.” He rose from the table, his focus on one thing only, getting in the back room undetected.

  Of course it was easier said than done with Choy chattering like a magpie every three seconds. “Where are you going, man?”

  Eric met his friend’s gaze steadily. “To go say goodbye to my wife.”

  Choy glanced down at his watch. “We have to be at the hospital in fifteen minutes.”

  It was more than enough time. “It won’t take long.”

  Choy glanced to where Nia had gone then back at his friend. He smiled a knowing smile and made himself comfortable in the booth. “Understood. I’ll be here waiting.”

  “I’ll be just a moment.” Or ten. Without bothering to say goodbye to the women who’d joined them for lunch, Eric headed in the direction of the restrooms. He had no intention of going there, but he was willing to put up a façade for Nia’s sake. Keeping his gaze straight, he made a left as if he were going into the restroom, but instead went to the storage closet.

  After doing a quick look around to make sure no was watching, he opened the door then stepped inside the small room. The sound of the door shutting startled Nia, who spun around, her hand over her heart.

  When she spotted h
er husband, she let out a relieved sigh. “Eric. What are you doing back here?”

  “You.”

  “Me what?”

  “You asked me what I’m doing here.” Eric turned and locked the door. He tested the handle to make sure it was secured before facing her again. “I’m doing you.”

  Nia smiled but shook her head. “We’re not doing it here.”

  “I beg to differ.” Eric moved toward her slowly, like a cat stalking its prey. “We are.”

  Every step he took forward, she took one back, until she ran out of floor. Eric cornered her, forcing her back into stacks of paper towels piled stomach high. But she still didn’t give in that easily. “Darnell will kill us.”

  Eric brought his index finger to his lip. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

  “A storage closet. Really?” She licked her lips nervously. “Oscar must have really got to you.”

  He grabbed her hand and pressed it against the bulge protruding from behind his slacks. “No. You did.”

  She cupped him and smiled. “So I see.”

  “Good. Now it’s my time to see.” Eric pulled her shirt free of her skirt. Once it was loose, he began to methodically unfasten the bottom buttons. But was stopped by Nia, who took hold of his wrist.

  “Are you freaking serious?” She cast her gaze to the door then back at him. “People are walking by. They might hear.”

  “Then you better be quiet.”

  Her breath caught in her throat, and it took a few seconds for her to speak. “I’m on the clock.”

  “Then we better make it quick.” Releasing her shirt, he placed his hands on the swell of her hips. “Turn around and bend over.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Turn around and bend over.”

  “No way.”

  “If that’s the way you want it.” Eric spun her around forcefully until she was facing the industrial package of paper towels. With none of his usual finesse, he pressed her forward, breasts down against the plastic covering the bulk paper. “I do love a challenge.”

  “Eric!”

  “Nia.” Eric seized the hem of her skirt and roughly pulled it up. He held the thin material at the small of her back with one hand while he worked her pantyhose down her ass to the middle of her thighs with the other. Dirty girl that she was, Nia wore nothing beneath her hose but a spritz of her favorite perfume. The floral fragrance mingled with that of her own womanly aroma. The intoxicating scent caused his cock to harden further and his mouth to water.