Underage

[19] A Side of Julia

Underage
[19] A Side of Julia

"I'm going to be late."

I bend down to tie my shoe, and Ethan's arms wrap around my waist from behind. He pulls me down onto the bed and kisses my neck. I push him off, struggling to reach for my shoe that flew off in the process. Instead, he keeps me pressed against his chest. "I'm going to be fired."

"More time to spend with me."

"I don't throw a fit when you go to work, which has been more than me lately. Shouldn't have gotten that ticket, or we could be spending all our time together."

"In the backseat of my car?" he asks.

"In Ms. Carrol's driveway."

"With you screaming."

"We could even go for a round two, really piss them off."

He laughs and kisses my shoulder. "It's not my fault a Kinley cop pulled us over. It wasn't even his jurisdiction."

"Shouldn't have been going fifteen miles over the speed limit."

"You like living on the edge."

I roll my eyes. "Because that is living on the edge."

Ethan's kisses move up my neck, sucking on the skin as he goes. "At least let me drive you to work. I'm going to meet Grace and Cooper there for ice cream."

"No," I say. "You're meeting them there for burgers."

He bites the skin where my shoulder meets my neck. "So sarcastic today. Just one kiss and then we can leave."

I turn and kiss him, my lips lingering on his.

"Don't start something you can't finish." His voice is husky, layered with lust, his lips brushing mine as he speaks. As much as I would love to stay and play out the thoughts running through his head right now, I can't afford to be fired. A raise was given to me a few months ago and I am the only one working the next shift. Mackenzie will be pissed if I'm late. She hates working any longer than she has to.

I pull my shoe on, telling myself I'll tie it when we get in the car. I grab my purse and throw the keys to Ethan, who in turn sets them straight onto the coffee table. "I have my car."

"Of course you do."

Ethan parks his car in front of the ice cream shop. Grace and Cooper are already waiting and I meet them out on the sidewalk. Ethan stands behind me and helps me slip into a black, oversized jacket of his. Mackenzie glares at me as I walk inside. She unties her apron and shoves it into my arms.

"I hope you have a busy day," she grumbles as she walks past me. The bell rings as she opens it and slams it behind herself.

Mackenzie's only working here to please her parents and to give herself a solid excuse for when she wants to leave. I don't blame her, with the town's sheriff as a dad. I would want to get out of there if he was my father, too.

The inside of the shop is small, only enough space for four booths lined against the wall of windows. It's cold, and standing beside the tubs of ice cream makes it even colder. I tie my apron around myself, over the jacket, and take a seat on the stool behind the counter. Ethan, Grace and Cooper stand in front of the ice cream, as they will for the next five minutes while deciding what they want.

"Oh, worker," Ethan calls. "Sitting there is not doing your job."

"Do we have to do this every time?"