Page 28 of Waste of Worth

He wasn’t a big talker to begin with, and he was even less inclined to talk during sex.

But he couldn’t help but tell her how she looked.

That he wanted her sounds.

That she felt so fucking good.

It took only a few jerky thrusts after Karen had come a second time for Dino to follow, the sensations coursing from his balls to his spine as he emptied into latex.

He wanted more of her the second he was done.

“Two coffees,” Dino said, putting in his order.

Karen piped up as his hand pressed to her lower back. “Two sugar, three cream in mine, please.”

“Black for the other.”

The barista nodded her head, already turning to make the order.

“Oh, and two cherry cheese Danishes,” Karen added.

“Working on giving me diabetes,” Dino muttered.

Karen grinned widely. “Don’t pretend like you don’t have a sweet tooth, Dino. I remember the donuts and cakes you brought in with my coffees, thank you.”

She had him there.

“And two Danishes,” Dino told the barista.

There was no point in arguing with Karen.

Besides, he was fucking starved. He’d spent the night—happily—with Karen at his side. Driving around Chicago, talking because it felt good and he liked listening to her talk, but also because he wasn’t quite ready for it to end.

He only realized it was morning when the sun finally started coming up.

It was crazy.

Perfect, but crazy.

“Thank you,” Karen said, bringing Dino from his thoughts.

Their order was ready, waiting on the counter.

How easy it was for him to lose track of time around Karen.

Even if it was only minutes.

“I never said it last night, but thank you,” Dino said once he had coffee in his hands and his back was turned to the barista working the counter. “I appreciate it.”

Karen blinked up at him, smiling in the strangest way. Her shoulders lifted under his blazer, as she hadn’t brought a coat with her and he didn’t want to see her be cold. She almost seemed to be swallowed by his jacket, and it was only then that he realized how small she looked next to him.

He liked that a bit too much. In a way, she was perfectly safe with him. She certainly looked happy to be tucked into his side like she was.

“You’re thanking me,” Karen replied as they slipped into a booth side by side. “For what, screwing you in the backseat of a car?”

The laughter that broke free from Dino’s chest was almost foreign to him, as he hadn’t laughed that hard in a long while, and it felt both good and strange. Actually, he had laughed that hard recently—the night before with Karen. It was with her that he felt … different; that he felt okay to laugh.

Karen handed over the Danish sweets she’d been holding, her smile growing. “You’re very handsome when you laugh, Dino.”