Two hours later, I was halfway through the book. I was also ridiculously hungry. I texted Reed to see what he wanted for dinner. I was starting to get used to how things worked at Al's. I worked with Reed until eight or nine when a few other employees came in. I basically did nothing and got paid. All in all, it was a good system. Reed said he'd eat anything, so I picked up burritos on my way back.

"I hope you like chicken queso." I handed Reed the bag.

"Love it. Good choice, Annie."

"Would you please stop calling me that?" I unwrapped my burrito. Smelling it the whole walk over had been torture enough.

"Does it really bother you?"

"Yes. I keep thinking you don't know my name or something."

"I know your name, Juliet."

I used a napkin to wipe up a few drops of hot sauce that had spilled onto the countertop. "Good."

"How about if I call you Oakley? Does that bother you?"

"Not really. At least it's not another girl's name."

We'd just finished dinner when Justin and Danny walked in. Those guys seemed to work every night, which made sense because they only worked four or five hour shifts. They were the ones who usually made the pizzas. I took the orders and brought the food out to people if they didn't want to stand around and wait.

I didn't expect such a large crowd on a Wednesday night. I knew Thursdays were big, but the middle of the week? I recognized a lot of the people from around campus, but it was different seeing everyone in going-out clothes and obviously drunk. By ten o'clock, I was exhausted. Of course, that's when Dylan and his friends decided to walk in.

"Oh no," I groaned when I noticed them maneuvering through the crowds.

"What's wrong?" Reed asked. "Oh, great."

"You really don't like him, do you?"

"Look who's talking. You're sleeping with him, and you aren't happy to see him."

Obviously Reed was right. I was sleeping with Dylan, but it still felt weird to hear him say it so bluntly.

I wanted to run into the kitchen. You'd think I'd no longer be nervous about seeing Dylan—but I was. I still had that same churning stomach reaction. It was always worse when he smiled at me—which he did the moment he saw me.

I was ringing up a couple of girls from my biology class and tried to ignore the way Dylan watched me. I closed the register, and it was Dylan's turn. He wasn't alone. A whole group of his brothers and some pledges stood nearby. There were also a handful of girls, including Tally. I guessed Gregg must have invited her.

Tally waved. "Hey, looking good, roomie."

"Ha, thanks. What can I get you?"

"We need a few pitchers and maybe three pepperoni pizzas," Ryan ordered.

"How many's a few?"

Dylan played with a plastic display on the counter. "Make it four."

"Four it is." I rang them up. "That will be forty-eight sixty."

Dylan put down a fifty. "It doesn't leave much for a tip, but I'll tip you later."

My stomach did a summersault and not in a good way. Was it normal to have that reaction to the thought of having sex with the guy you were dating? Probably not.

"Don't worry about it."

Dylan didn't move.

"I need to keep helping people." I forced a smile.

Dylan ignored me. "What time do you get off?"

"Midnight."

"All right, I'll come back to get you."

"Oh, that's okay. Reed's going to drive me home." I turned to see Reed glaring at Dylan.

"Is that right?" Dylan gave him the death stare right back. "That won't be necessary. I'll be bringing Juliet home with me."

"Oh. I'm going to stay in my room tonight." I so didn't want to be discussing that topic at work with tons of people around.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I need a good night's sleep."

"You don't sleep well at my place?" For the first time, he looked a little worried.

"I do, but I sleep better in my own bed."

"But I sleep better when we're together. You'll just have to get used to it."

Did he really mean that? Did he just like having someone with him, or was it specifically me? "Do you really sleep better when I'm there?"

"Yes. I'll pick you up after work."

"She said she didn't want to." Reed pushed his way in front of me.

Dylan tensed. "I'm not talking to you."

I edged back in around Reed. "I can handle this."

"No, you can't. Your jackass boyfriend is holding up the line." He turned to Dylan. "You can sit down. We'll bring the pies out. Juliet, go help Justin in the back."

"What?"

"Go, Juliet."

I wanted to stand and argue, but technically, Reed was my boss. I'd never heard him talk that way.

I asked Justin if I could help, but he didn't want any.

I didn't have long to wait. Reed stormed into the back. "What the hell was that? Do you always let him boss you around?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why do you act like his little slave? It's pathetic."

"Did you just call me pathetic?" I glanced at Justin.

"Justin, go out front." Justin nodded and hightailed it out of there. No one usually questioned Reed.

"Are you going to apologize?" I tried to hold back the tears I knew were coming.

"Juliet. I didn't mean it. I just think you should be with someone else. At least take a break from him."

"Quit trying to play big brother. I have two of my own already."

"I'm not playing big brother. I just won't put up with that in my restaurant."

"It's not your restaurant."

"It may be called Al's, but who runs the place?"

I wrung my hands. "Oh, so every interaction I have here is your business now?"

"Yes. I'm not going to have my employee harassed."

"He wasn't harassing me."

"Juliet."

"I'm not doing this. If you're going to act like this, I'll find another job."

He reached out and touched my arm. "No. I'm sorry. I was out of line. It was just the way he was looking at you. It was condescending."

"Calling me pathetic is condescending."

He moved his hand. "I never should have said that. You aren't pathetic. I overreacted."

"All right. I should probably get back to work, though."

Reed nodded, and I headed back to the counter to ring up a few more people.

Dylan and Ryan had already grabbed the beer, but Justin and I carried over the pizzas. Dylan scowled at him. I was almost positive he'd somehow be mad at me for all of this.

"Thanks, Juliet." Tally smiled. She was sitting with Gregg, but I caught her throwing Ryan a flirtatious look. Who knew what she was getting herself into?

"Enjoy your pizza." I turned to leave, but Dylan grabbed my wrist. "I'll pick you up at midnight."

"I really need to get some sleep."

"Are you sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh nothing." He stood up. "I was just wondering if you were using that as an excuse to get your supervisor to drive you home."

"Of course not."

"Are you positive?" He moved his hand up my arm. "Because I thought we already established we were exclusive."

"We are."

"Okay. Just making sure we were on the same page. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow?"

He let out a deep breath. "All right. Dinner first?"

"I work again."

"Two nights in a row?" He leaned in closer to me.

"That way I get weekends off." It was hard to think with Dylan so close to me. Why did he still have the ability to affect me so much?

"Then lunch. It's about time I take you out."

"I can do lunch. I have a break between classes at noon."

"Are you on the main quad?"

"Yeah."

"Same. I'll meet you outside Sanders Hall at twelve."

"Great, I should get back to work." I glanced over my shoulder. Reed was staring.

Dylan leaned over to whisper in my ear. "And don't forget you're all mine after work tomorrow night."

"All right. Have a good night." As I turned, he grabbed my ass.

When I turned back, he held his hands up in defense. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Sure." I rolled my eyes and went back to the register.

Reed looked pissed, but I could tell he was trying hard. "I'm going to keep my mouth shut."

"Good."

Twenty minutes later, Dylan and his friends left. He waved on his way out. I waved back. I let out a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them. The rest of the night went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was getting into Reed's Toyota Tacoma so he could drop me off.

"Are you still annoyed at me?" He put his key in the ignition but didn't start it.

"No."

"Really?" He took his key out.

"I know you didn't mean it. Dylan can be a jerk."

He turned in his seat to look at me. "Dylan's more than a jerk. He's dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Yeah. First, it's telling you what to do, then it will be cutting you off from your friends. This is just the beginning."

"Reed, you're really reading too much into things."

"I'm not." He angrily buckled his seatbelt.

"How would you know? And what do you care? You don't even know me."

"I do know. Trust me. And why do I care? I don't want to see a nice girl get hurt."

"What if I'm not a nice girl? Maybe I don't mind it." I crossed my legs.

"Listen to yourself. That's bullshit. You deserve better."

"No, you listen. I've wanted Dylan to notice me for years. He finally has. I'm not screwing it up."

"Why him? What's so special about him? You can get other guys."

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"It's because he's rich, huh? You're willing to let him buy you." He started the car.

"Buy me? You make it sound like I'm a prostitute. He's not buying anything. He hasn't spent a dime on me."

"And that's okay? Don't you think you at least deserve a guy who takes you out?" He smacked his hand against the steering wheel.

"He's taking me to lunch tomorrow."

"And that makes it all better. Right."

I moved to open my door.

"Where are you going, Juliet?"

"Home."

"Let me drive you. I didn't mean to upset you. I just think you deserve better."

"That's not for you to decide."

"Fair enough. I'll keep my mouth shut from now on."

"Will you?" I turned to him.

"I'll try. That's all I can promise."

We sat in silence as we drove toward campus.

"Do I still have a job?" I asked tentatively. The silence hadn't been the comfortable kind.

"What? Of course you do."

"I didn't know...you seemed pissed."

"I'm not going to fire you. You've got a job."

"Thanks." Despite my annoyance, I knew I wasn't going to find a job as good as Al's anytime soon.

"I'm guessing you don't want me to kill him?"

"No. I don't."

"All right."

"Good night." I opened my door.

"Take care of yourself."

"You, too."