What Money Can't Buy Ch. 05

I woke up again three hours later. I checked my mobile for the time and saw a text from Reggie sent at 9am. Go back to sleep.

I rolled my eyes and responded We'll see. I did lay in bed a little longer, heeding his advice. When I got up, slowly this time, I didn't feel great, but I felt better than I had this morning. I came out to make myself breakfast and Rose attacked me with questions while Cheryl watched from the couch. "Rose, please, I have a headache- can you slow down?"

"Ugh, fine!" she said as I whisked some eggs, "Just tell me how this happened?! I thought you hated Reggie!"
"Take a breath, Rose, " I sighed, "I know, I'm a hypocrite."

"That's not what I said," she defended herself.

"Yes, I know. But that's why I didn't say anything," I said exasperatedly, pouring the eggs into the pan on the stove.

"I see, I'm sorry I made you feel like you couldn't say anything," she apologized.

"That's not what I said," I mimicked her.

She rolled her eyes, "So, how did this happen, then?"

I sighed again, stirring my eggs. "We left the gallery and then it was just us in the Lyft. He confronted me about my attitude towards him, and we started screaming at each other. Then he kissed me, and we ended up shagging."

Her jaw fell open, "I can't believe it!"

"Hate sex, huh?" Cheryl jumped in, "That's unlike Reggie." That puzzled me.

"Okay, so why did it continue?" Rose asked, distracting me from Cheryl's input. She put her elbows on the counter and her hands on her chin. I told the girls about our other encounters as I ate. "So, what does this mean for you two? Are you an item now?"

I shook my head, my mouth full of eggs. I swallowed and said, "No, I... I don't know. Doubtful," I said, trying to act cavalier.

"That's rubbish," Cheryl said, and Rose and I both looked at her, "What? Rose, come on, you saw how they were acting yesterday. They are totally in love."
I choked on my food, "Cheryl, we haven't even gone on a date- it's just been sex. Let's not get crazy."

"Cheryl might not be off-base, Franny. He literally couldn't take his hands off of you. And you weren't complaining, darling," Rose said.

"Not to mention, he took you to the center. I never thought he'd take a girl there- it's a special place for him. That was basically a date. Plus, he skipped rehearsal. Reggie doesn't do that. He takes the band VERY seriously."
"Extenuating circumstances. I mean, he gave me a concussion," I said, shoveling more eggs into my mouth. My head was starting to pound again and I didn't feel like doing this right now.

"I was here, Fran. I could have kept you awake," Rose said. A slow smile spread on my lips. She took my hands, "Franny, I know it's tough for you to open up. Especially with someone who has a life like Reggie's. But you seemed really happy yesterday. It made me happy. Don't fuck it up by biting your tongue when it's important." I swallowed hard.

"Rose is right. I would bet Reggie isn't fucking around with this," Cheryl said.

"Alright, I hear you, now can I eat in peace, please?" I said, smiling at them both.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rose said, and they both turned away and landed on the couch. I took some Advil and went back to bed for a while, but I couldn't stop thinking about what Cheryl said. She knew Reggie so well, maybe she was right. Plus, we had such a nice talk this morning. I was lost in thought when my mobile chimed.

Alright? The text from Reggie said.

I'm doing better, thanks for checking in. I replied, smiling.

Are you going to go to work? He asked me.

I thought about it for a moment, realizing I was feeling better and couldn't really afford to miss a day. Yes, I should be good by 4.

Good to know. He replied mysteriously. Gotta get back to work. Feel better.

I smiled and set an alarm before closing my eyes for a kip.

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I wasn't feeling perfect when I woke up again, but I knew I'd manage to get through a shift without a problem since I had had plenty of sleep. Rose and I left for work together, and Cheryl had the night off, so she settled down in front of the tele. The first hour and a half of my shift drug on. We only had two tables and we were all just chatting in the kitchen, waiting for the dinner rush. Then our manager, Anne, came to the back, "Meeting on the line in five."

I groaned. Probably a menu change. I was not in the mood for this crap. We all gathered on the line. "So, someone has bought out the restaurant for the evening," Anne said.

I perked up; this was interesting. "What does that mean?" another line cook said.

"Well, it'll just be him and one other person, so he doesn't need a full staff, but he insisted on paying your wages for the evening. Francesca, you're staying to cook, everyone else can go home," Anne said, seemingly as confused as the rest of us.

Ugh, why me? Everyone gathered their crap and cheered while I pouted. I found Anne through the crowd, "Anne, what is going on? Who will be serving the guest? And couldn't someone else stay on, I've got this concussion..." I said rapidly.

Anne cut me off, "Rose is serving, and she seems to know what's happening. You should talk to your sister," she smiled at me, "Be sure to close up the place when you're done. Now, I'm getting out of here!"

"Wait, what?" I said, but she was gone before I could grill her anymore. I needed to find Rose. I saw her coming around the corner to the back of the house. "ROSE!" I yelled, and she jumped before seeing me and smiling. I shoved through the line to get to Rose. "What is happening?"

Her eyes twinkled, "Just go out to the front." She stood behind me and pushed me around the corner. I peeked my head out and saw Reggie sitting at a table, drinking a glass of water.

The wheels in my head started turning as I walked out to him. "What are you doing here?" I said, and Reggie turned his head, finding me with his eyes and smiling. He stood up and buttoned his jacket before he strode towards me. He looked incredibly handsome in a navy sport coat, a crisp white shirt with a few buttons undone, navy slacks, and shiny black shoes.

"I think it's about time we have a real date," he said, his hand finding my lower back as he pulled me into him, "And I didn't want to wait any longer." I was flabbergasted. I couldn't decide if I was angry at him for causing a scene or if I thought this was incredibly romantic. I stood there, absolutely lost for words. He kissed me lightly then flipped me around so that I was facing the line entrance again. "Go talk to Rose," he said, and gave me a little push.

Still stunned, I walked back to the line, where Rose was waiting patiently. "What the fuck is going on, Rose?" I asked, glaring at her.

"First of all, don't get hung up on the money he spent. It was my idea. He protested at first because he was worried that you'd judge him. Don't. He wanted to see you and I helped him plan something, and we needed money to make it happen. It's romantic as hell and you need to accept that. Get over yourself, love." I was stunned again. "I know what you're thinking- you're in your work clothes- not exactly date material. I have a dress for you, and I'm doing your makeup and hair in the loo. So, let's get ready."

She looked at me, waiting for me to respond. "Uhhh... Thank you, I guess?" I couldn't help the smile that was spreading across my mouth.

"Oh, honey, you are smitten, aren't you!" she said, tearing up.

I swallowed, tearing up myself, "How could I not be?" I hugged her into me. "Thank you," I choked out.

"I love seeing you so happy, darling," she said, rubbing my back. "Come on, your Prince Charming is waiting for you." She pulled me toward the loo.

We got to the loo and I saw a dress and matching heels hanging on a stall door. It was gorgeous; tight-fitting with a straight across neckline, which was topped with red lace. The dress was a deep red color. "Where did you get this?" I said, feeling it and noticing how lush the fabric felt.

"Reggie picked it out," she said, plugging a curling iron in. I smiled. Rose got me all ready and I slipped into the dress. The short sleeves hung perfectly along my triceps, leaving my shoulders bare. I did a red lip to match the dress and simple mascara and eyeliner. Rose pulled my hair up and brought out a few tendrils out around my face and curling them. "You look perfect," she said, squeezing my shoulders. "Go get him." I smiled and kissed her on the cheek before heading out to the dining room.

When Reggie saw me, he grinned, then stood and met me halfway. "You look lovely!" he said, grabbing my shoulders and looking me up and down, "Would you give me a spin?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me. I blushed and turned for him. "Gorgeous," he said, beaming at me. "Take a seat," he said, pressing his hand against my lower back and directing me towards the chair. I sat down, and he returned to his seat, unbuttoning his jacket as he sat. "Do you think you'll say anything tonight?" he asked cheekily.

I swallowed, trying to find the words. "Hi?" I said, lacking confidence.

Reggie belly-laughed, "I told you that you were timid."

I rolled my eyes, and he laughed again. "Seriously, what is going on?" I said, laughing and putting my elbows on the table and my forehead on my hands.

He leaned forward and took my hands from my head. "Try and get out of your head, Francesca," he said, kissing one of my hands. "How is it feeling, by the way?" he asked.

"Better," I said, "Thank you for encouraging me to miss class today. I needed the sleep."

"You should learn not to fight me- I'm always right," he said, smiling his devilish smile and kissing my other hand.

Rose walked up to the table. "Can I get you two something to drink?" she asked.

"Francesca, would you like a bottle of wine?" he asked me. I nodded, "Red or white?" he questioned.

"Red, please," I smiled at him, then at Rose. Reggie ordered a bottle of Merlot, and Rose headed off to grab it.

"I can't believe you did this," I said, taking a sip of water.

Reggie suddenly looked nervous, "Is it too much? I just..."

I could tell how concerned he was, so I cut him off, "Reggie, it's kind of amazing. I mean, it's insane, but really incredible at the same time."

He smiled at me, and Rose brought out the bottle of wine, opening it and pouring a bit into each of our wine glasses. We both tried it, "Delicious, thank you, Rose," I said.

"How's it going, you two?" she said, winking at us.

"Rose, you can go home," Reggie said, his eyes never leaving me. She scoffed at him, but she hugged me before turning and leaving the restaurant.

"Wait, are we eating here, or...?" I said, realizing we were the only two left in the restaurant.

"I thought maybe you could show me how to make a dish," he said, "but let's enjoy a drink first, and talk for a bit."

"Like a real date?" I asked jokingly, but Reggie's eyes got serious.

"I want to get to know you, Francesca," he said, taking one of my hands again.

"You already know a lot about me," I said uncomfortably under his intense gaze.

He raised his eyebrows at me skeptically, "You keep things pretty close to the chest, Francesca."
I blushed. "What would you like to know, then?"

"Now that's an excellent question," he said, leaning forward and raising one eyebrow. He leaned forward a bit more and whispered, "Everything."

I laughed. "What is wrong with you?" I asked, sipping on my wine.

"Everything," he said, chuckling and leaning back, sipping his own wine. I laughed with him. "But, seriously, I don't know. I was fine until you came along. Honestly, you're making me crazy."
I was taken aback- he was being so straightforward. "What do you mean?" I sipped more wine.

"I mean what I said," he replied seriously, taking a swig. He made eye contact with me and we sat, staring at one another. I could tell he wanted me to say something, but I didn't know what was right. "I can't get my mind off of you," he said intensely.

I swallowed. "I can't stop thinking about you either," I finally said, looking down and avoiding his gaze.

"There's my Killer," he said quietly. I smiled shyly. "Come on, I'm starving," he said, standing and pulling off his jacket, sliding it on his chair. He filled our wine glasses then grabbed his before holding a hand out towards me. I reached for it and stood, grabbing my own glass.

We walked to the kitchen and I pulled out a few fresh aprons. "What do you want to eat?" I asked, handing him a menu.

"How about the duck?" he said after examining it for a moment. I smiled at my own inside joke.

"What?" He asked, eyeing me curiously.

"Nothing. That sounds perfect," I replied. We got out the ingredients that we needed, and I showed him how to properly prep the vegetables that accompanied the duck. He started on that while I prepped the meat. We talked and laughed as I wandered around the kitchen. It was a thrill to work in an industrial kitchen with so much space and no one yelling orders. I worked on a chocolate soufflé batter after I seared the duck breasts and stuck them in the oven. Reggie was sautéing the vegetables, and I set him up to make a simple frisee salad, with goat cheese, candied hazelnuts, and grapes.

"I love watching you cook, Francesca," Reggie said, pulling me into him, "You're my Killer in here." He kissed me.

"I'm going to overcook the duck", I said, smiling against his lips. He released me and I reached behind him to turn off the burner beneath his vegetables before I turned again to grab the duck from the oven across from him. I stuck my soufflé mix in the Frigidaire, leaving the egg whites out until we were ready for dessert so that I could fold them in at the last minute. I showed Reggie how to plate the entrée, and we returned to our table with the salad and entrée and sat. Our conversation stalled as we dug in, enjoying the meal we prepared.

"Shit, Francesca. Amazing. Seriously so good," he said with a mouthful of food. I stopped eating and watched him shovel mouthfuls of food into his mouth. He was showing his goofier side, and I loved it. "Francesca, eat," he said, noticing me watching him. I blushed and turned back to my food. We talked and ate until our plates were cleared. "I'm ready for your soufflé," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Already?" I asked, laughing.

"Yes, let's go," he said, pulling me up again.

"Alright, let's," I said, smiling up at him and standing.

We walked into the kitchen and I headed towards the Frigidaire when Reggie caught my hand. He twirled me around and pulled me into him, his free hand finding my face as he kissed me. He released my hand and he wrapped his arm around me, bringing me closer to him. His hand lowered and he trailed the curve of my ass before squeezing a cheek. "You look fit as hell, Francesca," he said, grinding into me. My heart fluttered

"I thought you wanted dessert?" I replied against his lips.

"I do," he growled, lifting me up from beneath my ass. He walked a few steps forward and set my ass down on the prep table. He pushed my shoulders so that I fell back, then pulled the tight skirt up and over my ass.

"Reggie, we can't here," I protested, but didn't move.

"Be bold, Francesca," he said, and rather than pulling my panties down, he grabbed them with both hands and tore them, the delicate fabric ripping from my body. I moaned as his lips brushed against my pussy. His tongue flicked out, running along my slit. "Sweet as sugar," he purred into my pussy before diving in. The feeling of his mouth on me was incredible, and the fact that we were in the restaurant made it even hotter. He dipped his tongue deeply into my snatch, swirling it inside of me, exploring as he reached up with one hand and massaged my tit over my dress. I cried against him, more turned on than I could imagine. My fingers ran through his hair as my back arched off the table. "I've been starving for you, Francesca," he moaned into me. He brought his other hand beneath my ass and pulled me closer to him, and I put my legs over his shoulders. His hand left my ass cheek and grazed along my crack. I shuddered, absolute putty in his hands.

His fingers continued their track, gliding up my slit and dipping inside of me, replacing his tongue. He brought his tongue up to my clit and lapped at it, keeping the tip pointed so there was more pressure. "Good lord," I moaned, pressing against him, my orgasm approaching swiftly. His fingers pulled out for a moment and were replaced, oddly, by this thumb. He swirled it inside of me before replacing it again with two fingers. I moaned as he returned them and continued tonguing my clit, swirling around it ever so often. All the sudden, his thumb found my rosebud and pressed against it, hard, until it pushed deeply into me. "Aghh!" I moaned, the pleasure intensifying.

His thumb started pumping within me, matching the pace of his fingers, while he sucked and licked at my clit. I was gasping for air and pulling on his hair, moaning little "ohs" as he pleasured me. "Cum for me, Francesca," he whispered before sucking my clit hard into his mouth and jamming his fingers and thumb deep inside of me.

"UGGGGGHHH!" I screamed as I came hard around him, my legs shaking and pussy contracting in ecstasy. Reggie purred into me and suddenly my pussy spasmed more deeply and a gush of thick liquid jutted from me. Reggie happily lapped it up, unsurprised. Finally, he stopped licking me and pulled away, standing over me and grinning.

"What the hell just happened?" I asked, breathing heavily but pressing onto my elbows.

"I finally got you to squirt," he said, and I looked at him confused, "You know, female ejaculation?" I shook my head and laid back against the stainless-steel table. He laughed, "Of course you don't know," shaking his own head.

I half-heartedly scoffed, low on energy after cumming so hard, and closed my eyes. I felt his hands grabbing my knees then running along my thighs until they settled on my hips, his thumbs running along my lower stomach. As quickly as they came, they were gone. I heard his buckle shifting and his zip lowering. I raised back up onto my elbows to watch him. He pulled his trousers and briefs down low enough to pull his cock out before his hands found my hips again. He roughly dragged me so that my ass was hanging over the side of the table, then thrust himself inside of me, both of us groaning. He pulled out and thrust back in a few times until he was fully sheathed inside of me.

"I thought nothing could be sexier than watching you cum, Francesca, but I hadn't seen you squirt yet..." he grunted, pounding me. "Hottest thing," he murmured. He was pounding me hard and fast, the table wobbling beneath me.

"God, you fill me so well. I didn't know what I had been missing," I cried, and he sawed back and forth.

"Oh, yeah, baby..." he grunted, "Fuck! I'm going to cum! FUCK!" He cried, bottoming out inside me as his cock thrust jet after jet of hot juice into my wanting pussy. "Jesus," he said, falling on top of me. "I'm sorry that was so fast, I couldn't.... I tried to hold it back but you're just so fucking sexy," he said, blushing slightly as he panted on top of me. I sat up, pressing him up as well, and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Don't be stupid, you have nothing to apologize for," I said. He slid out of me and I pointed to the bathroom, "Could you grab me some paper towels?" I asked. He did and I cleaned myself up, pulling my skirt down and finding the remains of my underwear, sticking both in my bag- I had no intention of leaving evidence of our fun for the first shift tomorrow. "Still want dessert?" I asked teasingly.

"Yes, I'm starving," he smiled as he hopped up and sat on the prep table. I pushed him off so I could clean it with bleach before I preheated the oven. Then, I grabbed some ramekins, buttering them and dusting them with sugar. I lightly folded the egg whites into the batter and poured them into the ramekins, sliding them into the oven. Reggie watched me carefully, gesturing for me to come over to him after I put the soufflé in the oven.