Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 20816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“I know, but crushing his confidence was the easiest way to get him to leave me alone.” Her laugh turns to a gasp as I pull her in for my kiss. She’s shocked for half a heartbeat, then melts into me, hands clutching the front of my shirt as if she’ll fall without the anchor. The entire club blurs. I’m aware of people staring, whispers spreading like wildfire, but none of it registers.
Dee’s hands stay on me, fingers tangled in the fabric of my shirt. “The cat is definitely out of the bag now,” she murmurs, voice gone soft and secretive.
“That it is,” I say, and kiss her again. This time, it’s slower, more careful, but every bit as possessive.
Someone clears their throat behind us. I turn, ready to lay into whoever’s about to kill my mood, but it’s Nathan. He stands with his arms folded, eyebrow arched, smirk just barely contained.
“Stop making out with my new bar manager and let her work,” he says, voice carrying just enough to be heard by every regular in a ten-foot radius.
Dee and I both gasp, the words tumbling out of us in perfect harmony. “What?”
Nathan hardly blinks. His broad shoulders rise and fall like it’s nothing to drop a bombshell across a crowded bar. “The offer was overdue,” he says. “If you want the gig, I’ll match Velvet’s offer.”
A wild stutter of, “Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit,” spills from Dee. She grips me for support.
Nathan grins, mischief flickering in his eyes. “I’m guessing that’s a yes.” And before any of us can recover, he’s already moving, crossing the floor to pull his wife tight against his chest.
For the first time in my life, I have nothing to say. Dee tucks her face into my chest, hiding her laugh, and I realize I’ve never seen her this happy. From now on, I’m going to make sure she’s this happy every day for the rest of our lives.
CHAPTER SEVEN
DEE
After closing, I stand at the bar, pretending to wipe down the counter, but my hands are jelly and my brain is shot. Every time I glance up, I catch Eamon’s reflection in the back mirror. His eyes are laser-focused on me, and the look he gives me is so intent, I swear, it turns my insides to goo.
The door just shut behind the last employee, and I don’t even get the chance to put the cleaning rag down before Eamon stalks across the floor, steps behind the bar, and cages me against the sink. His body is pure heat and muscle, blocking out the world, and all he does is stare at me for a long, loaded moment.
“You ready to go home?” he asks, voice pitched low, not giving anything away.
I nod, but the sound that comes out is basically a squeak. “I was born ready.”
His mouth twitches. “That’s my girl.” He grabs my hand and intertwines our fingers as we head toward the back exit.
We hit the alley, and he tugs me to his black sports car. The paint is immaculate, and the inside smells like leather and Eamon. He helps me into the passenger seat, then walks around to slide in behind the wheel. He slams the door, then leans across the console and just devours my mouth with the kind of kiss that wipes my memory and leaves me clawing at the upholstery for something to anchor me to earth.
After that, the drive to his place is a blur. When he parks in the underground garage, I almost forget how to unbuckle my seatbelt. He hops out, jogs around, and opens my door for me before taking my hand in his again.
We ride up the elevator in silence, but it’s not awkward. The opposite, actually. The tension is so thick as I sneak a glance at him, at his profile, the hard jaw and the blue-steel eyes and the little furrow in his brow that says he’s already planning three steps ahead.
His apartment is gorgeous. I expected a typical bachelor pad, but what I get is this sleek, modern penthouse with actual plants, bookshelves lined with books, and beautiful artwork. The floors are dark wood, and the city glows through the floor-to-ceiling windows. “This is beautiful.”
He’s on me before the words are even out of my mouth. “I’m glad you like it,” he mutters, and runs his hands down my back to grab my ass. He kisses me to within an inch of my life as he backs me down the hallway.
“Fuck, Dee,” he growls. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.”
I tilt my head, giving him a lazy grin. “Bet I do.”
He laughs, low and dark. “I was a moron to ignore what’s been happening between us all this time.”
“Yes, you were,” I shoot back, and then he’s carrying me down the hallway, one hand splayed on my back, the other cupping the back of my thigh like he owns it. “We both were.”