Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“Wow, I’m impressed. I expected you to be coughing and nearly vomiting.”
Cathy smiled. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m not exactly a pro at this, nor a rookie.” She put the glass down for another.
“Hitting the hard stuff. You want to talk about it?”
“Did you really come out to have a drink and listen to my troubles?” Cathy asked.
“I’ve got nothing better to do. Connor here is manning the bar, and I’m all alone. Hit me with it.”
It was not her vibe to go telling perfect strangers what was going wrong with her life, but one look at this stranger, and it just felt right. Telling her own family hadn’t helped. They had told her she was making stuff up, that she’d always been jealous of her older sister, which wasn’t true. She had no feelings for Tiffany.
Years ago, she’d been hurt and sad, but now that she was nearly thirty, she had gotten used to it. She saw Tiffany’s true colors, and all she did now was attempt to steer clear of her.
“I’m listening,” this man said.
“First, I can’t tell a total stranger my woes. I’m Cathy,” she said.
“Brick.”
“No last name?” she asked, taking hold of his offered hand and giving it a shake.
“None.”
“Fair enough.”
“You?”
“Newman. Cathy Newman.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Cathy Newman,” he said.
She noticed they lingered on their handshake, and the truth was, she didn’t have a problem with that. She liked touching Brick. Strange.
It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. She’d never been able to just pick up random strangers. She also found it difficult to talk to strangers. This was all new, and not exciting, but different.
“So, Cathy, tell me all your troubles.”
She pulled her hand away, and she wasn’t sure who lingered the most, or whether they both lingered the same length of time.
****
The moment Cathy walked into the bar, Brick knew he wanted her. He’d been standing by the dartboard, enjoying a lame ass game with a couple of the guys, when she stepped into the bar.
All night, he’d been hoping for a woman to enter, to strike him hard in the chest, and to make him want to do nothing more than be with her. Several women had entered the bar before Cathy, but none of them had called to him. Cathy was different. She was beautiful. All the women were beautiful, but there was something about her, something real. He’d hated to see that frown on her face. Of course, he’d been distracted by the curves of her body.
Every inch of her was a dream, and one he wanted to bask in. Full hips, rounded ass, huge tits, and she had a beautiful smile. There was some kind of gloss tinting her lips, and he felt an ache in his balls. It had been a long time since he wanted a woman, but there was something about Cathy. She called to him in ways he didn’t quite understand.
And then, as she turned to look at Connor, he saw the curve of her neck which was just screaming to have his lips on it, feeling that pulse beneath his tongue. He wanted her so badly he felt the ache in his balls.
Rather than be distracted by what he wanted to do with her, he did listen to her.
Cathy was being fucked over by her family. They were using her and tossing her aside. Now, he knew it could all be bullshit, but he had a feeling this woman didn’t lie. She was a truth teller. And she’d been fucked by her sister one too many times, and it would seem the other woman also had the balls to turn her family against her.
“Well, you know what, fuck her and fuck them,” Brick said.
Cathy burst out laughing. “You’re not going to tell me to go and fight for them, or to be the bigger person?”
“Look, sweetheart, I know sometimes the movies tell us to look the other way or be the bigger person, like you said, but why? Your sister has been taking the piss out of you and the family for years. Do you still love the guy she stole from you?”
“No,” Cathy said. “Trust me, that is one ship I am so pleased has sailed.”
“That’s good. Life has taught me that people are assholes. Sometimes you can forgive people, and other times you need to know when to punch them in the balls.”
“I love this,” Cathy said, giggling, and picking up another shot of whiskey. “You’re refreshing to the soul, Brick.”
He poured himself another shot, and they clinked glasses.
“So, do you have a wife or girlfriend?” Cathy asked.
“Do you think I’d be sitting, drinking alone if I had any of those things?”
Cathy’s mouth dropped open.
“I’m not the kind of guy that steps out on his woman, Cathy. Trust me, I’m a free agent.”