Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 89(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 89(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Once we were in the back room and I shut the door I placed my hands on my hips, glaring at him. He walked over to the shelving that had the extra cups, cutlery, and napkins housed on it. His back was to me, his white shirt stretched across his muscular body.
I could tell he was tense by the way his muscles were flexing underneath the material. He was upset, no doubt from the altercation that almost happened, but maybe because I’d stopped him, too?
“What the hell was that about?” I was trying to sound fierce right now, but I knew it came out flat. I was aroused even though I shouldn’t be. He didn’t turn around and didn’t answer me. “Tex, what in the hell were you thinking out there? Do you want to give Bo ammunition to call the cops? Do you want him to have a reason to be an even bigger prick to you?”
Tex finally turned around then, his expression guarded.
For long moments he didn’t say anything, just stared at me, his gaze boring into mine. I had my hands on my hips still, my eyebrow lifted as I waited for him to respond. Whenever I was in the same room with him he made me feel unhinged, but right now I was trying to keep it together, trying to seem like I had my shit in order.
I was trying to make it seem like he didn’t affect me in every possible way.
I’d known Tex for years, and the moment I saw him all those years ago, my friend’s older brother, looking rough around the edges, strong and powerful, big and muscular, something in me had come alive. But I knew I was too young for him, too inexperienced. He was settled in his life, owned a security business, was successful. And although I didn’t see him in any relationships, didn’t even hear about him being with anyone through the rumor mill, I wasn’t stupid enough to think that he didn’t have companionship.
A man who looked like that surely wasn’t alone.
But as time moved on it seemed like that was exactly what was going on. He focused on work instead of women, and part of me was thrilled. It didn’t matter if I never had a chance with him. The fact that he wasn’t with anyone else pleased me.
“I don’t give a fuck what Bo does or says to me. He’s a little shit who needs his ass kicked ... again.”
I didn’t even touch on that subject, knowing that Tex and Bo did have a history together back in the day.
“Did you not hear what that little asshole was saying about you?”
I let my hands fall from my hips until they were at my sides. I exhaled and closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them again a little gasp left me at the fact Tex was even closer now, just a few feet from me. “Yeah, I heard what he said and remember every word of what he told me.” The preppy asshole had said some foul, sexual things to me, but I was used to that working at the bar.
Drunk guys tended to have loose lips.
“So, then, you know why I couldn’t let him talk to you like that. I couldn’t let him talk about you like that.” He was clenching his teeth together, a muscle working under his jaw.
“What do you mean you couldn’t let him talk to me like that?” I shook my head slightly, knowing I really shouldn’t be as confused as I was. Tex was fiercely protective of those he called friends. And because I was his sister’s close friend I fell under that umbrella. He always looked out for us, but he’d never gone so far as to start an altercation like this, especially where I worked.
He slowly shook his head. “I was here, I heard, and there is no way I was going to sit back and let that prick talk about you like that.” He shook his head again. “The shit he was saying would have earned him a fucking broken nose.”
I couldn’t help the pleasure that slammed into me at hearing him say that. And as much as I wanted him to be protective of me because he wanted me as his and his alone, I wasn’t stupid enough to think that this wasn’t just about him looking out for me because of who I was. I stared him in the eyes. “Tex, I’m fine. I can handle myself. You don’t have to fight my battles for me, even if the ones I’m fighting are sleazy assholes. Bo has security here.”
“Security?” He sounded amused. “Bo’s idea of security are guys he met at a basement poker game whom he offered fifty bucks to. They don’t give a shit about protecting anyone.” He took another step closer to me. “And since we are on the subject, I hate the fact that you’re working here. You’re better than this sleazy fucking bar.”