Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
I frown, and even though I don’t like it, I offer, “If you’re embarrassed to be seen with me, I can wait for you outside.”
She jerks back. “Embarrassed? No, that’s not what I meant. I mean that I don’t want people thinking I’m drunk—or in trouble—and you had to carry me out.”
I nod. “So I can walk next to you?”
She laughs and smiles as if she’s surprised by my request. “Yes, you can walk next to me.”
I want to ask her if I can hold her hand, but I hold back. I would love for everyone in this bar to know she’s mine. That way the whole town will know it by tomorrow. But I need to bide my time and not scare her off. She literally just met me and has no idea who I am. I can’t help wondering when she figures it out, will it blow every chance I could have had with her?
And even though I don’t hold her hand, I do stand protectively next to her while she hugs Chloe bye. I nod my head at her and Elias, and then because I can’t resist, I put an arm around Cassie’s waist to help her to the door.
She doesn’t resist me, and I breathe a little easier as we walk out of the bar into the cool night air.
CHAPTER 3
CASSIE
After he helps me into the front seat of his squad car, I watch as the police officer walks around to the driver's side. As soon as he shuts the door, I’m thanking him again. “I really appreciate you driving me home.”
He hasn’t started the car yet. He has his left arm over the steering wheel and he’s turned facing me. “I wasn’t joking earlier. I won’t sleep tonight unless I know you’ve made it home safe.”
Maybe I’m being too naïve. “You don’t think those guys will bother me, do you? I mean, I was just trying to get them to stop fighting, that was all.”
He grips the steering wheel. “Those two won’t come near you, Cassie. If they do, tell me, and I’ll take care of it.”
When he says my name, it’s like a little thrill goes through me. I cross my arms over my chest because my breasts feel full and achy all of a sudden. My mouth is suddenly dry, but I force the words out anyway. “Okay, thank you.”
After he stares at me for another moment, I start to fidget in my seat. The chemistry between us is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. “Uh, will you get in trouble taking me home when you’re supposed to be working?”
He just shakes his head. “No. And I wouldn’t care if I did.”
I nod, accepting what he’s saying. I want to ask him if he feels this too, but I’m not brave enough. I’m sure every single woman in Whiskey Run hits on him, and I don’t want to just be another woman throwing themselves at him.
He pulls out onto the street, and I hate knowing that it won’t take very long at all to get home.
“Are you okay?”
We’re at a stop sign, and he’s looking at me questioningly. “You were sighing. Are you okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Are you glad you’re back in Whiskey Run?”
I almost ask him how he knows I left and came back, but I figure he’s probably just heard it from someone tonight. “Yeah, I am.”
He taps his hand on the steering wheel. “You sound surprised.”
“I guess I am. I thought when I left to go to college, I would stay gone, but I missed it here. I missed my sister.”
He nods his head in agreement. “I can see that. Your sister is a good person.”
This time there’s no hiding my surprise. “You know my sister?”
He nods but changes the subject. “You like teaching at the middle school?”
And all at once, I remember. I think my face was numb from the ice, but since he’s brought it up, I pull the visor down and open the mirror. It’s dark in the car and I can’t really tell so I push the visor back up. “Yeah, I love it actually, but I probably won’t have the job after tomorrow.”
He tenses and straightens up in his seat. “What do you mean you won’t have a job tomorrow?”
Even though I know he can’t really see it in the dark car, I still point to my forehead. “This.”
His arms flex as he holds on to the steering wheel tighter. “What? You’ll lose your job because you got hurt?”
My voice is shaky because I’m filled with worry. I really don’t want to screw this up. “Yeah, when my boss finds out I was in a bar fight, she’ll fire me. She hates me.”
He reaches over and pats my leg, and I sit perfectly still, wishing he would keep his hand on me. Geez, what the heck is wrong with me? I’m never like this. He grunts and pulls his hand away. “It’s going to be okay. And you weren’t in a bar fight.”