Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
An odd statement, he thought. “Somehow I doubt someone as chatty as you doesn’t have girlfriends.” He cocked an eyebrow.
“I’m different,” she said, not meeting his gaze, and something in his chest twisted at the honest admission.
“How about we sober you up and discuss it more after?”
“Boss?” This time it was Sheila who called for him, coming up beside Gabby. “I need you. There’s an obnoxious patron giving Lizzie a hard time,” she said of one of their newer waitresses.
He nodded. “Coming.” He looked to Gabby. “I’ll have Cal get you some coffee and water. Later, I’ll make sure you get home safe.” As the acting bar manager, it was his responsibility.
And that was true but his gut told him his need to look out for her went deeper. Something that made no sense. Not for a woman he’d just met and was too young for him.
He gave her one last glance and her gaze locked with his, definite interest in her expression. Double shit. He didn’t need the unwanted feeling reciprocated.
“I need to go deal with that problem,” he told her in a gruff voice. “But I’ll be back.”
He was about to turn when she spoke. “Wait.”
“What is it?”
She rubbed one finger over her pouty bottom lip in a gesture he didn’t think she meant as seductive. But it was.
“I don’t know your name,” she said.
“It’s Maddox.” He turned to go deal with the problem up front.
“Sexy name for a sexy guy,” Gabby murmured.
He heard the words as he took his first step away and his ego preened at the compliment. His unruly cock liked it too. She was more trouble than he’d originally thought.
Trouble in a sweet yet sultry, innocent yet vixenish package. One he’d have a problem resisting if he didn’t get her home and away from him. Soon. He’d already had one experience with a rich woman slumming with a bar manager. While he’d been thinking about the future, she’d been using him until summer ended. Lesson learned. Unfortunately, he’d been celibate ever since, which made his attraction to Gabby harder to ignore.
But he would.
A couple of hours later, the bar was still busy. Cal offered to close for Maddox, a job the other man often handled.
Maddox had been keeping an eye on, and his distance from, Gabby as she drank coffee and stared into the cup as if she’d find life’s answers inside.
Unable to ignore her any longer, he came up behind her and tapped her bare shoulder, finding her skin soft and welcoming under his calloused fingertips.
She turned in her seat. “Maddox!” she exclaimed like she hadn’t seen him in days.
“Okay, princess. Time’s up. Where do you live?” With any luck, her parents’ party was over by now and she could go home.
“My car is in the back parking lot but don’t worry, I know I can’t drive.”
One battle he didn’t have to fight. “Okay, so let’s call you an Uber. What’s your address?”
She batted those long lashes and treated him to a sweet smile and a lazy shrug. “I don’t remember,” she said, giving away her lie with an adorable smirk. She slid off the stool and attempted to stand but was wobbly on her heels and they weren’t all that high.
Still drunk.
Jesus. He stepped forward and slid an arm around her waist, intending to steady her. The move had her falling against him. He tried to grab her and accidentally brushed the side of her full breast with his hand.
He prayed she wouldn’t notice but she stilled at his touch and instead of pulling away, she leaned further into him.
Her strawberry scent reached his nostrils and he breathed in deep, his body too aware of her body heat against him. All night he’d been trying not to react to the strange pull he felt toward her and now she was in his arms.
“What am I going to do with you?” he asked in a rough whisper.
He couldn’t leave her here. Couldn’t force her to give up her address. Nor did he want to take her somewhere she didn’t feel safe, even if that was her home.
The answer nudged at him and he tried to think of any solution other than taking her to his half-finished house and letting her stay over. But damned if he could come up with an alternative.
With a groan, he shifted her so she once again stood on her own two feet. “Okay, princess. Let’s go.”
She looked up at him with trusting eyes. Too trusting considering the desire that rode him and insisted he put her to sleep in his bed. Beside him. And when she woke up tomorrow, sober, he could settle himself on top of her and slide his now hard-as-nails cock into her soft, wet, willing body.
Which would not be happening.
“Where are we going?” she asked.