Total pages in book: 13
Estimated words: 12781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 12781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 64(@200wpm)___ 51(@250wpm)___ 43(@300wpm)
I laugh and smack my brother on the shoulder. “I don’t think that’s necessary. I can introduce myself.”
“I’ll take her,” Keeper says.
Sniper and I look over at him, and his jaw flexes under the scrutiny. He’s still as handsome as ever. Nothing’s changed with him in the last two years. He’s still guarded with me. I can tell he’s holding something back. But I promised myself that if I came back, I wouldn’t get all worked up over him again. I want this chance to be with my brother and his wife, Avery. I won’t let my lust, or whatever this is for Keeper, mess up my relationship with my family.
“No, he won’t. I’m twenty years old. I don’t need a babysitter. I can go myself,” I tell them both, looking back and forth between the two of them.
Sniper looks as if he might agree, but Keeper butts in. “Sniper, we have a new assistant at Teasers and well, I think it would be better to go with her. At least this first time, so we can make sure there are no problems.”
I hold my breath, waiting on Sniper to back me up on this. I’m sure he’ll be on my side. Well, until he isn’t.
“Lilly, I’ve got a big day tomorrow. It would be a lot less for me to worry about if you had Keeper with you. Will you do this for me?”
I want to argue with him, but after everything he’s done for me, I can’t. I simply nod at him. “Sure, yeah, that’s fine. I’m going to go back and join Avery. I’ll see you in the morning, Keeper.”
He doesn’t look back at me and I wonder how I’m going to make it all day getting the cold shoulder from him.
6
Keeper
The next morning, I pull into the parking lot of the Exiled Guardians Clubhouse and sit in my truck, taking deep breaths and trying to prepare myself for seeing Lilly again. I don’t know what kind of game Sniper’s playing here but I don’t like it. He knew how I felt about his sister. I know he did, so why the hell is he pushing this? I know that he was about to let her have her way and go by herself, but I couldn’t let that happen. There’s no way I could just sit at the club while she went around town. We run a pretty tight ship at all our locations, but I’m not willing to chance it.
I take the keys out of the ignition and muscle my way out of the truck. I almost rode my bike today, just to have her pressed up against me, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to handle the temptation.
Walking in, I head straight to the coffee that has already been brewing.
Lilly comes around the corner. “I guess you had a late night, huh?”
Jealousy is dripping off ever word she mutters. She must think that I went out last night. I look at her and decide to put her out of her misery. “I don’t live here anymore.”
“What?” she asks me with surprise.
“Yeah, I moved out last year. I built a house close to the property line.”
I pour myself a cup of coffee into my travel mug and grab her a bottle of water. “You ready?”
“Yeah. Sniper didn’t say you moved.”
I just shrug and open the door of my truck for her, remembering the last time I had to help her. I go to put my hands at her waist, but she stops me. “I got this.”
I watch her climb up into the seat, her ass wiggling as she settles herself. Fuck, it’s going to be a long day.
We get to the first stop at the wrecker service and all the men are nice and respectful to her. But of course their books are so messed up, I’m sure they’re happy as all get out to have someone come and help.
I sit quietly in the corner as she takes a look at everything and Cappy shows her where all the files are, the computer, how to get access, and everything else she needs to know. By the end of it, she has Cappy eating out of her hand. By the end of it, she’s carefree and even smiling a little bit. God, I’ve missed that smile.
The next stop is Teasers, and I want to get there before the dancers come into work, but of course luck isn’t on my side. I forgot they start work earlier on the weekends.
As soon as we walk in, Teresa, one of the new dancers, heads straight for me. She puts her hands on my shoulders and presses herself up against me. I can almost feel Lilly deflate next to me.
I take Teresa’s hands and pull them off my body. But that doesn’t even faze her. “Come on, Keep. You’ve been putting me off and putting me off. When are you going to take me out?”