Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 64640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“What can I get you?” I ask, noticing all he has is water. “Whiskey, vodka, gin…” I list off a few choices, but he doesn’t respond. He quietly assesses me with those eyes that haunt my dreams. “If you aren’t drinking, you need to leave,” I tell him.
“I paid for this…” He waves a hand around, stopping when it reaches me.
“It’s a bar! You get that, right?”
“I do.”
“And you don’t drink,” I state.
“No, though somewhere deep inside, it makes me happy you remember that fact.”
I scoff. “Don’t let it go to your head. I remember because I spent all your money.”
“Do you want to be tipped tonight?” he asks.
“What type of question is that? Of course, I do,” I sass, sliding the tray under my arm as I eye him.
“The tip you get will depend on the service, of course.”
“I’m not here to play your games again.” I turn to leave.
“Alaska…” I stop at the sound of my name. My real name. “Turn back around and give me those vexing eyes.”
Sliding my tongue over my teeth, I turn back to him.
He’s leaning forward on the table with a wicked grin on his lips. “Order a bottle of whatever, send it to a table of your choosing, and charge it to me.”
I nod and head to the bar, not stopping to give him an opportunity to speak to me again. When I gain the bartender’s attention, I order the most expensive bottle I can find and charge it to his card on file.
Louise skips over and places her tray next to mine. “What did you say to Sarah? She hasn’t stopped complaining to Jeff about you.” I turn to face her, taking in her bright pink shirt and bouncy hair.
“Sarah can eat my ass,” I reply.
She laughs and shakes her head then changes the subject. “Oh…what are your plans for Christmas? My family wants to meet you; I’ve told them all about you. Are you free, or do you have plans with your family?”
Christmas…
That’s the day I get drunk and watch Home Alone and pass out on my couch.
It’s actually an amazing day and I love it by myself.
“I—”
“No, please come.” She raises her hands in front of her chest in a prayer pose. “Please. Pretty please.”
“Fuck, fine.” I shake my head.
“You are the best! You can bring a date if you want. Or not.” She shrugs. “I’ll have all the wine and sweets you want. Thank you again, Alaska.” She leans up and kisses my cheek before she happily bounces off again—that girl has more energy than the Energizer Bunny.
I’m not sure why I just agreed to changing my own tradition, but now I’m trying to work out how I can also get out of it.
I prefer time alone.
It’s my day.
Louise is great and all, but I like being by myself more.
Does that make me self-centered? Probably, but I couldn’t care less.
Turning back around, I find Zuko sitting in his booth, fiddling with his phone. I watch as Sarah walks up the stairs toward him and wonder what she’s doing. She has on her best fuck-me face, and her hips sway as she walks.
Good, take him.
Maybe you can get fucked with a knife up your pussy too. I giggle at that thought and quickly shake my head, telling myself that’s all kinds of wrong.
Zuko glances up from his phone as Sarah says something to him. She places her hand on her hip, popping it out a little more, as his eyes start to roam. He’s not looking at her though. He’s scanning the bar as if he’s searching for something. And when his gaze stops on me, I know it’s me he is looking for. He raises a brow, and how I see that clearly in this dark bar is beyond me, but my heart skips a beat.
I wonder if I should save him.
Or let him be.
THIRTEEN
Zuko
If annoying could have a face, it would be this woman in front of me right now. She is talking—I mean, her lips are moving—but I can’t hear a word that leaves her mouth. It sounds like gibberish. Instead, my eyes find Alaska’s. She is watching the exchange from where she stands at the end of the bar.
“Did you hear me?” the woman in front of me asks.
I grip my phone in hand as I glance back at her. “What did you say?”
“I said you don’t need to pay for her services. I can give you a better rate.”
“A better rate?” I repeat her words as a question. The music is loud, but I’m not really paying all that much attention.
“Yes, like I said… My name is Sarah.” She rolls her eyes as if her pretentiousness will get her somewhere with me.
“I’m happy to pay whatever I’m paying now,” I tell her.
She bites her bottom lip as Alaska steps up right next to her. Sarah’s sharp eyes fall on Alaska, and she seems to stand a little taller.