Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“Thanks,” I said, then turned back to see Briar finish the song.
The moment her eyes locked on me, I saw the smile on her face falter only slightly.
I gave her a small tilt of my head, then smirked, unable to stop myself. I’d shaken her up by being here. Why did that feel so damn good?
“ ‘Girl Crush,’ ” someone shouted from the crowd.
Briar quickly recovered from seeing me, and that smile of hers that could make anyone lose focus spread over her face. “All right then,” she replied. “One more for this set, and then I gotta get me a drink, y’all.”
“I got you a drink right here, baby!” some fucking biker called out.
She winked in his direction before she slid the guitar off her shoulders and set it in a stand, then walked over to a keyboard I hadn’t noticed sitting to the left of the stage behind her. She could play the fucking piano too? I stopped following the waitress as I waited to see just how well Briar could play yet another instrument.
Her fingers began to slide over the keys, and the music filled the place just before she leaned forward and began singing in her thick, sexy voice. Her eyes closed as she continued, and the rest of the place went silent. As if they were all afraid they’d miss something. I watched those pink lips and her bare, tanned shoulder lift as she felt the music.
“Jesus,” I muttered.
“Mr. Kingston?” the waitress said, touching my arm and reminding me that I was supposed to be following her to my table.
I jerked my eyes off Briar and blinked, trying to refocus from whatever haze she’d just put me in. “Sorry,” I told the girl waiting on me.
She gave me a tight smile. “No worries. She’s good.”
Good wasn’t the right word for it. Fucking magical was more accurate, but I didn’t say that. I remained silent as I followed her to the table that was empty, right in the middle of tables covered up with bikers.
Well played, Pepper.
“What can I get you to drink?” the blonde asked as I took a seat.
“Maker’s, straight,” I replied.
She nodded and turned to head back to the bar. My eyes swung back to the stage just as Briar stepped down and made her way into the crowd. I didn’t have to see her to know she was headed to me. Probably pissed off, and I realized I was looking forward to it. She’d be brave here with all her fans surrounding her. That mouth of hers snapping off at me. Forgetting the performance I’d just witnessed was going to be a slight inconvenience.
• Thirteen •
“I’m not ole-lady material.”
Briar
What the hell was Storm doing here? It wasn’t like I’d done anything wrong. I hadn’t even started dating anyone. The money coming in from the tips and my cut of the house take on nights I worked was the best I’d ever made. Sure, it wasn’t what I would get from a wealthy asshole, but this was enough for now. Dovie was happy here. I had more time with her. We could go out and not worry about being seen. I wasn’t going to mess this up.
Trying to keep a smile and respond to the customers as I walked through them to get back to the table I had seen him sit at was difficult. I was on a mission, and until I knew the reason Storm was here, I wasn’t in the mood to chat.
“I want to hear that song you sang last Friday. The one you wrote,” a woman said from the lap of Country, one of The Judgment members.
I’d seen her here before, but I didn’t know her name. Country had a new one with him every week. It was hard to keep up.
“ ‘Tangled,’ ” the woman across from her said.
“All right,” I replied while still moving.
“You think about that marriage proposal?” Tex, another Judgment guy, asked as I passed him.
I patted his chest. “I’m not ole-lady material. I told you that.” I was learning their lingo as well as their names.
His hand came over mine, holding it to his impressive pecs. “Don’t know until you try.”
I laughed, pulling my hand free and shaking my head. “Not tonight, Tex.”
“Leave her be, Tex!” Pepper shouted out from the bar.
I managed to smile and nod at the next few before I finally got to the table where Storm sat, leaning back in his chair with a glass of whiskey in one hand and the other crossed over his chest, watching me.
Let the wet panties commence. Damn him and his sexy-ass face.
Might as well get this over with. He’d come over six hundred miles for a reason.
Pulling out a chair across from him, I took a seat just as Pepper appeared at my side, setting my ice water down in front of me.