Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 95676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
The tip of his tongue peeks out from between his lips and he narrows his eyes at me. He's no longer challenging me to look away first, he's demanding it. Every line of his body screams that command. Heat rolls over me in a wave. Every inch of me burns white hot at the way he's focusing on me, drawing me in…silently demanding I submit.
I drop my gaze to the table, my heart racing.
What the hell?
I take a deep breath and then another. My face is burning hot, probably flushed bright red. When I finally gather the nerve to peek up at him again, it's to see him striding toward the doors, his jeans hugging that fine ass exactly right. My attention stays glued to him until the door swings closed behind him.
He doesn't look back.
"What the hell was that?" Erin asks, tossing a coaster at me.
I startle when it lands against my chest. Heat creeps up my cheeks.
"That was him offering to strip her naked and fuck her on the table," Mitch says.
My blush deepens.
"Think she would have let him?" Erin teases, grinning at me.
"Fuck yeah, she would have." Mitch throws his head back and laughs loudly when I groan.
"I hate both of you," I mutter, rolling my eyes. I've been on a few dates in my life, but they never really went anywhere. I dated one boy for a couple months in college…right up until I found out he was also dating other people, anyway. I guess in his book, exclusive applied to only me. Thank God I found out before I gave him my virginity.
"You're up again in ten," Mitch warns me and then walks away.
"We need shots!" Erin cries as he heads toward the bar.
He holds up a hand to let her know he heard her, and then shouts for Jake, his bartender, to bring us a bottle of Stoli and two shot glasses. Jake immediately grabs the bottle and our glasses and brings them around, presenting them to Erin with a flourish.
"Thanks, sexy," she says, blowing him a kiss. And then she turns back to me, my shot glass in her palm. "You ready to do this?"
"I thought you were kidding about partying," I groan, reluctantly taking the glass.
"Have you ever known me to joke about alcohol?" She cocks her head to the side, looking at me like I've lost my mind. "We're single. It's Friday. Let's do this shit!"
"I can't play if I'm hammered," I remind her. The last thing I need is to throw up all over the stage or fall off it. I'm liable to do either drinking with Erin. She can drink her weight in vodka and still function perfectly fine. Me? Not so much.
She shoots me another signature look and then pours me half a shot.
I throw it back.
Erin does the same with hers and then pours herself another. "What did Gleeson want? A quickie on his desk?"
I laugh, shaking my head. "You never give up, do you?"
"On my best friend getting laid by that fine specimen of a man? Hell no," she says, making me laugh again.
"Apparently a detective stopped by to talk to me today," I tell her after a moment.
"Oh?"
"I guess there's a missing person and my name came up in the investigation."
"That's weird."
"Right?"
"What did he say?" she asks, downing her second shot.
"I didn't talk to him. He left his card with Bryan. I tried to call him, but I haven't heard back from him. I guess I'll find out what's up when he calls."
"Did he say who is missing?"
I shake my head. "He asked Bryan how long I've worked there and if they've ever had any trouble with me."
"Trouble?" Erin narrows her eyes. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know." I shrug.
"Huh," Erin says, pouring a third shot.
"You okay?" I ask when she downs it as quickly as her first two. The girl can drink, but she usually paces herself.
"Yeah, fine." She avoids my gaze, and then her shoulders slump and she sighs. "No, not really."
"What's up?"
"I'm just in a mood. Being single sucks." She twists her glass aimlessly around in her hands. "I'm thinking about driving home tomorrow and spending a few days at the lake. You want to come with me?"
"I can't. I'm playing the Red Room tomorrow night."
"Oh." Her face falls, her disappointment obvious.
"I could probably get away next weekend."
"I have that conference from Thursday through next Tuesday."
"Crap. I forgot about that."
"Yeah." She sighs. "Maybe Livvie can get away to go with me."
"I can cancel tomorrow," I tell her, though I really can't afford to do so. My mortgage payment is due and so are my student loans. Without the extra pay, I'll be living on Ramen noodles and grilled cheese by the time my next paycheck hits the bank. The only reason I can afford to live in this city is the hefty down payment I put on my tiny apartment. It cleaned out the entirety of my savings from my modeling days, but without it, I'd be commuting like everyone else.