Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
By the time I’m done showering, any symptoms of the hangover that might have lingered are gone, thankfully. I can’t be feeling like crap. I have to work tonight. Saturday isn’t as busy as Friday, but there will still be a good crowd. I need to be at my best. Not only because I want to do a good job but because I need the tip money.
I stand at the bedroom door for a good minute trying to work up the courage to go out and face Jackson. He likely thinks I’m a dork with how I acted last night. Tigger paws at the door, giving me no option but to open it.
The smell of bacon and eggs lures me to the kitchen. Jackson is at the stove. He doesn’t turn, but he somehow must hear me.
“I set you up there.” In front of one of the bar stools at the kitchen island is a cup of coffee with a creamer pitcher next to it. There is also a bowl of yogurt with blueberries on top and a grapefruit cut in half with a spoon in it.
“Thank you.” I slip into the chair.
“That’s almond milk.” He turns from the stove, plating the eggs.
“You have almond milk?” Jackson places the eggs with a side of bacon in front of me.
“I ran out to the store this morning.” He makes his own plate. It doesn’t go unnoticed that everything in front of me is healthy. A lump forms in my throat.
“You didn’t have to do all this.” The man has thought of everything. Someone going out of their way for me is not something I’m used to.
I know he’s just being nice, but for some reason, it feels like more than that. I push that thought to the back of my mind. It’s more likely he was afraid I was going to keel over in his house this morning after my sensor was going off. I pick up a piece of bacon and shove it in my mouth.
He said the hotel wasn’t a safe place for me to stay. As I peek over at him while we eat our breakfast, I think the chance I could get hurt here is just as likely.
11
JACKSON
I sit at the bar, never taking my eyes off Paisley as she works. I’m not the only one that watches her. I’m thankful that the night is almost over. I don’t think I could take much more of this without laying someone out.
Her skirt isn’t helping. I thought those jean shorts she had on the other night were bad. I couldn’t have been more wrong. That tiny piece of cloth she’s wearing tonight is a damn nightmare.
All the fucking thoughts I’ve had since she came out of the bedroom with it on, ready for work, have kept my dick hard for hours. I didn’t know that was possible, but that seems to be the case about a lot of things when it comes to myself. That was until this little princess came along. She’s bringing a lot of things to light for me.
I swear the thought of locking her in my house has crossed my mind more times than I’m comfortable admitting. That line of thinking is completely irrational and unhinged, but there’s no stopping it.
“You sure you don’t need a drink?” Cole asks from behind the bar. I could use one but not tonight. Not when I’m watching her.
“My water is fine.” Cole chuckles. I want to punch him in the throat, but I control myself. I know my irritation isn’t for him. It’s for the other fucks in the bar.
“Not going to lie. We’ve gotten some new regulars since Paisley started working here. I think the boys over at the Army base must be telling everyone we got a new server.” I swear it’s like Cole has a fucking death wish.
I grit my teeth. I need to find her another damn job. Not sure how I’m going to go about that. I guess I could make one up. I do have a company. That’s not a terrible idea. Then I could keep her tucked away in my home. Away from all these little fucks.
“The one in the light blue polo with shaggy hair?” I’ve had my eyes on him all night. He’s shifty.
“He’s one of them,” Cole confirms for me.
Paisley makes her way back over to the bar to place the orders for last call. She slides up next to me, her body brushing against mine.
“You hungry, princess?” Without thinking, I reach out and put my arm around her, my hand going to her hip. She leans into me.
“You don’t have to keep feeding me, Jackson. You’ve already done so much.” If she only knew just how much I’ve done to make sure she ended up in my house, she would probably be running for the hills.