Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
CHAPTER SIX
Archer
It’s been three days since Easton walked out of my house, and I haven’t seen him since. I’ve texted him every day to check in, but he hasn’t responded. I’ve been giving him space because he has a right to that, but it’s getting harder and harder. I want to be respectful of his wishes, but I’m also not walking away from him. I think that’s what East expects, maybe even trying to make happen, but that’s not me.
It had taken every ounce of strength inside me to stop that kiss. I’d wanted my tongue in his mouth, wanted to lay him down, strip him bare, and make him feel good. Because I don’t think Easton has had enough good in his life, don’t think he’s smiled enough and been pleasured enough. There’s this unexplainable, feral urge to be the one to show him that.
My mind is on him while I’m writing tickets and taking calls at work. When I get off, I should head home or go see Cass or something, but goddamn it. I have to check in on him, so I make the quick drive to Dusty’s Collision Repair, trying to think of an excuse as to why I’m going there that doesn’t scream I kissed your almost brother-in-law, then told him no, and he stormed out.
The stalls are open when I pull up. I don’t see Easton, and while there could be a hundred reasons for that, my pulse speeds up. Has he not been going into work?
I breathe a little easier when I see his truck parked, then head over. “Hey, Dust.”
“Hey, man. How’s it going?” He wipes his hands on his work jeans and heads my way.
I try to discreetly look around the building to see if I can find Easton. Jesus, what the fuck is happening to me?
“Good,” I reply. Okay, so I probably should have come with a plan, but I’ve never done something like this before. “How’s Morgan?”
“Good. He’s getting things settled to start the remodel of the bar. He wants to do a lot of the work himself. I’ll help him when I’m off here.”
“If you guys need anything, let me know.”
He nods, looks at me, then cocks his head. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just…ah, hell.” I run a hand through my hair. “Is Easton here? Has he been okay?”
“He’s inside and, well, he’s been East, but a little heavier on the fuck-the-world mentality.”
I nod. I had a feeling. But I also don’t want to get into this with Dusty. I trust him, but East is like a brother to him. Dusty is with East’s brother. That makes things complicated.
Before we can say anything else, Easton comes through a door and into the main part of the shop. He’s dirty from work, and all tattoos and a scowl and sexy as hell. His eyes immediately run the length of me. I shift, my uniform suddenly feeling scratchy against my skin.
“How’s Casanova?” I ask, unsure what else to say.
“Who’s Casanova?” Dusty wants to know, and Easton glares at me. How the fuck was I supposed to know his new dog was a secret? And why would it be?
“Listen, Dust. Can you give us a second?” I’m hoping he’s not going to ask any more questions.
“No, we don’t need that.” Easton walks toward the car.
“East.” I follow him, hearing Dusty say something about running to the corner store for a drink.
As soon as he’s gone, East spins around to face me. “Fuck you, Archer. I’m at work. You shouldn’t have come here.”
Guilt attacks my insides. I drop my head back, eyes closed, and sigh. “You’re right, but you didn’t reply to my texts.”
“That should tell you that I don’t want to talk to you.”
“But I think we should. I have a feeling you misread what happened the other night.”
“It was a mistake. I don’t know why in the fuck I did that, but I don’t want to talk about it, and especially not here.”
“Can I swing by your house later? I just—”
“Why?” he cuts me off. “Why are you doing this? It’s not like we’re really friends. We both know that eventually you’re going to get tired of my shit, so why keep this going? Walk away now and save us both the trouble. You can’t fix me.”
I look at him, at the heavy rise and fall of his chest. At the pain in his eyes, the truth right there for me to see. He really believes that, really thinks I’ll walk away. I don’t understand why. He has his dad, though clearly, there’s some drama going on with him. He’s got Dusty, Morgan, and Rhett, who have never left him, but then, our brains aren’t always honest with us. Sometimes we feel things that aren’t true, and there’s no changing it. Not everything in this world makes perfect sense, and hell, I don’t doubt there’s a whole lot more that Easton has been through than I can imagine. He believes everyone will walk away because he doesn’t feel he’s worthy of any other outcome, and I damn sure plan to prove him wrong. “That’s not what I’m trying to do—fix you. And I’m not going anywhere. We’re friends.”