Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
“You want to dance?” he asked.
“No, thank you.” She tried to make her escape, but the man was getting a little too personal, as he suddenly wrapped an arm around her body. She let out a growl as he suddenly grabbed her ass.
“Nice,” he said.
She was just about to yell at him, when he was pulled away from her, and she didn’t get chance to even say a word as Shae was there and slammed his fist into the guy’s face.
In the next second, she watched as Shae and Wade hauled his ass out of the bar. Shae came back, cupped her face, and tilted her head back. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yes, yes, I’m okay.”
He pressed a kiss to her lips and walked her back to the bar.
Wade was already there, handing her a soda. “Sorry about that, Peyton. Don’t allow those sorts in here.”
“Those sorts?” she asked.
“Men that can’t keep their damn hands to themselves.”
She was a little shaken. The bar seemed to have gone still while Shae and Wade escorted him out, and now the music was playing and people were talking and dancing. She took a sip of her soda and was thankful. She was not a beer drinker. She much preferred soda.
“Come on,” Shae said. He took her drink from her, leaving it on the bar, and then moved her onto the dance floor. It was already busy with so many people, but that didn’t seem to mind him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
She was a little shaken.
“I’m not used to all of this,” she said.
He pulled her in close. The music was fast, and yet Shae danced with her slow. “Don’t worry, I will take care of you.”
She didn’t know why that comforted her, only that it did.
Peyton knew this was dangerous. She couldn’t count on Shae. They had an agreement. He could back out of their agreement, and he might not help her if Lily-May came back. Part of her knew she should feel sad that she had rejected her sister. She didn’t. Her sister had pushed and pushed until that feeling had all but gone. She was not going to feel sorry for her sister.
She needed to remember this was an arrangement. She was not Shae’s girlfriend. They were going to have sex, and he was going to use her until he was bored. That was their arrangement and she needed to keep to that.
Still, being in his arms felt nice. She didn’t want him to let her go, and she knew that was a dangerous feeling to have. She enjoyed dancing with him. They moved together from one song to the next, and they must have been at the bar a good hour before they got a table and had some wings and cheesy fries.
Peyton didn’t even realize how hungry she was. She took a bite of one of the wings and moaned. They were hot, spicy, sweet, and so damn good. She just couldn’t help but take another bite.
“So, tell me, Peyton, do you like working at the bakery?”
This made her stop and she looked toward him. “Why?”
“Just making conversation.”
She wanted to trust him, but she just couldn’t help wondering why. “Are you wanting to buy the bakery?”
He had this strange smile on his face, and she wasn’t quite sure why. It was like he knew something she didn’t know.
“Can’t a guy get to know you?” he asked.
“Why? You’re already getting what you want.”
He tutted. “As we both know, I’m not getting anything at the moment, and besides, you can either make this awful or good. Do you really want your first time to be with a man you hardly know?”
No, she did not, but getting to know Shae was dangerous. She didn’t want to fall for him. He was not the guy she thought she would marry. He’d been with so many other women. But, just having sex with him, and it being cold and blunt, and meaning nothing, didn’t feel good either.
“Yes, I love the bakery. Mom and Dad were great bakers. They just weren’t good business people.”
“I know it fell on hard times.”
“Yeah, it did, and I don’t know how they got through it. I really don’t. I keep thinking someone is going to show up and tell me I am out of time and they’re going to take it away from me.”
“No one will do that,” he said.
“How do you know?”
“I won’t let them.”
She looked at him, and his dark brown eyes that sometimes appeared almost black looked right at her.
She believed him. “You promise?”
“I guarantee it.”
Chapter Four
After dropping off the leftover baked goods at the elderly home, Peyton walked back to the truck, where Shae waited for her.
It was Friday, and this time, they were not going to the bar. They were heading straight back to his ranch, as he had some work he needed to finish.