Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
“Any great hunter would.”
“Is that what you think you are? A hunter?”
“I don’t think, I know.”
“What do you hunt?”
“Answers for my questions for you.”
“Such as?”
“Why do you want to work at my bar?”
“Because it’s the best.”
“Kissing my ass isn’t going to appease me.”
She giggled and I loved it.
“Fine. If I tell you then you have to tell me something personal about yourself too.”
“Only if you answer my question first.”
“Deal.”
“I’m waiting.”
She inhaled a deep breath. “I want to travel overseas after I graduate from high school, but my family would never allow it. Now that I’m making my own money, they won’t be able to do anything about it. As you know, I graduate soon so I needed to make money fast. Your bar is the best and I knew it wouldn’t take long to make enough money to spend a few months wherever I wanted. Plus, it’s far enough away from my town that I didn’t have to worry about them finding out I’m working at a biker bar or that I’m working in general.”
“You want to go overseas by yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“Peach, that’s not very safe.”
“Isn’t life worth taking risks?”
“Not your safety.”
“Says the man who isn’t very safe with his own.”
“You said it yourself. I’m a man. The odds of me getting into trouble compared to you are slim to none.”
“This is exactly why I need to make my own money to do this. My family will react the same way you are.”
“You have five brothers. One of them can’t join you?”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
“You already asked your question, it’s my turn now.”
“This discussion isn’t over, Haven.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Do that one more time and watch what happens.”
“That’s a threat I may enjoy.”
“We’ll see after you can’t sit down for days.”
“You and the spanking,” she giggled. “Is this like a kink for you? I haven’t been spanked since I was a little girl.”
“Then you’re way past due.”
“Why am I in trouble if all I want is some independence from my family?”
“You don’t have to fly halfway across the world for that to happen.”
“There’s more to it than just my independence.”
“It’s not the traveling that bothers me. It’s that fact you’ll be by yourself.”
“So come with me,” she simply stated. “Billy can handle the bar for a few months on his own, can’t he? Considering you basically live at the bar—I can assume you don’t travel much. Why not experience this with me? I mean plenty of boyfriends travel with their girlfriends. It’s not out of the ordinary for us to do this together.”
“Boyfriend, huh?”
“Isn’t that what you are?”
“I don’t do labels.”
She sassed, “Would you rather be my manfriend?”
I tickled her inner thigh, causing her to squirm.
“I can call myself your old lady if that makes you feel better?”
“I don’t live by those rules.”
“Oh yeah? What am I to you then?”
I gripped onto the back her neck, tugging her lips to meet mine.
After I kissed her, I rasped against her lips, “You’re my ripe peach.”
“Is that your code for girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend seems so juvenile for what you are to me, Haven.”
She smiled. “Now that’s a good answer. I’ll take it for now.”
I kissed her again, but she quickly pulled away. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that it’s my turn to ask my question.”
“Go easy on me.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Peach…”
“Don’t peach me. I get to ask what I want, and my question is, why do you own forty-nine percent of the bar if you don’t like your dad?”
“That is not a one answer reply.”
“So there’s more than one reason?”
“Something like that.”
“That’s not a response.”
“It’s the only one I have.”
“Hayes! That’s cheating!”
“You didn’t elaborate on the rules.”
“I didn’t think you’d cop out.”
“Sweetheart, there’s way too much history between my old man and I to even begin answering that question.”
“He doesn’t seem so bad.”
“He puts on a good show. Trust me, he’s had years of practice.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You keep saying that you’re bad for me, but other than seeing you kick Taz’s ass, I haven’t seen anything that scary.”
“Don’t hold your breath. It’ll happen eventually.”
“You think you’ll scare me away?”
“Again, Peach. I don’t think, I know.”
“I don’t scare easily.”
“We’ll see about that.”
She kissed me. “My offer remains on the table, Hayes. I’d love to see and experience another world with you. Then you don’t have to worry about anything happening to me because my big, bad ass boyfriend will protect me.”
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to go with her. I’d also be full of shit if I was said I didn’t love the sound her calling me…
Her boyfriend.
Seventeen
Haven
A few weeks later, I was working in the stock room when Billy came up behind me.
“Oh my God!” I jumped. “You scared me.”
“I’m sorry, darlin’. I didn’t mean to scare you. How are you doing back here?”
“I’m good. We’re almost out of bourbon and vodka though. I checked the stacks, and it doesn’t look like we have an order coming in until next week.”