truly given me the time of day. But as I watched him flip the lumberjack the bird and stalk off, I was reminded that wasn’t the case.
Laughing to himself, my impromptu date turned to the bartender. “I’ll take the bottle.” The bartender passed him a full bottle of Jack, and two shot glasses. With our drinks in one hand and mine in the other, he began leading me away from the bar.
“Where are we going?”
“I have a booth just over there.” He gestured to a private booth off to the left. The floor was packed with bodies, pushing their way forward, trying to get a better view of the stage and the band. As he led the way, they reluctantly gave ground, but not without a curt stare.
A few short minutes later, we were seated in his booth, and he was pouring us both a drink. I was going to have to pace myself. I had a couple already. I wished I’d gotten a bottle of water when I was at the bar.
“So how’d you get involved with Jake?”
“I’m not.”
“You arrived with him.”
“I was invited out of goodwill,” I explained. I couldn’t and wouldn’t tell him anymore than that. Though I didn’t work at the hospital anymore, I respected Tate and Coop’s privacy, and the last thing I wanted to do was explain about Henry.
“Their goodwill—my good fortune.”
“Cheers to that.” I held up the glass he handed me. The lumberjack flashed a smile and tapped my glass with his. I downed my fourth shot.
“So tell me about yourself.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Secretive.”
“Boring. I’d rather hear more about you.”
“His name’s Cade ‘the cock’ Mathers,” Jake shouted in my ear. I shied from the proximity of his voice. He’d caught me by surprise. “Sound familiar?”
Flushing, I glanced up at Cade, who was smirking back at me. Marshall stood not far away. The older bodyguard stood to his right. Jake had returned with a little muscle.
“You have no idea who he is,” Jake pressed, “do you?”
I made the mistake of looking at Jake. He looked furious. He looked like Pax when Pax was angry. I immediately dug my heels in. “Maybe I don't care who he is.”
Jake snorted derisively. “He’s a porn star, Paisley. He fucks like a bull, and he’s as big as one too. He’d break that sweet little cunt of yours right in half.” He said the last part low so that only Cade and I could hear.
“You flatter me, Whalen,” Cade drawled with a smile.
I'd had enough. Sliding from my stool, I held out my hand. “It was nice to meet you, Cade.”
“Leaving so soon, pet?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” I'd been humiliated enough for one night. I had no desire to stick around for more abuse.
“More’s the pity.” Taking my hand, he leaned forward. “Answer me one question before you go. Are you purple down under, too?”
Despite myself, I smiled. “No.”
“You would've been when I was done with you.”
“Tempting.” What a charming guy.
“If you change your mind.”
“Doubtful.” I didn't like to share my possessions, let alone my boyfriend, and Cade made a living at sharing his body. With a look of disappointment, Cade released my hand. I turned, stepped around Jake, and headed for the exit.
“Where're you going?” Jake asked, following me.
“Home. I'm calling it a night.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“Come on, kid,” Marshall chimed in. “We’re just looking out for you.” Grabbing my arm, he spun me around to face him.
“Look, I appreciate the invite, but I'm gonna go. I'm sorry to have been any trouble.”
“That?” Marshall pressed. “That was nothing.”
It didn't feel like nothing. “I don't need a babysitter.”
“It wasn’t anything I wouldn’t have done for my friends.”
“Really,” I insisted. “It's ok. I can get a ride from my brother.”
“You call your brothers for a ride home and you're only going to prove them right. They'll never
Laughing to himself, my impromptu date turned to the bartender. “I’ll take the bottle.” The bartender passed him a full bottle of Jack, and two shot glasses. With our drinks in one hand and mine in the other, he began leading me away from the bar.
“Where are we going?”
“I have a booth just over there.” He gestured to a private booth off to the left. The floor was packed with bodies, pushing their way forward, trying to get a better view of the stage and the band. As he led the way, they reluctantly gave ground, but not without a curt stare.
A few short minutes later, we were seated in his booth, and he was pouring us both a drink. I was going to have to pace myself. I had a couple already. I wished I’d gotten a bottle of water when I was at the bar.
“So how’d you get involved with Jake?”
“I’m not.”
“You arrived with him.”
“I was invited out of goodwill,” I explained. I couldn’t and wouldn’t tell him anymore than that. Though I didn’t work at the hospital anymore, I respected Tate and Coop’s privacy, and the last thing I wanted to do was explain about Henry.
“Their goodwill—my good fortune.”
“Cheers to that.” I held up the glass he handed me. The lumberjack flashed a smile and tapped my glass with his. I downed my fourth shot.
“So tell me about yourself.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Secretive.”
“Boring. I’d rather hear more about you.”
“His name’s Cade ‘the cock’ Mathers,” Jake shouted in my ear. I shied from the proximity of his voice. He’d caught me by surprise. “Sound familiar?”
Flushing, I glanced up at Cade, who was smirking back at me. Marshall stood not far away. The older bodyguard stood to his right. Jake had returned with a little muscle.
“You have no idea who he is,” Jake pressed, “do you?”
I made the mistake of looking at Jake. He looked furious. He looked like Pax when Pax was angry. I immediately dug my heels in. “Maybe I don't care who he is.”
Jake snorted derisively. “He’s a porn star, Paisley. He fucks like a bull, and he’s as big as one too. He’d break that sweet little cunt of yours right in half.” He said the last part low so that only Cade and I could hear.
“You flatter me, Whalen,” Cade drawled with a smile.
I'd had enough. Sliding from my stool, I held out my hand. “It was nice to meet you, Cade.”
“Leaving so soon, pet?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” I'd been humiliated enough for one night. I had no desire to stick around for more abuse.
“More’s the pity.” Taking my hand, he leaned forward. “Answer me one question before you go. Are you purple down under, too?”
Despite myself, I smiled. “No.”
“You would've been when I was done with you.”
“Tempting.” What a charming guy.
“If you change your mind.”
“Doubtful.” I didn't like to share my possessions, let alone my boyfriend, and Cade made a living at sharing his body. With a look of disappointment, Cade released my hand. I turned, stepped around Jake, and headed for the exit.
“Where're you going?” Jake asked, following me.
“Home. I'm calling it a night.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“Come on, kid,” Marshall chimed in. “We’re just looking out for you.” Grabbing my arm, he spun me around to face him.
“Look, I appreciate the invite, but I'm gonna go. I'm sorry to have been any trouble.”
“That?” Marshall pressed. “That was nothing.”
It didn't feel like nothing. “I don't need a babysitter.”
“It wasn’t anything I wouldn’t have done for my friends.”
“Really,” I insisted. “It's ok. I can get a ride from my brother.”
“You call your brothers for a ride home and you're only going to prove them right. They'll never
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