The guy’s arms fly up in frustration. "Oh, come on. Are you really gonna throw that in my face? That’s really low, Sadie. Even for you.”
“Even for me?”
He snarls. “Yes, even for you. Three whole months we've been together! Three months! And you're gonna throw it all away over the fact that I cancelled a date so I could help my mom with her prayer group? I was serving the Lord, baby!” Where the hell did she find this loser. Goddamn, Sadie. I can’t believe she dated this guy. “I thought we were building something solid here. Thought we had a future." His voice cracks with emotion.
She sighs, clearly annoyed that he’s not getting it. ”It’s not about the prayer group, Cobi. Why can’t you see that? How many times did your mom deliberately try to get in the way of our relationship? And you let her?”
He speaks in a dismissive voice. "Stop being paranoid. Mom never tried to sabotage our relationship," he assures her. "She likes you. I swear. She just thinks you're a little—how do I say this?—abrasive. And maybe you could benefit from a bit of, y’know, tact…"
My blood boils hearing him ask beautiful Sadie to be something other than who she is. Especially, in order to please his mother. I want to storm into that hallway, grab him by the throat and shake some sense into him.
Sadie looks like she’s about to start throwing punches. Right then his phone rings, cutting him off, and quite possibly saving his life. He answers the call. “Oh, hey mom, how are y—"
Pissed off and fed up, Sadie grabs the phone from his hand and ends the call.
"Hey! Hey! Why'd you do that?" When he reaches for the phone, she flings it at him. It hits him hard in the chest and he fumbles, catching it mere inches from the ground.
Sadie’s voice is eerily calm when she speaks. "Look, let's just cut our losses and move on from each other once and for all while this is still amicable…” I can hear the strain in her tone as she fights against the urge to do something violent. “…because it's becoming increasingly clear to me that if we don’t stay away from each other, this situation is going to end with me shredding you into confetti-sized pieces and stuffing you into your mother's mailbox then hauling ass for the U.S.-Canada border. And I don’t want to do that. I like maple syrup very much but not enough to make it a part of my daily routine…So, goodbye, Cobi. Go live your best life."
A surge of pride rises in my chest as she spins around to leave—I love that fire in her—but the dumb arsehole slings one last insult after her. "You'll never find another guy like me," he informs her in a vicious tone.
Through the peephole, I watch the expression drain from her face, her features twisting in pain. Fuck—he hurt her…The injured look in her eye is seared into my brain.
But in a snap, her tough girl mask clicks into place. She pulls on her stiff upper lip and faces him to defend herself.
That bastard probably senses her pain. He steps closer. "You'll never find another guy like me. With your tattoos and your bad manners. You were lucky I went out with you in the first place."
My ears are ringing so bad I can hardly hear the rest of the argument. Sadie's not a helpless thing. She’s sticking up for herself. Chest up, shoulders straight, unintimidated. But there's no way I'm just gonna stand here and not do something fucking drastic to defend her honor.
I know, I know. I should probably look away, build a fortress between us, mind my goddamned business. But there’s this niggling on the edge of my spirit, this urge to keep her close, to hold her near. There’s this stupid, persistent voice telling me that she’s not as strong as she seems. She needs somebody to stick up for her although she’d never even admit it to herself.
Without thinking, I yank the towel from around my waist and swing the door open. I step into the hallway.
Sadie jolts when she sees me standing there.
N.A.K.E.D.
…and damn proud!
I'm hung and I know it.
The loser in front of her gapes, jaw hanging open like a butterfly catcher. The color slides from his cheeks, leaving him ashen and pale.
The girl’s eyes move over me, her features painted with shock when her gaze locks on the hammer between my thighs. "Wha—wha—what are you doing, Xavier?"
Before she can ruin the whole thing, I stride casually toward her, rubbing the bath towel over my damn hair. "There you are, gorgeous. I've been waiting all morning for you to get back." I bend to press a kiss to her temple and the sweetest fragrance invades my nose. Dollar store body wash, sweat and her natural yumminess. The girl smells so damn good. Like something I want to taste.
I make sure that stupid boy gets a good eyeful of my cock, too. I'm a man. A real man. And he's going to leave here today knowing that this man is taking good care of the woman he's so foolishly disrespecting. When I'm satisfied that he’s gotten the message, I tuck the towel low around my waist and slide an arm around Sadie's hip.
She’s still speechless as I stretch a hand out to her ex-boyfriend and give him a rough handshake. "Are you the plumber, bloke?" I turn to Sadie. "I told you, darling girl. You don't need to hire a plumber, not when you have a real man taking care of things around here."
I cradle the side of her face and slide my fingers into her hair. She sighs audibly when I place a chaste snog on her forehead. I like that sound a lot. I think I could get used to hearing it.
With a beaming smile, I tell the loser, "Sorry you had to come all the way down here, mate. But I've got this handled. I'll unclog all of Sadie's pipes. Even if it takes me all night."
I don't dignify that stupid sod with the opportunity to formulate an answer. I give him a good, heavy clap on the shoulder and swing around, taking Sadie by the wrist and dragging her into the apartment after me. Throwing a multi-million-dollar grin over my shoulder, I kick the door shut with my heel, leaving him standing there like a schoolyard bully who just got his bounty stolen from him by the jock. How you like that, sucker?!
Sadie seems to be having a hard time processing the recent turn of events, though. She stumbles through the apartment looking wild and disoriented. She leans against the cracked wall by the door and stares at me. Head to toe, her eyes canvass me, branding me with her searing lust. A long beat of silence passes as I lean on the opposite wall with my arms folded and wait for her to explain to me what the hell I just witnessed.
No explanation comes.
Abruptly, she pushes off the wall and stalks into the kitchen.
I’m the first to speak. "So…are we gonna talk about that, darling?" I lock the front door and follow her.
"Talk about what?" She immediately heads for the sink and makes herself busy, washing dishes and chucking them haphazardly into the dish drainer.
I pin her with an angry glare. "About the wanker who was yelling at you while he had you cornered by the staircase."
Her tone is dry and snarky. "That was nothing to get your feathers ruffled about, my proud peacock friend..." Without even looking at me, she throws a dismissive hand wave in my direction.
"He was harassing you, Sadie."
"He was harmless."
"He sure didn't look harmless."
She gives me a tight laugh as she shakes the droplets of water out of a coffee mug and pushes it onto the unsturdy shelf above the sink. "Again—too much peacocking, Xavier. Sometimes you've got to know how to be a duck."
"A duck?"
With heavy exhale, she pivots around to look at me. “Just let the shitty water roll off your back. I learned a valuable lesson recently. You can't go dyeing your feathers purple every time something upsetting happens to you." She runs her fingers through the tips of her hair. "You'll only end up with lackluster color and split ends…literally and metaphorically."
I just shake my head as I adjust the towel around my waist. "What is it with you women and your bird references?"
"I really don't know what you're talking about," she grumbles under her breath.
Okay, we're getting way off topic. The point is, I don't want that guy
bothering her anymore because I won't be held accountable for my actions if I catch him hounding her in the future. “Tell him not to show up here again because if he does I'll bash his fucking nose in."
She snorts a laugh. “So much unnecessary violence.”
“From the girl who walks around saying things like, I’ll chop you up and put you in your mother’s mailbox.” I fight back my own chuckle. “You're going to wind up in prison making threats like that, yeah?"
She bats her eyes coquettishly and pouts that sexy mouth. Expression full of sarcasm. "Will you come visit me?"
She’s trying to make a joke out of it but it’s a serious matter. Still, flirtatious words roll off my tongue. "Just to see those pretty tits in an orange jumpsuit, I will."
Rolling her eyes, she spins back toward the sink. Now she's wiping toast crumbs from the counter with an old rag. "Are you really gonna make a big deal about this?" I know what her problem is. She’s embarrassed. It's obvious from the pink flush on her cheeks. She hates that I saw her in that position of vulnerability, that I intervened and stuck up for her.
"Look at me, Sadie." Stubborn as ever, she just keeps wiping that damned counter. "Look. At. Me."
She growls roughly and finally, she stops fidgeting. She turns to face me, those pretty brown eyes glinting with challenge.
I march right up to her and now, she has to tilt her head back to meet my eyes. “Yes. I am going to make a big deal about it. Because you deserve fucking respect and any guy who can't see that doesn't deserve a second of your time."
She groans in irritation. "Look—it's great that you're a crusader for women's rights and all but I don't need hero. I don my own red cape. This damsel’s been getting herself out of distress for a very long time.” Her plump bottom lip pouts defiantly. Why is she being so damned stubborn about this? At this point, I'm even more annoyed than she is.
I grip her by the waist and pin her to the edge of the sink, my fingertips clenching on her feminine curves. I shouldn't put my hands on her like this because she's not mine to touch. But I want her to know that I'm serious. I stare right into her eyes. “I hate seeing the way he hurt you…He was trying to break you…”
Our bodies are so close. Hot, pulsing, needy. Her eyes are hazy. She licks her lips. And I can’t help it, my mouth is moving toward hers, on a mission to taste her, to tease her with my lips and my tongue.
But I freeze. My subconscious reminds me of how wretched I am. It reminds me that Sadie deserves better than me. And as much as I want to lean in for this kiss, I just can’t do it.
We’re less than an inch apart when she laughs humorlessly, her sweet breath fanning across my face. Her finger jabs into my chest and my hands fall from her body. “Let me tell you something, Xavier. You can’t just break a girl who grew up without her mama. You can't. Because we're the toughest kind. When a girl faces this cold, hard world without the softness of a mother's touch and she grows the thickest skin. Throw in an alcoholic dad that she constantly has to save from himself and it's like putting lipstick on a sheet of Teflon. That's me. Teflon Sadie...I hate that I let Cobi make me forget that for a minute. But I’m all good now. No man will ever again make me forget who I am. Okay?”
And the way she says it, I know that last part was aimed right at me. I’m no better than that Cobi guy. I’ve made her doubt herself, her worth, her beauty. Bile rises from my stomach on that realization.
“Sadie…” I want to reason with her, let her know that she deserves to be treated like a queen but she’s done listening to me.
“Thank you for looking out for me, but I’m fine.” She slides off the edge of the sink, making her way to my pile of clothing on the floor near the bathroom. She shoves it hard into my chest. Then, she grabs a business book from the table behind her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a busy evening ahead of me.”
I can’t keep doing this to her. It’s not fair and I know it. I’ve been sending her mixed messages, twisting up her head. I’ve been making her bear the push and pull of the war between my desire and my conscience. I have no right to demand that she listen to me or give me any more of her time. So when I’m done repairing the air conditioner, I walk out the door without looking back. And the door slams after me.
Chapter Fourteen
Sadie
“I got the jooobbb!”
Weaving through the maze of tables and chairs, Susan comes charging at the cash register just before closing time. Her rigid suit jacket is all bunched up at the shoulders and the hem of her blouse hangs halfway out of her waistband but she doesn’t care.
“Oh my god! That’s so great!” I round the counter, arms spread for a hug and I get a rush of wild, red curls to the face as we embrace. “I’m so happy for you!”
“Thank you!” she beams. “I was so damn stressed. Now, I need, like, a dozen cupcakes to celebrate.”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice. Tongs in hand, I’m already boxing up those chocolate espresso babies. “So, I’m guessing the second interview went well? You must be relieved. ”
Susan’s shoulders heave and I can literally see the tension rolling away. “Relieved is an understatement. Jesus—I’ve never had to suck so many dicks in my life.” My head snaps up and my eyes bulge. She freezes and her eyes shift away guiltily. “Metaphorically, speaking…Maybe.”
I howl out laughing. I can’t help but tease. “OMG. You dirty, little cocksucker. Climbing the corporate ladder on your knees. Classy.”
She pouts. “Say what you want. Life is survival of the fittest. Morality and workplace ethics do not pay the bills.” She lowers her voice as her arm goes up for a high five. “And I mean, you probably already knew that. Tell me you haven’t worked out a mutually beneficial ‘payment plan’ with your hottie landlord. You’re banging him by now, right?”
“Sadie?”
Susan’s arm freezes in midair at the sound of Reese’s voice. My head snaps over my shoulder to look at her.
Right then, Vivian shows up in the doorway next to her sister, nestling a steaming cup of tea in her hands. They both wear grave looks on their faces and my stomach roils. I leave Susan hanging.
Oh god.
“Hey boss.”
“Can you get someone to cover the floor for you?” Reese braces a hand on her baby bulge and swipes a chocolate peanut butter cupcake from the display. “We’re ready for our meeting.”
Nat comes around the corner with a bucket and mop in hand. She flashes me a nervous look. “I’ve got it,” she volunteers and nods her chin in a subtle show of support as she heads over to the sink to wash her hands.
I flash a nervous but grateful smile at my friend and follow the sisters into the back office. Viv sits behind the desk. Reese plops into the armchair next to me. I lower myself slowly into the vacant chair. My guts are all twisted up. My palms are sweaty. I can see the end drawing near. I’m about to lose my job.
“So, are you banging your hottie landlord yet?”
At Reese’s words, a stream of herbal tea comes jetting out of Vivian’s nostrils. “Reese!” she hisses. “So inappropriate!”
“What?” the younger sister says with an innocent shoulder shrug. Her chin gestures in my direction. “She seems nervous about the meeting. I was breaking the ice.” Reese’s attention moves back to me. Her head tilts to the side in question. “So are you?”
I don’t normally blush but right now, I feel the fire in my cheeks.
Vivian leers at her sister. “Can we just focus on the reason we called this meeting? Please?”
Reese throws her swollen ankles up onto the desk and peels back the wrapper around her cupcake. “Sure.” She groans with pleasure on the first bite.
Her older sister tsks. "No more sweets, Theresa. Remember? OBGYN's orders.”
Reese throws out her palm in a chill out motion. "Viv—I didn't choose the cupcake life. The cupcake life chose me. I think the baby understands."
I chuckle even though the anxiety is still right there at the
surface, strangling me. It’s true that I’ve just gotten this scholarship but I have my doubts about whether it’s legit. I spent hours searching for information about that foundation on the internet and came up empty-handed. I don’t want to gamble all my eggs on a basket that might have a huge hole in the bottom. And besides, I like my job, I like my coworkers and I like getting a paycheck. I don’t want to lose that.
Before either of them can get another word out, I’m already pleading to save my hide. “Look—I really, really like working here and I love managing the team. I know that things have been bumpy at times over the past few weeks but I’m working on making everything better. And I don’t know what I did to get in trouble but I promise I’ll fix it—”
Reese gives me a small smile and pats my hand softly. “Sadie, you’re not in trouble. You’re doing a fantastic job.”
“And we trust you,” Vivian adds. “You’ve earned our trust with the way you’ve been managing the business. We’re really proud of the work you’ve done. That’s why we have a request for you.”
I swallow. “A request?”
“We’ve been thinking about opening a new location,” Vivian announces.
Reese corrects her. “Several new locations, actually. In surrounding areas. Chicago, Springfield, Reyfield. You name it.”
Vivian gives her overzealous sister a hard look and speaks purposefully. “But we want to make this decision wisely. We want to take our time. Research the viability of the idea. Make sure we aren’t jumping into anything.”
Reese tosses her sister a side-eye. “Anyway…with me getting my butt kicked by morning sickness all day and Viv being busy screwing Clinton’s brains out every chance she gets—” Vivian flicks a paperclip across the table and I laugh “—we won’t be able to do all the legwork ourselves…We’re gonna need your help.”
The Blue Collar Bachelors Box Set: The Complete Blue Collar Bachelors Series Page 92