“Yes, okay. Let’s do it.” Emily pops in.
Taylor takes us to the back room to get our uniforms. “You will have to get your own boots—sexier the better—and always fishnets. You can wear the shorts, or the skirts—mix it up. We have rules for the girls here. You can flirt, but under no situation is it okay for the customers to grope you. This is a bar, and of course you get a few drunk asses who lose their manners, just let us know, and they are out. Okay?”
We leave the bar with our new attire in hand, and we’re off to find some sexy boots. Oh, man. Maybe I should have talked to Josh about this first. Then again, this is for him. I can do this.
Later that day, I’m sitting in the kitchen on my laptop flipping through Facebook, when a friend request pops up. One name has my insides twisted, and not in a good way—Dean Warren. I’ve only just set my page back up so I can keep in touch with friends and Josh. Why would Dean even send me a request? We haven’t talked since May, and I have no intention of doing so now. He’s a part of my past, somewhere he needs to remain. I decline the friendship as the doorbell rings. I walk to the door and smile wide as a man is standing there with flowers.
“Riley Shaw?”
“Yes.”
“These are for you. Sign here please.”
Back in the house I smell the flowers—various shades of roses. They are beautiful. I send a quick text to Josh.
Me: THANK YOU FOR MY ROSES. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL :)
He replies right away and my heart sinks.
Josh: ??? SRY BABY GIRL - I DIDN’T SEND YOU ROSES.
Another ping.
Josh: WHO SENT THEM?
I didn’t even read the card. I just assumed it would be him. I mean...they are roses after all, a flower that Josh loves—rooted in symbolism. I remove the card and read Missing you, Dean.
Oh, my God. No, no, no. My heart is hammering in my chest. A PM pops up on my screen from him.
Dean: LONLINESS IS A BITCH. HOPE THOSE BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY
My phone pings again.
Josh: WHO RILEY?
I’m freaking out now. How was Dean aware of where I lived, or that I’d just gotten them, and what does he mean by that? I block him and shut my laptop.
My phone rings. I guess Josh isn’t waiting on my text. I answer. “Hello.”
“Who the fuck sent you flowers?”
“Oh, um. It was a wrong address, after all.”
Silence fills the line and then he sighs. “You’re lying.”
Now I sigh. “I am. Dean sent them.”
“Son of a bitch!”
“I haven’t talked to him. I don’t know how he knew where I lived, or why he sent them. I’m throwing them in the trash now.”
I hear Collin in the background talking. “Dude, slow the fuck down, before you kill us.”
“We’re on our way, and I’m going to kill that fucker.” Josh is angry, but all I can focus on is that he is on his way.
“You’re coming early?” I squeal as Emily walks out the bathroom in a towel. “They’re on their way,” I shout over to her.
“We miss our girls. Be there soon. I’m serious. I will have words with Dean,” he growls.
“Whatever you need to do. My heart’s yours, Josh. Only yours.”
I see Emily grab her boots that we just bought off the couch, and everything in my body flutters. We have to work tonight. Oh, crap.
I’m standing in the mirror at Dark Days looking at myself. Josh will be here, soon. He’s going to be so pissed at me. Emily whistles. “Holy hell, Riley. You are to die for.”
I look like a slut. My black boots are leather like the miniskirt that barely covers my thighs. They have a heel, and I’m at least two inches taller in them. My navel ring is visible with the shirt being so short, and my boobs are popping out. My hair is down in a wavy mess—the red streaks I put in popping brightly. I have more makeup on than usual. My eyes look bright blue with eyeliner and mascara making them stand out.
“Josh is going to kill me, Em.” I look over to her, and she looks like a fucking vixen with her dark auburn hair untamed. She wore the shorts, which look more like booty shorts than work attire. I’m looking at us and thinking all we need are whips and dog collars.
“Let’s get this over with. I’m scared shitless,” I say.
We make our way out to the bar, which isn’t crowded yet. Taylor gives us the rundown on how things go here and assigns us our tables. My stomach free falls when I notice Dean sitting at one of my assigned tables. I’m starting to think he’s following me. His eyes lock with mine, narrowing instantly. He then boldly looks up and down my body. They darken and something wicked dances behind them. I hate it. I look away. “Can we switch tables?” I ask, Taylor. Emily looks to see why I said that, and mutters a curse.
“What’s up?” I explain the situation to Taylor. She looks over at the table and frowns. “Honey, he’s a regular. His dad and Peter go way back, but yeah, it’s okay to switch.” Seriously? This shit can’t go well.
We’re standing at the bar getting our tablets for taking orders. “Why’s he here?” Emily asks me.
I shrug. “You heard Taylor. He’s a regular. This can’t go well, Em. He’s starting to freak me out.”
After I told her about the roses, she tensed up and told me she caught him in our parking lot at the apartment the other day. He was waiting for me. They argued, and he left. I’m officially creeped out.
The night flows well enough. I don’t mess up any orders, and I’ve succeeded in avoiding Dean’s table. He hasn’t left either, though. He just stares at me. And the way he’s staring at me makes my skin crawl. I catch his eye on my legs while biting on his finger. His eyes slowly lift to my eyes, and I can’t place what I see in his stare, it’s almost like hatred laced with something sinful. It makes me uncomfortable.
Rebel and the girls are about to take the stage to sing something new I wrote. It’s dark as usual, and the haunting edge that Rebel puts to it always makes me shiver. They are very Evanescence like. Speaking of, she comes over to me and says that looking at me in this uniform solidifies that I need to be a Dark Angel. I laugh and tell her she’s crazy. She begs me to sing again, and I shoot her down again. I can’t get up there and sing my words. That’s Josh’s thing, not mine—maybe one day. I can’t get up there like this at all. Josh would die.
It’s like my body is so in tuned to his, because I can sense him the second he’s in the building.
Em and I are both on our fifteen-minute breaks and talking in the corner with Rebel before their act. I don’t look at him just yet. “Does he see me?” I ask Rebel as Emily walks away to meet Collin I’m sure. My back is facing the tables. She grins. “Yeah, he sees you all right.”
Glory Box by Portishead is blaring through the speakers right in front of me. I lean into Rebel’s ear because it’s too loud for her to hear me otherwise. “Does he look pissed?”
She shakes her head and whispers back to me, “Nope. His eyes are screaming sex. I’m pretty sure he’d like to bend you over one of these tables.” I snap my eyes to hers. She’s nodding her head enthusiastically. So, I slowly turn around.
He’s standing against the wall with his eyes raking every inch of me. He’s biting his lip like he does when he’s picturing us having sex. His eyes are hooded when they finally meet mine. He crooks his finger for me to come to him. I walk to the beat of the music to him, smiling shyly. My legs feel weak, and I’m just focusing on not falling.
I’m half way to him when a hand wraps around my wrist halting me dead in my tracks. I turn to find Dean’s brown eyes locked with mine, and years of foolishness crash into my chest. “I need to talk to you,” he says in a rough voice. “Alone!”
Josh’s deep voice billows over my shoulder, “Get your hands off of her.” He is there, by my side in a second.
I yank my hand away from Dean, and with my other push Josh back. My eyes meet Peter’s behind the bar, and he’s frowning. He nods his head to Taylor saying someth
ing. She looks in our direction and glances at Dean’s table. Next thing I know, she walks over to his table and leans over saying something in his ear. His eyes widen, and he stands. I watch as she walks him to the backroom. He glances at me as he walks off with her. Something rubs me wrong about this whole situation. I look back to Peter, and he nods his head without a smile. I don’t see Dean again the rest of my shift.
I didn’t get to talk to Josh much for a few hours, because I had to finish my shift, but I feel his eyes on me. I couldn’t read his expression. He seems to be a mixture of emotions, part of him turned on, part of him pissed off. He watches other guys look at me and his jaw locks and twitches. He may be enjoying what I look like, but he clearly doesn’t enjoy other men liking what they see.
We are cleaning up and about to lock up. Taylor tells us we did well. She put us on the schedule for the following weekend. That was the soonest she needed us. I couldn’t help but think that was such a blessing, because I had a week of Josh to enjoy.
After Collin and Em leave, and we’re about to follow behind, she stops me. “Hey, Riley? Can I talk to you for a second?”
I glance to Josh who has a brow raised. “I’ll be just a minute.” I tell him as I nod to her. He looks uneasy about this as his eyes bounce from her to me. I try to reassure him I’m okay by kissing his cheek. He smiles soft and steps away. Taylor pulls me just out of earshot of Josh. “Look, I took care of Dean, today. I explained to him that he can’t touch you and that when you’re on the clock, you’re off limits. But Riley, this can’t be an issue. Like I said his dad and Peter go way back, and Dean, well...he isn’t going away. In fact...” she pauses and looks uncomfortable.
“In fact, what?” The hairs on the back of neck prickle.
“Peter was going to offer him a job.”
My mouth falls open. “Oh.”
“Look, I’ll understand if you don’t want to keep the job. You have a week to think about it. Peter’s aware of the situation, y’all dated—whatever.” She makes it seem like nothing. “Just let me know your plans. We’d like to keep you on and get you on that stage at some point…but like I said, I understand if it’s uncomfortable.”
“Thanks. I, um...I will.”
What are the odds really? I pick the one bar Dean’s dad is a regular at, and Dean is, as well? And just since when do the two of them run in the same circle? Fuck. The Dark Days just got darker.
Josh and I are walking out the bar and to the parking lot when he grabs me by my elbow to stop me from walking. I turn and go to say something, but the look in his eyes swallows up my words. His eyes roam my body, and he touches the dangle on my navel. “I like this a lot,” he breathes. Then he crashes his lips to mine, his tongue instantly in my mouth. “I’ve missed you, and fuck, Riley...this outfit. You have lost your damn mind,” he says between kisses and nips at my lips.
I hear a revving engine as a familiar motorcycle slows to the curb. I can’t see his eyes under his helmet, but I know Dean’s gaze is on us before he zooms away.
“Was that?” Josh asks, glaring in the direction of the red taillight.
I run my hands through my hair and begin shaking. Dean is starting to scare me. I’m constantly feeling eyes on me and then he just shows up places that I am at like he knew I would be there—a job at the same bar as me? Coincidence or not—it’s creepy as hell.
I meet Josh’s eyes, and I know he can see the fear because he pulls me to his chest, and then he takes me to my apartment.
CHAPTER 22
Rage is what I feel when I see Dean touch her. What kind of game is he playing? Sending her flowers, the comments, showing up at her job. And fuck...her job? What the hell am I supposed to do with that? How am I supposed to go back to being hours away from her knowing she looks like that?
“Good Morning,” her sweet voice tells me as she stirs beside me.
“Mornin’ sunshine.” I kiss her forehead.
She rolls to her back and stretches like a feline. I swallow as I watch her arch her back with her hands above her head. It’s damn sexy.
“What time is it?” she asks with a morning voice that is raspy and hot.
I clear my throat. “9:00 ish,” I answer. It’s like my hands have a mind of their own, they begin to twitch to touch her again. Evidently, my body has missed her just as much as my heart has. Last night when I brought her home, I couldn’t wait to get lost in her. It clearly is not enough. I want more of her.
She sits up suddenly, throws her bare legs over the side of her bed, and is about to get up—wearing nothing but a t-shirt and panties. I wrap my hand around her stomach and pull her back causing her to squeal.
I lie on top of her, burying my head in her neck and inhaling her scent. “Where are you going?” I begin kissing a path from her collarbone to the spot behind her ear that always makes her squirm.
She giggles. “I have to pee.”
I ignore her response and continue inhaling her. “Have I told you that I love the way you smell?” I whisper into her ear, and she shivers.
I’m pressed in between her legs, and I know she feels how much I’ve missed her. “M’hm. Uh, I like really, really want to kiss you right now, but I have morning breath and want to brush my teeth first.” She’s embarrassed and holding her hand over her mouth.
I chuckle at her and sit back on my heels looking down at her with hungry eyes. Her t-shirt has ridden up her thighs, and I can peek at her pretty coral panties. She blushes, and I can see her chest rise and lower. Damn. After everything we’ve done together, she still gets flustered. It’s adorable to me.
And then her eyes widen as knocks against the wall and moans erupt. She covers her mouth as I smirk.
Oh Collin. Oh yes. There. Don’t stop!
Baby! Shit. I’ve missed our fucks.
“Oh, my God. We can’t stay here.” She giggles.
“I could take you to get breakfast. Are you hungry?” Part of me wants to join the fuck club, but she didn’t insinuate that.
As if on cue, her stomach growls and she laughs hiding her face ever so cutely. I place a kiss above her navel. Jesus, that piercing is hotter than hell.
“Yeah, guess so, huh?” She mumbles under her hands. I pry her hands away and tap her nose with my finger. I wiggle my brows. “What are you hungry for, pretty girl?” She smiles and something devilish twinkles in her eyes. I know her mind just went somewhere I’d like to explore. So maybe?
She just looks over my frame, admiring my chest. I love that she is attracted to me. “Hey, did you get a new tattoo?” She asks, sitting up to touch the elegant verse scripted across my rib cage.
She traces the letters, cursive words so beautiful.
“I got it right before I left to go to Louisiana. Farewell gift from Brandt,” I explain.
She places her hand right on my bare chest and begins venturing—feeling. I begin to breathe shallow. “It’s beautiful,” she whispers so softly before kissing it.
“You’re beautiful.” I put my index finger under her chin guiding her face up to mine. The urge to kiss her is so strong. Her eyes flick to my lips. She wants to kiss me, too.
She crawls her way to me and straddles my lap, wrapping arms and legs around my body, she hugs me with all of her might. “I love you, Josh. I’ve missed you like crazy.”
I squeeze her tight, holding onto her like she might slip away. “I love you, Riley...so much. I’ve missed you too, baby.”
I kept my promise of spending a week smothering, Riley. We’ve left her bed for food, water and necessities—every moment spent in one another’s arms. She even sang for me like old times. We’ve been in our own private bubble—until today that is.
Riley and I are at the lake after leaving her house in a state of shock. She’s sitting on the swing with me propped against the tree. Riley’s mom called and asked her to come home to talk, and then she drops a bombshell on her and Tatum. She announced that she’s going to have a baby. Of course, Riley freaked out on her. Tatum was eve
n quieter than usual. After all of her talks with Riley about birth control and protection, her mom slips up, again. Riley yelled at her, and told her that she better not blame that baby for her new responsibilities the way she has blamed her. Her mom cried, and then they had a heart to heart about what her mom truly feel’s for Riley. In the end, they hugged. No mention was made of the baby’s father.
“I’m still so shocked, Josh. I was worried about her with all her headaches and dizzy spells but this...I didn’t expect this,” she says touching the necklace on her neck. She looks to me, “And she doesn’t go on dates. I had no idea she even had a boyfriend…and ewww...having sex? This is just so weird. I’m going to have a baby brother or sister, isn’t she like too old to have a baby?”
I shake my head, “Riley, your mom’s only thirty five. She had you so young. Maybe she doesn’t have a boyfriend. I don’t know what to say. Just that maybe you should take this moment and let it be something to bring you and your mom closer together. She might not have someone to be there for her. Maybe she just had sex.” She scrunches up her nose. “I’m just saying. She’s an adult without a guy in her life. Maybe she just needed to—,”
“Oh, God. Stop, stop. I can’t hear this. Ugh. That’s my mom.”
Another thought crosses my mind, something Riley and I have never discussed, only because I knew the answer since I overheard her talk to her mom in her room that morning. “Not to change the subject, or freak you out, but we haven’t exactly been careful...at all, actually. I’ve never even worn a condom with you.”
At first, her mouth falls open, and she looks horrified, but then she smiles shyly. “No, we haven’t, but I’m on the pill, and I take it religiously every night before bed. Honestly, I have never even thought about it.”
“That’s good because we aren’t ready for that yet, but know that I see us sharing that moment one day.” I tell her looking her right in the eyes. She sucks in a deep breath as I lower myself to one knee and pull out a velvet box.
“Wha...What are you doing?” she asks stuttering.
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