by Emily Minton
Deciding I need to change the subject, I say, “I hope you’re hungry, Sunshine. I made reservations at La Castle.”
The blush leaves her face, and she turns in her seat to look at me. “I really wish you would just call me Emmy.” A frown crosses her face, and I can’t help my confusion.
“Why?”
“Just because,” she answers, without explaining.
“I already told you, you seem like a Sunshine to me. It has nothing to do with what they call you at the club,” I explain, wondering why this is such a big deal to her. “If it bothers you that bad, I won’t call you it anymore. I like it, though.”
She draws in a deep breath before slowly letting it out. “I just want to be Emmy, for this one night at least. If you make it past this, you can call me whatever the hell you want. For tonight, though, just let me be Emmy.”
“Okay, you’re Emmy tonight,” I agree, because I know there is no way this won’t make it past tonight. This girl is going to be mine, and one night isn’t going to be long enough to convince her of that.
She’s quiet as I pull out of her apartment complex, but it’s not a comfortable silence. Instead, I can tell she is using the time to get lost in her head. Not willing to let that happen, I decide to something about it.
“How’s Trey doing?” I ask, hoping she’ll at least want to talk about her brother.
“He’s better, still a little sore. The doctor said the concussion isn’t quite as bad as he first thought. They’re just keeping him tonight to be safe. He gets to come home tomorrow,” she replies, looking out the window. “He isn’t supposed to be alone, though, and I have to work tomorrow night. I’m not sure what we’re going to do.”
Even though I hate the idea of her working at that damn club, I can take care of this problem for her. Later, we can talk about her work. “I can come over and hang out with him.”
Her head turns to me, a look of astonishment on her face. “You’d do that?”
Shrugging, I answer her. “Sure, I haven’t got anything better to do. What time do you have to leave for work?”
“Six thirty,” she whispers, still looking at me. “You don’t really have to do it, if you don’t want. One of his friends offered to come over.”
I can hear the anxiety in her voice, so I dig a little deeper. “You don’t want him alone with another kid.”
She finally relaxes against the back of her seat. “I know they’re technically adults, but sometimes, they act like toddlers when they’re together. I’m worried they may end up doing something that will hurt Trey.”
“Don’t worry about it then. I’ll be there, and I’ll keep them under control.”
A whispered thank you is the only response. After that, the truck goes silent again. This time, I let it go, not wanting to push her away. She’s close to running any second, and I’ve gotta be careful to not give her a reason.
Pulling into the restaurant’s parking lot, I jump out of the truck without saying a word. Making my way to her side, I see her door swing open. “You keep your ass right where it is.”
I hear her let out a little huff but ignore it, continuing to make my way to her. Helping her down from the truck, I say, “I’ll get your door for you from now on.”
“Are you trying to play the gentleman now?” she asks, cocking her brow. “After last night, I didn’t figure you knew how.”
I smile at her, reaching down to run my hand over her ass. “I’m a gentleman now, but when I fuck you, I’m just a man.”
Not giving her time to open her smart mouth, I lead her into the restaurant. While the hostess leads us to a table, all the men’s eyes are glued to Emmy’s ass.
In a way, it makes me proud that she’s mine, for the night at least. It’ll last longer if I have anything to say about it. I like knowing they want what I have. Every man wants a woman on his arm who he can be proud of. At the same time, it makes me jealous as hell. That’s an emotion I’m not sure I’ve ever felt before. I want to cover her up, so they don’t have the image to beat off to later.
As soon as we sit down, the hostess lays the menus in front of us, just before putting a cloth napkin in Emmy’s lap. “The special tonight is Steak au Poivre. The chef recommends pairing it with red Bordeaux from St-Emilion.”
“That sounds good, but give us a few minutes to look over our menus,” I reply before nodding at her to leave. She pours us both a glass of water, and then follows my direction, leaving us to our menus.
Before the hostess is even to the other side of the restaurant, Emmy’s eyes are scanning the menu. She looks up at me biting her bottom lip. “What are you getting?”
“Probably the special. I don’t know what half this stuff is, but I figure anything with the word steak in it is safe,” I admit, laying my menu on the table. “What about you?”
She looks up at me, her teeth nipping at her full bottom lip. “I’m not sure. I… um, everything is crazy expensive here.”
Is that what she is worried about? Looking at prices? “Babe, order whatever you want. If I couldn’t afford this, I wouldn’t have brought you here.”
She leans forward, just enough to give me a glimpse of her tits. “Yeah, but I mean, it’s like crazy expensive here. Some of the dishes are over a hundred dollars. When I said I wanted you to take me somewhere nice, I meant to like the Cheesecake Factory or something.”
I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. Most of the women I’ve been with over the last few years liked my bank account more then they liked me. The fact that she’s concerned about how much her meal costs proves she’s worth the trouble I’m sure she will cause me.
“Next time, I’ll take you to the Cheesecake Factory, so live it up while you can.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, still chewing on her bottom lip.
“If my wallet was hurting, you think I would have ordered so many cinnamon twists last night?”
She laughs, finally relaxing. “I’m just not used to places like this.”
She’s been supporting Trey, so I’m sure the only restaurants they’ve been probably have a drive-thru or an all you can eat buffet. She’s probably not been to a place like this in a long time, if ever. She may not have had this shit in a long time, but she’ll get it when she is with me. Knowing I have to help her out, I pull the menu away from her.
“I’ll take care of it,” I reply, setting the menus at the edge of the table, letting our waiter know we are ready to order.
She cocks her head to the side in confusion. “What do you mean?”
With perfect timing, a waitress walks up to take our order. “Do you know what you’d like to order?”
“We’re going to order a few dishes to share. We want the special, but not the wine. We’ll also have the stuffed chicken, the steamed mussels, and grilled sea bass.” Looking over to Emmy, I ask, “What do you want to drink?”
“I’ll take the Pinot Noir,” she answers with a smile on her face.
“And, I’ll take a beer. It doesn’t matter what kind, as long as it’s domestic,” I say, not wanting her to bring me any of that fancy ass shit.
“Yes, sir.” She smiles at me, in a way that lets me know she’d be happy if I tossed Emmy out the door and took her home instead. She’s out of luck. With Emmy sitting across from me, everyone else is not even a blip on my radar.
She just stands there, staring at me, until Emmy clears her throat. “That’ll be all.”
“Oh,” the waitress mutters, turning and rushing toward the kitchen.
“Does that happen to you all the time?” she asks, looking a bit pissed.
I attempt to keep a straight face. “Does what happen?”
Her eyes narrow as she leans her head to the side. “I know you’re not blind, so you had to have seen the waitress panting over you.”
I smile at the fact that she’s jealous. “She knows who I am. That’s the only reason she was acting like that. If I weren’t Kane “Knock Out” Travis, she wouldn’t hav
e even noticed me.”
It’s not exactly the truth, but then again, it is. Women have always come on to me. I’ve never had to beg for pussy. Still, since I started fighting, they fall all over themselves to get close to my dick. I’m not stupid enough to think it’s me they want and not my name.
Understanding hits her green eyes before she blinks and changes the subject. “Why did you order so much food? Even with your appetite, there’s no way we’re going to be able to eat all that stuff.”
“I wanted to give you a chance to try a little bit of everything. Hopefully, you’ll like something. If not, we can do another late night Taco Bell run.” I think we may have to stop for more cinnamon twists, anyway.
“It all sounds really good.” She’s fidgeting in her seat, her eyes scanning the restaurant. When they land on the back hall, she looks at me. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”
With that, she stands up and all but runs toward the bathroom. What the hell did I do now?
Chapter Nine
Emmy
Ihurry to the bathroom, needing to breathe for a minute. I rush in, slamming the door behind me, needing to think without his intense gaze on me. Walking over to the sink, I consider how Kane affects me like no other guy ever has. He makes me want to drop my walls, which is something I’ve never considered before.
I look into the bathroom mirror, wondering what the hell he sees in me. Questioning myself, I look at my reflection.
What the hell does he want with me? I’m just a stripper he found at the club, not someone a guy like him needs. Am I just a momentary distraction or a fun time he can brag to his friends about? When it’s over, will I be the pathetic girl left behind?
While I’m still staring at myself, the door opens and a gorgeous brunette walks in. She walks straight to me, looking me up and down. She smiles at me then stops just a foot away from me. “You’re the girl sitting with Kane, right?”
“Yes, I am.” I nod, already having a good idea where this conversation is heading.
“You must be the new girl. I swear that boy has ADD with women. I haven’t seen a girl last more than a week.” She giggles, stepping to the mirror beside me and reapplying her lipstick.
Her comment cuts me to the quick. I can feel my eyes start to well with disappointment, but do my best to hide it. “Guess I’m the new flavor of the week. That would probably make you one of the old girls?” I arch my eyebrow at her, trying to play it cool, like I don’t care, like I already know the score.
Her eyes narrow at me before a smile crosses her face. “Oh, sweetie, you didn’t think he was going to settle down with you?” she asks, pausing to study me. “Oh my God, you did.”
She lets out a little laugh before sticking her lipstick back in her purse. “Let me give you some advice, babe. You can’t tame a wild stallion, and that boy is as wild as they come.”
“Whatever,” I mumble, not wanting her to see how much her words are affecting me.
“The sex is fantastic, though, so take what you can get before he moves on.” She winks at me then leaves, letting the door slam with a bang.
Grabbing the sink, I let my head fall to my chin. Just a few minutes ago, I was considering letting him in. How could I have let him fool me into thinking he was different? I believed him when he said he wasn’t like the guys at the club. When he offered to take care of Trey, I let myself believe it was a sign.
Now, I’m stuck in this stupid ass restaurant, hiding behind the bathroom door. Sitting on the other side of the door is the man who made me think life could be different. Seems he’s just like all the other assholes at the club. I shake my head at my own stupidity, realizing I’ve become one of the girls I hate.
I stand here in shock, tears filling my eyes. What the hell am I supposed to do now? Before I can make my decision, the door opens once more and Kane is standing there. My eyes narrow at him. “What the hell are you doing in here?”
He doesn’t reply. Instead, he studies my face, instantly noticing that something is up. “What’s wrong? Is it Trey? Did the hospital call?”
I shake my head, taking a step back. “Just a taste of reality.”
“What the hell?” he mutters, walking toward me.
I try to push past him, but he stops me, wrapping his hand around my arm. “You’re gonna tell me what the hell’s wrong with you.”
I pull away, trying to maneuver myself around him. “Don’t touch me. You aren’t even supposed to be in here.”
He grabs my arm again, leading me into the handicap stall. As soon as the stall door closes, he demands, “Spill.”
I cross my arms in defiance, trying to stop my tears. “I’m not telling you anything.”
“I’m prepared to spend all damn night in here, if that’s what it takes to get you to tell me why you have tears in your eyes.” He mimics my arms, leaning against the door in an attempt to block my escape.
My anger takes over, and I shove him in the chest. “I just had a run in with one of your many conquests. She warned me how you throw girls away like trash.”
“What the hell?” he mumbles again, grabbing my wrists.
Not giving him a chance to say anything else, I lay into him. “You must bring all your whores here, for them to know I’m the new girl.”
“You need to calm down and listen to me.” He tries to pull me closer.
Not willing to listen, I jerk away from him. “I can’t believe I fell for the bullshit you were spewing. I actually started thinking about giving you a chance, started wondering what it would be like to have a man by my side.”
He catches my hands, spinning me around so my back is now pressed against his front. His hands are holding my wrists, and my arms are crossed over my chest. He has me completely imprisoned. “Let me go.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about. The only woman I have ever brought here before is my mother,” he shouts, tightening his arms. “If they thought I was fucking my own mother, they have to be one messed up son of a bitch.”
Part of my anger starts to slide away but not quite all of it. “She said you were a great lay, so I should keep you around as long as I can.”
He relaxes his hold just a bit. “Was she a brunette with an overdone boob job?”
“I didn’t notice her tits, but she was a brunette,” I confirm, my anger snapping back in place at the thought of him noticing another girl’s boobs.
“Her name is Sarah. She’s a model, or at least she likes to call herself one.” He takes a deep breath. “My manager set us up for a charity event last year, and yes, I slept with her, but that was a long time before I met you. I didn’t go back for seconds, and I never will. It pissed her off, and she took that anger out on you.”
I’m not really happy about the fact that he screwed her, but I do like the fact that he fessed up to it. “How about the rest of the stuff she said? Do any of your women last more than a week?”
“No, none of them have,” he admits, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “But, none of them were you.”
“Oh,” I moan out as his hand slips over my breast.
“Nothing I have told you is bullshit. Don’t ask me why, but your bitchy ass turns me on. I want you, Emmy, just you.” He places a kiss on my neck.
A wave of heat crashes through my body, causing me to press closer to him. “Just me?”
“Just you, baby.” His free arm crosses over my chest, holding my arms in place, while the hand that was covering my breast trails down my side. “I am going to show you, you’re mine. Then, we’re going to go out there and eat all the expensive food I just ordered and pretend this never happened.”
His hand dips under my dress, quickly finding my bare pussy. “No panties. That’s my girl.”
His fingers tease my clit before dipping into my pussy, stroking me hard and deep. I let out a little mewl, and he whispers, “Do you like that, baby?”
“Yes,” I murmur, spreading my legs to give him better access.
His teeth beg
in to slowly nip at the skin behind my ear. “You are mine, Emmy. After tonight, you won’t be able to question that fact again.”
His thumb presses down onto my clit, while his fingers push deeper into me. “I’m going to own every inch of you.”
“Please,” I beg, not quite sure what I’m asking for.
Harder, deeper, faster, he slides his fingers in and out of me. “Do you want to be mine, baby? Not just for tonight, for a long damn time.”
“Yes, I’m yours,” I scream as he pinches my clit. My orgasm slams through me, nearly bringing me to my knees. Only his strength keeps me standing. “Oh...”
He releases me, and I stumble forward. His hand catches mine as he holds me up. “Don’t fall, Emmy.”
“I’m okay.” Straightening my disheveled dress, I try to smooth out my hair before looking up to meet his bright blue eyes. “It was all bullshit?”
His hands cup my face as he stares down into my eyes. “You need to understand that there will be jealous bitches saying stuff to you. They’ll try to get in between us, using every trick in the book.”
“I think I figured that out already.” I replay the brunette’s comments through my head.
“I may be a lot of things, Emmy, but I’m not a liar. If I didn’t want you, or only wanted sex, I’d just tell you that.”
“Okay,” I reply, listening to his every word.
“Do I want you again? Hell yes. In fact, I plan on fucking you a hell of a lot, but I want everything else, too. I want to try this relationship. It may not work, but I think you’re worth the effort to give it a try,” he says, placing a kiss on my lips.
My mind eases at his reassurance. I lean in, deepening the kiss, hoping that he realizes how sorry I am for blowing up. Pulling back, I give him my apology. “I should’ve never let that girl get into my head. I really shouldn’t have acted the way did. I’m sorry.”
Brushing his lips over mine once more, he says, “It’s okay. Like I said, you’re worth the effort.”
Realizing he’s right, a smile creeps across my lips. I need to accept that, in life, there are no guarantees, but if I never take risks, I will never gain anything. I need to step off the edge and take a risk. I’m ready to take that step with Kane, ready to give him a chance to prove me wrong, and give myself the chance to be happy. Hopefully, he doesn’t let me fall.