Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 132892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“What the hell is going on?” a new woman demanded, pushing her way through the crowd at the door. She was tall, probably mid-thirties and sort of frumpy looking. Big, teased up hair with the claw on the front, straight out of a Whitesnake video. I flinched, my dick softening.
“That’s Maisy Braeburn,” Talia said, her voice deeply satisfied. “This is the good part.”
“Jamie?” Maisy asked suddenly. The stripper’s body flinched, but he held his ground. Maisy puffed up visibly with anger, looking exactly like a Thanksgiving turkey as she stalked toward him. A hand grabbed the phone and it went down, going dark, but you could still hear the audio. Must’ve fallen on the floor. “Jamie Braeburn, you’re going to burn in hell for this!”
Someone started laughing, and then more laughter.
“Get the fuck out, Maisy,” he said. “This has nothing to do with you. Nothing to do with—”
The recording ended, but the laughter kept going. Talia was giggling against me, rubbing up and down my chest with one hand, reaching for my cock with the other.
“Told you it was funny,” she said in my ear before slithering on top of me. Then she gave a little shimmy, and my confused dick hardened right back up again.
Stupid fucking slut of a cock—according to it, a wet hole was a wet hole.
“I’m gonna think of Jamie’s ass while I fuck you,” she whispered, nipping at my neck.
“Fuck off,” I said, pushing her away. She could picture me as Santa Claus if that’s what turned her on, but I needed to maintain some kind of control. Talia rolled to the side, pouting.
“Hey, you’re the one who said we weren’t in a real relationship,” she told me. “So what if I get off on his ass? Either you care or you don’t.”
Time to lay out the rules, I decided. Otherwise this could get out of control fast.
Who are you kidding? It’s been out of control since the beginning, asshole.
“You wanna fuck me, then get your clothes off,” I said harshly. Reaching down, I grabbed my dick through my jeans, giving it a tug while I stared her down. Talia’s eyes flashed with heat. “But if you wanna fuck him, get out.”
“Sorry,” she said, her voice quiet and weak, like a little girl’s. She did that sometimes. Creeped me right the hell out. My dick softened and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snarling. Thankfully, it manned back up when she reached down, pushing my hand out of the way and taking over.
“Is this for me or for her?” Talia asked, that little hint of insecurity back in her eyes, and I knew I had her. For whatever reason, she cared about this relationship in some way. I’d just won a twisted, manipulative fuckbuddy lottery. Maybe I wouldn’t be stuck playing club gigolo as long as I’d thought. Good thing, too—nobody stupider than an unpaid whore, and I’d definitely fallen into that category by now. Probably shot out IQ points every time I came inside her.
“Cooper?” Talia asked, using that same little voice as she unbuttoned my pants.
“All yours, baby,” I told her, wishing it weren’t true. Then I closed my eyes as her fingers gripped me tight.
Suck it up, dickwad. The faster you work your way into the Nighthawks, the faster you can end this. Your brothers are counting on you.
Fuckers.
CHAPTER EIGHT
MONDAY MORNING
TINKER
“Well, I’d say I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life, but that’s a big fat lie. Why do I do stupid shit around men?” I moaned to Carrie, the phone clutched between my ear and shoulder. Where the hell were my keys? I dug through the purse, searching for them. Then my fingers found a rough metal edge. Thank God. A second later I had the shop door unlocked and open.
“We all do stupid shit, but this is a whole new level,” Carrie replied, blunt as ever. “What the hell were you thinking?”
I stepped into the shop, turning the “Closed” sign around automatically.
“My brain shorted out, obviously,” I replied. “I know everyone in Hallies Falls already thinks I’m a whore, but until today I’ve never felt like they were right.”
“Don’t beat yourself up too much,” Carrie said. “Cooper and Talia aren’t even exclusive. Darren and I went to Jack’s Roadhouse on Friday night and she was there making out with some other guy. The situation is trashy, but it’s not like you broke up a marriage or something.”
Trashy. Not a word I liked to associate with myself, but it fit the situation just fine.
“Yeah, I hear you,” I said, sighing. “And much as I’m enjoying my pity party, I need to pull my shit together and move on. I’ve got about a million chocolates to package for the courier and Randi just called to say she needs the morning off, so I’m on my own. Guess she had to take one of her little sisters to the doctor or something.”