Trick (17 page)

“Are you seriously expecting me to set you up with Ryker?”

“No, of course not,” she says flustered. If Rochelle is flustered, you know an idea is damn crazy. “I mean, that’d be super weird, right?”

“Okay, cool.” I lean back in my chair.

“I mean, like, if he were to ask about me, now that I’m available...”

I stand up and make my way out of the room and this weird-as-hell conversation. “Chelle, I’ve got to get back out there.”

“Fine.” She stomps her stiletto in defeat.

“Oh, and Chelle?” I pause with my hand on the doorknob.

She gives me a look that’s half sullen, half hopeful. “Yep?”

“We’re good, right? I mean, I know it’s gonna take some getting used to, but you’re not going to go screw with Harlow are you? Because I can’t let you do that.”

Rochelle scoffs. “That skinny little twig? No way. She looks like a hair puller, and I love your cock something fierce, Gunner, but I’m not going to go start a fight with some girl who will fuck with my weave. This hair? Not cheap.”

“Don’t I know it,” I say, thinking of all the times I forked over the dough for her beauty treatments.

“Bye, Gunner,” Rochelle says with a little wave.

I should feel a weight lifted walking away from her. It’s what I’ve wanted to do for so long. But I can’t help but feel like a huge tool leaving Rochelle like this. Every time I’d tried to break it off before, she wore me down with her persistence, fast talk, and sexy clothes.

This time is different.

This time, I’m not just leaving her, I’m moving on—to Harlow. I’ve never really felt the pangs of rejection too hard, because I didn’t let people get that close, but the forced smile Rochelle is wearing right now only cements that I’m a total asshole and don’t deserve either one of these women.

But I’m a selfish asshole, and I want Harlow. I want her forever.

And right now, I want her to get off that damn stage and to take her home with me.

I round the corner back into the bar and see her talking with a few of the other girls, surrounded by roughneck, horny dudes.

I sneak up behind her, wrap my arms around her waist, and pull her into my chest. I bury my face in her sweet-smelling hair and kiss her neck, not worried about anyone seeing us together anymore. I taste the sweat on her skin and can’t help but be turned on.

“Hey, stranger. Was wondering if you took off without me,” she says, turning to face me, her expression relieved. I keep my hands locked on her hips and watch a couple of the guys scowl before turning their attention to some of the other dancers.

“Never leaving without you,” I say.

“Good. So, we’re okay?” she says. She smiles at me and for the first time in a long time, I feel like actually
am
okay.

“We’re amazing.”

“And Rochelle?”

I take her hand and squeeze it in mine. “Rochelle and I understand each other.”

“So no rings?”

I cock my head to the side. “No, baby, no rings ever for her and I. And as for you and me...well, I can hope for someday.”

Harlow stands on her tiptoes and presses her mouth to mine.

“I love you,” she says on my lips.

“Harlow Mills, I never stopped loving you.”

I pull back just enough to see a smile creep across her face, and also to see Rochelle slipping out the front door to a waiting cab. I momentarily contemplate going after her, offering to drive her home, but it may just start shit with her all over again. Besides that, some tool in a suit is eyeing Harlow from across the room. I can feel his stare boring into her.

“Come on, let’s go to my office,” I say, pulling her behind me. “Do you have another performance?”

“Nope, I’m finished for the night.”
I close the door behind us, and lead her over to my desk. I sit down on top of it and pull her in between my legs, running my hands up and down her thighs, wondering what kind of panties she’s got under that tiny skirt.

“You want to head out, then?” I pull her earlobe into my mouth and nip at it with my teeth, hoping to entice her to leave with me. To get away from this group of assholes.

“ I do. But not yet,” she says.

“You’re killing me, Harlow.”

“I know.” She reaches up under my t-shirt and runs her palm over my chest, fingers splayed, tracing the contours and driving me fucking crazy. “I just have this rush from performing. I want to stay out a little longer. This night feels amazing! Please,” she coos, while she’s unzipping my pants.

“Fuck me, Harlow. You know I’m going to give you whatever you want, kitten. You want to stay, we’ll stay. I just don’t like the way all those assholes are looking at you.”

“Who cares,” she says. She gives my jeans a tug till they are at my knees. “They all know I’m here with you now.”

I like the sound of that.

“I know, but some of those jerks might not respect that.”

“They will. And if they don’t, I can take care of myself, you know. I did it for the last three years just fine.” Her voice wavers, though, and I feel like the moment is lost between us.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been there with you.”

“You’re here now,” she says. She unbuttons her silky blouse. I run my hands up her stomach, across her chest, then push the shirt off of her shoulders and unhook her black, lace bra.

“That I am,” I moan. I pull at the zipper on the back of her skirt and let the scrap of material fall, finally giving me a peek of what’s underneath. The black lace panties hug her ass in a way that should be illegal. “Let me see these, spin around.” I guide her, with my hands on her hips, in a circle. There’s a keyhole-shaped cutout on the back of them, tied together with a light pink bow. “These...” I swallow. “These are incredibly sexy.
You
are incredibly sexy.”

Harlow turns back to me, hooks her fingers in the sides and slides them down the length of her legs, then steps out of them. The woman of my fucking dreams is standing in front of me in nothing but fishnet knee-highs and high heels. I am not worthy, I know this for sure. I hop up off of the desk and try to pull her into me, but instead, she reaches inside my boxers and grips my dick, which is already throbbing at attention.

“So, I was thinking,” she says, staring up at me as she strokes me. “You’re going to have to back off when it comes to my work. This wasn’t the gig I thought it was going to be tonight, but it’s still a job. I need to get all of the experience I can now so that when I move to New York, I’ll have an entire resume, not just a pipe dream.”

“New York?” I grunt. I’m trying to pay attention, but god, this feels good.

“Yes. That’s my dream, you know that.”

“Mmhmm.”

“I want to make the move soon. And when I do, I hope you’ll come with me. But if you can’t right away, I don’t want you starting stuff with me because you think I’m out sleazing it up. This is just a job, Gunner. A job I love. You just have to trust me.”

“I trust you,” I say. I do. But even if I didn’t, I’d tell the woman anything she wanted to hear right now just to make sure she didn’t stop touching me.

“Promise?” she asks.

“Promise, baby. I promise to always do whatever makes you happy.” God, I mean it.

“Good,” Harlow says. She smiles, then drops to her knees. She takes my dick into her perfect mouth and sucks on me hungrily.

“Oh, Jesus, Harlow, you’re a goddess.”

She takes me deeper into her mouth, while one hand strokes me softly. I knot my fingers into her hair and watch as she bobs back and forth. She lets out a small noise that sounds like a purr and the vibration on my dick drives me crazy.

“I am not going to last long, baby,” I say. I feel like a fifteen-year-old, but the sight of her like this—it’s impossible.

Harlow looks up with those gorgeous blues and locks eyes with me as I pump in and out of her mouth. Her tits bounce and I can see the perfect curve of her ass sticking out. I love that a skimpy pair of fishnets on those long dancer’s legs and a sky-high pair of heels are all that’s covering her body.

“That is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen in my life.”

She keeps her eyes and her mouth on me as she cups my balls and strokes me, then takes her free hand and reaches down to slowly rub her clit.

“You’re going to be the death of me, kitten,” I pant.

Harlow moans as she simultaneously pleasures both of us. I can’t take it anymore.

“I need you,” I say.

I scoop her up and slam her back onto my desk.

“Fuck me,” she murmurs.

“Baby, we may like it rough, but what you and I do is never a fuck. I love you too much for that.” I thrust into her, and know that this is exactly where I belong.

CHAPTER 13

HARLOW

“Well, I guess we could have gone home earlier like you wanted. It looks like the party has died down,” I say. The bar is still busy, but not nearly the flurry of people that were there before Gunner and I snuck off to his office.

“I know you wanted to enjoy the party, but I can’t say I regret the choice to have our own, uh, private soiree.” Gunner’s voice is low and sexy, just like it was when he was telling me how sexy I looked while we had sex on his office desk.

I grin and Gunner wraps a protective arm around me and pulls me close into his side.

“Where you been, little brother?” Ryker yells from behind the bar.

Gunner’s face falls and his body goes stiff. “What are you doing back there, Ry?”

“Jared looked beat. I told him to head out. Figured that was okay since you were here and all.”

Gunner runs his palm across the stubble on his cheeks. “Not cool, dude. You don’t even have a liquor license, I could get in major shit for that.”

“Sorry, bro,” Ryker says, throwing his hands up in surrender.

Gunner sighs. “Whatever, just get out of here. I’ll take care of the drinks. You’re about done, right?”

Ryker pulls his phone out of his back pocket and checks the time. “Hardly, brother, it’s still early!”

Gunner stares back at him. “No, you’re almost done for the night. Bro.”

Ryker glances back and forth between Gunner and I. “You’d think that hitting that fine piece of ass would make you less of a dickhole,” Ryker says.

Gunner wastes no time. He has Ryker by the shirt and is in his face before I blink.

“Gunner, calm down, he was just joking,” I say, pawing at Gunner to let his brother go.

Gunner releases the fist full of shirt, but doesn’t unlock his eyes from Ryker’s. “I said get out of my face. I’ll handle the drinks.”

“Whatever,” Ryker mutters and starts to walk away.

I smooth down Gunner’s t-shirt. “Oh, and Ryker,” Gunner calls. “My register better be to the penny.”

“Fuck off,” Ryker mutters under his breath as he stalks away.

“Gunner,” I say, my voice low and soothing. “You didn’t have to be so upset with him. He’s just having a good time.”

Gunner leaves my side to walk behind the bar, not making eye contact when he answers me.

“Ryker is nothing but trouble. We all are.”

I roll my eyes. “Alright, Exaggeration Hunt.”

“I mean it.” Gunner looks up, his green eyes dark. “This is what I was talking about all the times I tried to warn you about my family. I can’t help that Ryker’s an asshole. I can’t help that I have a mad jealous temper. But I can help that you have to be subjected to it.”

“What? That they try to help out so your staff can leave early? Oh, no!” I give a crazed hand gesture and face and Gunner cracks a smile.

“Just trust me on this one. I used my money to try to better myself. Even if this is just a dive bar, it’s mine. My house is mine. No one can take it. Ryker and the rest of my family are just pissing their shares away.”
Gunner slides an Amaretto Sour toward me and I take a sip through the tiny straw.

“That’s good,” I say, gesturing to the glass. Gunner nods. He takes pride in this place, in his skill, even if he doesn’t like to admit it.

“So,” I say. I pull the cherry out of my cup, and bite it off of the stem. Gunner watches me like I’m going to disappear if he blinks. “When you say that your dad gave you a share of the money from the...indiscretion, how much are you talking about?” It doesn’t matter. I’d take Gunner penniless, it’s strictly curiosity.

He pulls his brows together. His signature sign of not really wanting to talk about something.

“It was...it was a decent amount. I invested my share well, thanks to the help of some people who are a thousand times smarter than I’ll ever be. I made a nice profit and decided, what the hell, I’ll buy this place.”

“Wow. That’s impressive, Gunner. When I left town after...”

“I’m sorry,” he says, as if he’ll never be able to say it enough.

I shake my head. I’m being ridiculous. I’ve got to let the past stay there. What Gunner and I have now is real, and so damn good. “When I left town, you were on the verge of sleeping in your car, Gunner. You’ve really turned your life around. I’m proud of you.”