Slade

“Really,” Cale asks. “Is that why you’re breathing heavy right now and your fists are clenched at your sides?” He studies me from the side. He’s good as f**k at reading me. “You want to rip that guy’s head off right now; especially, now that he keeps getting closer to her as if he’s going to take her home. You’re about to freak the f**k out. Admit it.”

Fucking shit, he’s right.

I jump over the bar, walk up beside her and nod at the douche in front of her. He looks a bit nervous all of a sudden. Yeah, well he should be. “What’s up?” I step in between them, pull her to me by the back of her neck and press my lips against hers, immediately wrapping my hands in the back of her hair.

I kiss her hard; spreading her lips open with my tongue before picking her up and wrapping her legs around my waist. From the corner of my eye, I see the ass**le has gotten the hint and has stepped away.

Smart move, mother f**ker.

She moans softly before pulling her lips away from mine and running her tongue over them. She seems a bit shaken up by my bold move. “Umm . . . wow,” she breathes. “I mean. What are you doing?”

“Kissing you. Isn’t it pretty f**king obvious?” I pull her face close to mine before running my lips up her neck and stopping at her ear. “You like my lips kissing yours, sucking them and owning them. Just remember that.”

I set her down and walk away. I’m heated.

Cale watches me as I make my way past the bar and outside. I need a f**king cigarette right now. The thought of that guy even trying to take her home has my blood boiling. I need to relax before I break something. I’m not used to this kind of jealousy.

Inhaling the cigarette in record time, I make my way back inside and try my best to focus on anything but . . . her. I never once thought a woman could be such a f**king distraction. All I can do is think about taking her in the back and f**king her; making her scream my f**king name. It’s like my body can’t get enough of her. I just have to touch her and taste her. She’s in for it tonight. As soon as I get her ass home, she’s mine.

It’s been three hours since Aspen and Cale have gotten here and it’s almost time for me to get the f**k out of here. I don’t care what Cale says, she is leaving with me. She doesn’t need to hang out here all night while he works. Her friend Kayla left about an hour ago; said she had to leave for work. So, Aspen has been going back and forth between hanging out at the bar with me and Cale and talking to some girls she met while getting a drink earlier.

By the way she keeps looking at me, I can tell she’s just as ready to get out of here as I am.

“You taking off soon?” Cale’s voice causes me to look up from wiping down the bar.

“Yeah.” I toss the towel in the bucket and walk over to the register to see what tabs I need to close out still. “As soon as I close out these two tabs.”

I look up just in time to see Aspen waving the girls off that she’s been hanging out with. She laughs at something one of the girls says and then starts making her way over to us.

Just as she’s about to walk up in front of me, some guy calls her name, stopping her in her tracks.

“Aspen.” The guy has light brown hair, styled in the front and is wearing a black button down shirt with dark jeans. He’s about two inches shorter than me and almost as thick in build, but is clean cut.

There is something about the look on her face that I don’t like. She seems surprised and not happy at all.

She turns around slowly and rubs her hands down the side of her skirt. “Jay. What are you doing here?”

Jay as she called him, walks over to her and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her body against his.

Without thinking, I take a step forward, about to kill this ass**le for putting his hand all over her, but Cale stops me.

“Get the f**k off me, Cale.” I push his hand away, but he just pushes my chest harder. “Back the f**k up. That ass**le is all over her.”

Cale takes a long, deep breath and then exhales. “Yeah well, that ass**le is her boyfriend.”

What the f**k . . .

Chapter Sixteen

Aspen

This cannot be happening right now . . .

Jay leans in and presses his lips against mine while lifting me in the air. Without thinking, I press my hands to his chest and push away from the kiss. This is so unlike me, but he doesn’t even take notice. “Damn, baby,” he moans, while looking down at my br**sts and setting me back down to my feet. “You’re looking sexy today. It kind of makes me regret this last week.”

Kind of? Asshole!

I hear something break from behind the bar before I hear Cale calling out Slade’s name. When I look behind me, Slade is leaning over the register, gripping the counter, all of his veins popping out as his muscles flex. He looks like he’s about to kill someone. I cringe at the thought of Slade being pissed off at me. I have no idea how I’m going to explain this all to him. It’s not what it looks like; not exactly.

Jay looks over at the bar and shakes his head before slipping his hands up my skirt and cupping my ass. I instantly grab his hands and yank them away. I don’t like the idea of him touching me sexually in public. When it comes from him it makes me feel dirty; always has.

“Jay. I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow. Why are you here today?” My heart races at the idea of leaving so quickly. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel ready; not one bit. “Why today?”

Jay flashes me his perfectly charming smile and grabs my chin, causing me to look into his brown eyes. They seem so dull compared to Slade’s. “I’m here to hang out with a few of my boys. They’re going out for a few drinks here soon. Figured I would come a day early and have a little fun of my own here in Chicago. Now that I see how incredibly sexy you look, I think I’ll swing by later tonight, pick you up and bring you home.”

“I . . . you should’ve at least told me. Called or sent a text. Something. What if I had plans?” I can’t help my eyes from landing back on Slade. They can’t seem to focus on anything but.

Jay laughs, bringing my attention back to him. It’s not just a laugh, it’s one of those laughs he does when he’s making fun of me. I’ve grown to hate it. He can be such a prick at times. “What is the fun in that? You know I’m a surprise kind of guy and you have plans? I doubt it. Don’t be stupid, Aspen. You know you never have plans that doesn’t include me and that’s the way it will stay.” He leans in and gives me a quick kiss before backing away. “I gotta go. The guys will be meeting up soon. It’s a good thing I remembered where you said Cale worked at. I love surprising you. I’ll text you in a bit for the address. Be ready when I get there.”