Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 13106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 66(@200wpm)___ 52(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 66(@200wpm)___ 52(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
He holds his hand out to me, until I hear a low growl coming from Smoky and then the man pulls his hand back and instead gives me a little wave. What in the world is that? I think to myself.
As if I asked it out loud, the man says, “So Smoky’s claimed you. You’re off limits?” he looks over to Smoky and Smoky nods at him with a glare in his eyes.
“Okay, well, I’m Keeper. It’s nice to meet you, Harper.”
I just look between the two of them, surprised by what’s going on here.
Smoky finally unfolds his arms. “Keep, I need you to teach Harper the basics of tending bar. Nothing fancy, just the basics.”
Keeper walks over and lifts a part of the bar up. “Come on in, then,” he tells me.
I walk behind the bar and Keeper goes through instructions on what I need to be doing. My eyes keep flitting over to Smoky. Instead of talking to his friends or to any number of the women sitting around, he is staring at me as I work.
Nervousness sets in, but I fight it. I remind myself that I need this job and pay close attention to what Keeper is telling me.
An hour goes by and Smoky has finally quit staring at me. He’s now talking to the club president, Sniper. I look around the room and can’t contain my surprise. My father always told me to avoid this club and the men in it, but since I’ve been here, they have all been super nice. Plus, even though Smoky is probably a womanizer, he has been good to me.
I finish serving two beers to men at the end of the bar and then walk back to Keeper. “So, are you married, Keeper?”
I don’t know how, but Smoky hears me over the noise in the room. “It doesn’t matter if he’s married or not, you’re taken,“ he bellows, and all the men turn to look at us.
I just turn my back to him. He’s not going to play me. I keep reminding myself what kind of man he is.
I look up at Keeper questioningly.
He just smirks. But I also see sadness in his eyes. “Nope, not married.”
I turn my head to the side. “Girlfriend?”
He shakes his head. “No girlfriend either.”
When I just keep staring at him, I can tell he gets uncomfortable. “There’s a girl that I like, but, well, it’s not possible for me and her. And I just haven’t found someone since her.”
So there it is. I knew there was a sadness to him. I look over at Smoky and his eyes are on me again. He looks at me with so much understanding and compassion I have to turn away.
Luckily the crowd picks up and I stay busy as I help Keeper work the bar.
5
Smoky
After sitting around at the bar all night and watching Harper work, I finally convince her that it’s time to leave. It wouldn’t take much for me to just take her back to my bedroom here at the clubhouse, but I remind myself that I’m trying to be a gentleman here. The guys loved her and when Avery, Sniper’s ol’ lady, showed up, well they hit it off fast. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I watched her laughing in the corner.
If someone had told me last week that I would be ready to settle down, I would have told them to fuck off. But here I am today, with Harper on the back of my bike, and I’m ready to fully commit to her, make her pregnant, and keep her by my side forever.
I drive faster just thinking about it, causing her to hold on tighter. I pull into the driveway of her house and help her off the bike.
“Okay, well thank you. I’ll see you at work tomorrow,” she says and takes off, walking up the sidewalk.
I follow behind her quickly. “What’s the rush?”
She stops at the door. “Look, Smoky, I appreciate everything you’re trying to do here. I really do. But I’m not interested in well, whatever this is you want.”
She doesn’t look me in the eye as she says it, but I can sense that she’s hurt.
“Why not?” I ask her. I want to wrap my arms around her and hold her close, but I don’t. I can tell if I push her too hard now, she’s going to run.
She looks like she might ignore me, but then she looks at me sadly. “You do know that when I met you yesterday, Kristy was about to come riding your leg. I’m just not interested in getting involved in any of that. I’m trying to save my house right now, no matter if it is falling down around me.”
I look at her house and even in the dark, I can see the falling banister and holes in the porch. I look back at her. I don’t know what to tell her, because she’s right. I have played around, but that’s in my past. That was before her. I cup her chin and lift it, bringing her eyes to mine. I lean in and kiss her forehead and then pull away. “Don’t give up on me yet, Harper.”