AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She smiled. “I think you just did.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but you should know,” I said, leaning close and lowering my voice. “I don’t do relationships. Not since—” Not since my last one caused the accident. “I can’t. Not that you’re even looking for that, but whatever happens between us has to be casual. I should have said something before we did anything, but when I’m with you—” I stopped, feeling myself grow hard. “The things I want to do with you.” I shook my head and blew out a breath, attempting to stop the rush of memories, some of which involved a certain pair of lace panties. “By the way, you’re never getting your underwear back.” Rowan gave me as startled look, then giggled. My dick made a valiant effort to push through my scrubs to find her.
“This blanket is stifling today,” she said and fanned her reddening face.
“I’m going to roll this stool away and think about my great-aunt Martha, so I have myself under control before my boss arrives. If you have a saggy uncle, I suggest you do the same.”
She laughed and the weight that had been pressing against my chest lifted, but a slight ache remained. I shoved away from the table, but instead of thinking about my elderly aunt, I pictured Rowan loading everything she owned into the back of Poppy’s hearse and driving away.
Chapter sixteen
Cal
Aiden waved to mefrom a huge booth in the corner of the bar. I squeezed through the crowd and slid onto the bench across from him.
“How’d you snag this?” I asked.
Fridays at Church Street Brews were always packed, but the bar was especially crowded because amateur open mic night started in an hour. Our booth had a decent view of the stage without being in the middle of the crowd.
Aiden spread his arms wide on the bench and stretched. “I brought my crew for happy hour.”
“And none of them wanted to stick around for open mic?”
“A few are still here,” Aiden said, nodding his chin toward a group of men standing near the bar. “I told them to get lost just before you got here.”
“That’s cold man, even for you. There’s plenty of room.”
“For all the women we’ll be inviting to join us,” he said with a smirk. “Don’t worry about my guys. They know the drill. Have acouple rounds on me then get lost. Besides, who’d want to hang out with their boss on a Friday night?”
“Definitely not me,” I said.
A waitress stopped by the table with a full pitcher, a stack of plastic cups, and a can of Liquid Death.
“Thanks, Brandi,” Aiden said with a wink and handed her a twenty. “Feel free to refill the pitcher whenever it’s low and bring another can of that shit.”
“You got it,” she said and hurried off to a nearby table.
“I can start a tab,” I said, reaching for my wallet.
Aiden shook his head. “I already have one.”
“So, you just tip the waitress twenty every time she comes to the table?”
Aiden shrugged. “Her kid has a lot of medical shit. And I guarantee we’ll never have to wait for drinks.”
I shook my head. Typical Aiden. He liked everyone to think he’s a complete dick, but he’d do anything for the guys on his crew, or anyone else who needed help. I leaned back and studied him.
Aiden poured me a beer and slid it across the table. “How’s work going?”
“You wrote those reviews, didn’t you?”
Aiden shrugged. “Thought it might help. I stopped when I saw how much it ticked off Avery. Sorry if I made things worse.”
“Thanks, man,” I said. “It was a good idea, but unless I can get her to take down the others soon, or at least stop posting, Cohen will fire me. He thinks I should sue Avery.”
Aiden rolled his beer in his hands. “If she won’t take them down, you might have to.”
I shook my head. “She’s hurt. I’m sure I can convince her to remove them, eventually.”
