Frank loudly boasts, “That tight little piece of ass, Abby, is back in town. Can’t wait to tap that.”
Did he read my mind?
Maybe lucky number seven is saving itself to keep me from killing this bastard. I take a deep breath and stretch my neck to one side and then the other, grab the whiskey and slam it in one mouthful.
“Don’t talk about her like that, Frank.”
“Now you’re up in mypersonalbusiness?” Frank leans back to get a better look at me.
“Just reminding you to treat women with respect.”
Frank slides off his barstool and comes at me. The bartender grabs a shotgun from under the bar, pointing it at both of us. “You two hotheads better take this outside.”
I hold my hands up. “I’m done here. You can stay, Frank.”
“Heading out the back door of the bar, I sulk across the alley to the parking lot.
The click of a door behind me causes me to check over my shoulder that it’s not Frank. It’s not.
It’s Abby, and she’s looking at her cell phone, not even noticing me.
“Hello, Abby.” I pause beside my truck, considering how to regroup.
“Hey, Barrett.” She stops and glances at her car which is just past me. “Don’t get your hopes up. I’m just heading home.”
“You need to be careful in the alley. You never know who might be out here.”
“It’s you, and it’s broad daylight. I’m good.”
“Hold on. I didn’t mean to come across wrong, but could we talk?”
“I’m not in the mood to talk. It’s been a long morning. My feet are tired. All I want to do is get home and relax.”
I’m about to offer to help when my brain stops my mouth from saying something stupid. What the fuck am I gonna offer? Rub her feet? That’s pretty intimate. Draw her a warm bath? Get her naked? Those won’t win points. Get her pregnant? Even worse.
My pause is enough for her to say, “Look, Barrett, you’re a nice guy. You’re even attractive. Which is why, once you left, I asked myself why you’re wasting your time on me. I’m too young and foolish for someone like you.”
“That’s not how I see it.”
“I do. You’re a driven and successful guy in his mid-twenties who’s built up a million-dollar ranch. I had big plans to get a degree, hire on with a huge company, and be the boss over abunch of people. Turns out I don’t really like corporate America. I need something simpler. But I don’t know what that is. It’s just not the crappy-ass little apartment I’m renting in the town I’ve always wanted to escape. I’ve got resumés everywhere, and as soon as someone bites, I’m out of here. You need somebody who has their shit together. You’ve got your cattle farm on the huge spread and you’re the best horse trainer in town. You can have your pick of women—”
“Isn’t that interesting? I picked you. For someone who didn’t want to talk, you sure are running your mouth.”
If she has that much energy, I’d love to put her lips to work on my cock.
“Yeah, but I’m not a one-night-stand kind of girl.”
“What the hell, Abby? Do you have so many words, you have to put some in my mouth?” I’m dying to bend her over my knee and spank her for making things up about me.
She puts her hands on her hips. “I know how guys are.”
“I told you that’s not the way I meant it.” I take a step in her direction, but she holds her hand up.
“You know what? I don’t need to get to my car.”
I lean against my truck bed. “I’m not stopping you.”
“It’s okay, I’d rather unwind at the bar for a minute.” She spins on her heels.
