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“Why are you working here?” was his next question, surprising the heck out of her. That wasn’t what she expected. Relaxing a bit, she gave him a sad smile.

“I need to earn some money quickly.”

“For what?”

Boy, what was it with this guy? He needed her life story?

“Hey, Jazzy,” called one of the drunk guys at the table next to them, “bring that sweet body of yours over here. I need another drink.” He held up his glass and leaned back in his chair, leering at Lily’s backside.

She blushed furiously. It was bad enough when guys like him talked to her like that, but having Aiden hear it made it all that much more difficult for some reason.

The bouncer in the corner shook his head slightly at Lily as he approached the men. She knew he’d put them in a cab and send them on their way. They weren’t in any shape to drink anymore tonight.

“For what, Lily? What do you need money for?” Aiden asked again, more insistently this time.

Since the place was clearing out for the night and her manager had gone in the back, she leaned a hip against the chair next to him and dropped her tray to her side.

“I got in a little over my head and have to get out of it.”

His brow raised. “Over your head? With what? Gambling? Not drugs,” he said, looking her up and down, and she laughed at that. She was so clean she didn’t even drink most of the time.

“No. I ... it’s stupid.” She looked away from him. Talking about her failures wasn’t easy.

He didn’t respond. Just looked at her and waited, like he expected her to answer. She sighed.

“I own a business designing custom meals based on the client’s individual nutritional needs. I’m good at what I do, but apparently, I don’t have a real head for business. When I created my business plan, I underestimated a few things and I ran out of seed money six months earlier than I’d hoped to. I have a loan on the van I use to deliver the meals. If I don’t work here, I’ll lose the van and lose my business, even though I know I’m close to making it work. I just need six more months and working here can get me that.”

She’d started out simply reciting the facts to him, but by the end of her little diatribe, she could hear the conviction in her own voice. She believed in herself, and she wanted other people to believe in her, too. It didn’t seem to matter that she didn’t know this man. She didn’t want him thinking badly of her. Thinking she couldn’t succeed at whatever she set her mind to.

He frowned at her, and she couldn’t even begin to imagine what this man wanted. Why on earth would he care why she was working here?

“You shouldn’t be working here. You’re not like these other girls,” he said, his tone clipped and impatient.

“Hey!” she said. “My best friend works here and has for years. She makes a damn good living and she’s good at what she does. Besides, I don’t know of anywhere else that I can earn three to four hundred dollars a shift, even though I suck at waiting tables. I wouldn’t make a quarter of that at a regular waitressing job.”

She opened her mouth to continue her tirade, but he cut her off, eyes boring into her.

“I’ll give you the money. What do you need to cover six months?”

“What?” she asked before his meaning dawned on her and she stepped away from the table. “You can’t buy me! Whatever it is you’re hoping I’ll do for you, I’m not for sale, Mr. Kyle.”

“Aiden,” he said calmly as one of the bouncers walked up behind her.

“Everything all right here, Jazz?” the bouncer asked.

She nodded over her shoulder at him, the red flush she was becoming used to creeping onto her face again. Her manager had walked out of the back and was eyeing her suspiciously as well.

“Everything’s fine. Thank you,” she said to the bouncer then lowered her head.

“I have to go,” she said, not meeting Aiden’s eyes. She’d never been more humiliated in her life. She thought she’d been prepared for the possibility of people offering her sex for money when she took this job, but it was more of a blow than she’d realized it would be.

Chapter Four

Aiden waited by his car until Lily came out of the club an hour later. He was beat and only wanted to go home, but he’d offended the hell out of this poor woman. He could see that now, and that hadn’t been his intention at all. He couldn’t leave without telling her he was sorry.Shoot. Now he was one ofthoseguys. The creepy guys who hung out and tried to push themselves on the girls at the club after hours.

He’d half expected one of the bouncers to come and try to chase him off, but no one had. They did walk her to the door and he saw her speak to them, shaking her head before heading his way. And, the large man stayed in the doorway, eyeing her as she approached. Well, hell, he couldn’t blame them. He’d do the same thing if he were in their position.

Aiden stood and held his hands out, trying to appease her. “I’m really sorry, Lily. That came out all wrong back there. I wasn’t trying to offer money in exchange foranything.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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