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“Don’t let it go to your head.”
He buried his face in her hair and then placed a hot kiss on her neck. She shuddered. He’d held her eyes as she spoke in the hall, looked at her standing there uncertain, and yet determined, looking so fucking sweet in that lilac dress, and thought,Christ, I am so gone.
“Come home with me.”
“A-aren’t you working?”
“Shit!” He’d forgotten he was to take over from Em tonight. “Come with me, and then we’ll go home.”
“I’m tired, Joe.”
“I’ll give you a sugary drink, it’ll pick you up.”
Joe kissed her again, and this time he slid his hand up her thigh under the hem of her dress. She shivered.
“All right, but I know it’s just your way of making me work for you for free.”
“No, it’s my way of not letting you out of my sight.” He kissed her again.
Chapter 25
A.S. was busy, and most people wanted to congratulate Joe on getting the rec center passed.
“Well, if it isn’t little Miss Feisty.”
“Ha,” Bailey said as Luke, Jack, and Fin approached.
“Nice work there, Miss Jones.” Luke kissed her cheek. “I’ve never seen Mary Howard speechless. It’s a moment I’m not likely to forget anytime soon.”
“Thanks, sweet cheeks, for having Joe’s back.” Jack kissed her next. “Don’t tell him I said this, but he’s special to us, and he’s never let us get into it with Mary Howard, but you... well, you just did it right there in the street.”
“Did many people hear?” Bailey looked around, hoping they hadn’t.
“Plenty.” Fin hugged her hard. “And that’s a good thing, Bailey, really. She needed it, and maybe it will have her backing off, but I doubt it. The woman’s full of anger.”
More people arrived, and she was soon talking with the Robbins sisters and Mr. Goldhirsh. After a while, she started moving through the bar collecting glasses and bottles, wanting to help Joe and the staff, as the place was busy. Looking around, Bailey realized she knew so many people in Ryker Falls now, and liked it. Liked that she could walk down the street and people would call out a greeting. Liked that she could talk with friends, real friends, like she’d never had before.
She found Joe behind the bar, his hands moving everywhere while he smiled and listened as people talked at him. As if sensing her, he looked up, their eyes caught and held, and she felt his smile right to her toes.
Deciding she’d take out some of the bottles to the recycle bin, Bailey headed out the back. She’d reached the door when Clark joined her with his hands full of bottles too.
“What are you doing?”
“Hell if I know?”
“Did you just say hell, Clark Munro?” Bailey looked at him, and noted a sparkle in his eye. “How many have you had to drink?”
“Not many, and don’t be a nag, Bays.”
“Bays?”
“The woman who stood up in front of all those people tonight, and again on the street, deserves a nickname.”
“Not you too. I’ve had people talking about that since I arrived.”
“I’m proud of you,” Clark said, then reached around her and opened the door.
A man was standing beside the recycle bin when Bailey reached it. He was doubled over, so she couldn’t see his face. She lowered her bottles inside as she said, “Can I help you?”
