Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Jack shook his head. “I work with idiots.”
An alarm sounded. Jack held up his phone. “It’s seven thirty. What’s it going to be, boys?”
“Vodka,” Ryan said. He looked to me. “Care to join us?”
Jack called the bartender over and ordered another round. I wasn’t a big shot drinker—or a big drinker at all, for that matter—though it felt like it the last two weeks.
But what the heck? I needed to relax. Today had been a day.
“You know what? I think I will join you for one.”
***
Ninety minutes later, I had a buzz going and I was about to knock back a third shot—or maybe it was a fourth—when I felt a presence behind me. The change in Jack and his posse’s demeanor told me who it was, even if I hadn’t already felt it in my bones. They stood a little taller, faces falling sober.
“Gallo.” Jagger nodded. “I hope you’re not being inappropriate with our intern.”
“No, sir.” He shook his head. “We were just cutting loose a bit, that’s all.”
For all of his comments about the boss being a jerk, Jack certainly buckled fast enough in his presence. Though, not to worry, I wasn’t that easy. I glared at the CEO.
He held my eyes for a few seconds. It looked like he was trying to read what was on my mind, but then his attention moved to the bar, where a gaggle of shot glasses sat—a dozen empty and four new, full ones that had just been delivered. He gave me the once-over, stopping to stare at the near-empty drink in my hand before moving to stand next to me, facing the three men head on. “Excuse us, please.”
Jack hesitated, looking between me and the boss.
I shrugged, not exactly bothered by the thought of being alone with this gorgeous man—so I could tell him what a jerk he was. “It’s fine.”
Once it was just me and Jagger, I figured I needed the shot waiting for me on the bar more than ever. So I lifted it to my lips and sucked it back, slamming the glass back down.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. “Why aren’t you upstairs whipping someone or whatever it is you do?”
His brows drew down. “Excuse me?”
I waved my hand. “Whatever. I guess they don’t get to stay the night, huh?”
Jagger’s eyes washed over my face. “How much have you had to drink?”
I wagged my finger at him. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
My gaze slid over him. He was dressed casually, in a cobalt blue T-shirt and jeans, rather than the three-piece suits he seemed to have a penchant for. His hair was slicked back like he’d just gotten out of the shower, the inky ends curling upward, his face now cleanly shaven. I reached out and fingered a lock of hair, not stopping to consider that it was probably inappropriate.
“You look closer to my age when you’re not dressed in a fancy suit.”
“I’m not your age.”
“I know. You’re thirty-two.”
“And you’re only twenty-four.”
“You say it like you’re old enough to be my father. Eight years isn’t that big of a difference.”
“Maybe not in years.”
I rolled my eyes. “I know. I’m a virgin, too. You’re stuck on that.”
“Is that why you came tonight? To change that?”
“Would it bother you if it was?”
Jagger didn’t answer, but the hard flex of his jaw said it all. All of a sudden, a wave of nausea came over me, and I began to sweat. Oh no, I think I’m going to be sick.
“Which way is the ladies’ room?”
He pointed, and my stomach quivered as I made a beeline for the door. Thank the Lord, the place was empty. I locked myself in a stall and crouched in front of the disgusting public toilet. The stench alone could’ve made me dry heave, even if I hadn’t overdone it with shots. Instead, it helped the contents of my stomach come up with a vengeance. I was still gagging when the outer door creaked open and shut. A few seconds later, there was a light knock on the door of the stall.
“Are you okay?”
Jagger. In the ladies’ room.
“You can’t come in here.”
He was quiet for a beat. “Can I get you anything?”
I spit the lingering taste of barf into the toilet bowel. “A reset button would be great, so I can start this night over.”
“Open the door.”
“Why? So you can watch me vomit? No thanks.”
“No, so I can help you up and bring you somewhere that doesn’t have urine stains on the floor around the bowl.”
I leaned back and squinted at the base of the toilet.
Jagger sighed. “Stop looking for them and open the door, Sutton.”
How the hell did he know? I leaned up and flushed the toilet, then pushed to my feet. Jagger stood just outside the door. “Can you walk?”
“Of course I can walk. I only had two drinks and a shot. It must’ve been something I ate.”