Read Online In Your Wildest Dreams by Toni Blake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Toni Blake
Tags: Contemporary
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in and made her struggle against his tightening grip. Bad move. He anchored one arm around her waist and used his free hand to latch onto her chin, turning her face up to his. "I don't know why you're trying to get away from me, sweetheart—maybe you're new at this, I don't know. But I don't like being teased, so I suggest you be a good girl and give me what I want."
This was bad. Really bad. Her stomach lurched and her skin prickled. And in the midst of her personal terror, another ugly vision blinked through her brain. Tina, in the same situation. If you were an escort, what happened if , you changed your mind? What were your options? Did anyone care?
As the letch reached down toward the hem of her short dress, she batted his hand away, hard. "Get off me right now, you jerk!" she said through clenched teeth. Adrenaline made her stronger as she pressed her hands against his chest in an attempt to free herself, but the arm locked around her still didn't budge.
So she clawed her fingernails deep. "Hey!" he snarled, leaning back but still not releasing her.
Next, she would go for his eyes. "Lady said no, asshole."
The deep, commanding voice stunned her until she looked up to find a muscular man standing outside one open French door, arms crossed.
The bartender.
Jake watched as Cummings loosened his grip on Stephanie Grant to look at him, bothered when the shit-head didn't turn her loose completely. "What the hell business is it of yours? I suggest you go inside and mind your own business."
Jake held his ground, but narrowed his gaze on the slimy bastard. "Can't do that. / suggest you let her go."
When Cummings hesitated, Jake flexed one fist—a warning. At this, Cummings finally released her from his grasp, but appeared almost as angry as Jake felt. "She does this for a living, pal."
That's what you think. He couldn't help flitting his gaze quickly to Stephanie before looking back to Cummings.
Finally, the asshole stepped away from her, so Jake stood aside, leaving the man a clear path through the open door.
"You just lost your fucking job, pal!" he said, wagging a finger in Jake's face.
Jake reached up and caught it, like capturing a fly in his hand. "You get on outta here and maybe the lady won't file assault charges."
Cummings laughed. "Like anybody's gonna believe a whore." But at least he made the stinging comment his exit line, departing back into the glitz and soft jazz that did such a good job of covering the ugly reason why everyone was there.
Jake walked from the light streaming out the door into the shadows where Stephanie stood. "You all right, chère?"
"Yeah, fine." She was lying. Eighty damn degrees out here and she was shivering.
Instinct made him want to hold her, attempt to comfort her, but it was the wrong move. Women didn't like to be touched by strange men right after something like this. And best he keep his hands off this one anyway.
Even so, his gut stayed all pinched up. She was a damn stupid woman, but her blind stupidity hadn't stopped the inexplicable fear that had raced through him when he'd opened that door. Never mind that this wasn't his business and he shouldn't give a damn. Never mind that if Cummings really went to the top brass, over and above his easygoing boss, Danny, he might have just jeopardized the easy gig he had here.
He crossed his arms again and leaned back against the railing next to her. "You see my point now, no?"
The question earned him a sneer.
Good. Would be best if she was mad at him. "You can't handle this, Stephanie Grant. Now you best get on home to Chicago, back to your neat little life up there, and forget all about this place."
She stared blankly through the mullioned glass, the old panes distorting the colors and shapes inside. "I wish I could."
"Well, you can sure as hell try. And the sooner the better, you ask me."
She whipped her gaze to him, her ire suddenly returned. "I didn't ask you, and I meant I wish I could go home, not
This was bad. Really bad. Her stomach lurched and her skin prickled. And in the midst of her personal terror, another ugly vision blinked through her brain. Tina, in the same situation. If you were an escort, what happened if , you changed your mind? What were your options? Did anyone care?
As the letch reached down toward the hem of her short dress, she batted his hand away, hard. "Get off me right now, you jerk!" she said through clenched teeth. Adrenaline made her stronger as she pressed her hands against his chest in an attempt to free herself, but the arm locked around her still didn't budge.
So she clawed her fingernails deep. "Hey!" he snarled, leaning back but still not releasing her.
Next, she would go for his eyes. "Lady said no, asshole."
The deep, commanding voice stunned her until she looked up to find a muscular man standing outside one open French door, arms crossed.
The bartender.
Jake watched as Cummings loosened his grip on Stephanie Grant to look at him, bothered when the shit-head didn't turn her loose completely. "What the hell business is it of yours? I suggest you go inside and mind your own business."
Jake held his ground, but narrowed his gaze on the slimy bastard. "Can't do that. / suggest you let her go."
When Cummings hesitated, Jake flexed one fist—a warning. At this, Cummings finally released her from his grasp, but appeared almost as angry as Jake felt. "She does this for a living, pal."
That's what you think. He couldn't help flitting his gaze quickly to Stephanie before looking back to Cummings.
Finally, the asshole stepped away from her, so Jake stood aside, leaving the man a clear path through the open door.
"You just lost your fucking job, pal!" he said, wagging a finger in Jake's face.
Jake reached up and caught it, like capturing a fly in his hand. "You get on outta here and maybe the lady won't file assault charges."
Cummings laughed. "Like anybody's gonna believe a whore." But at least he made the stinging comment his exit line, departing back into the glitz and soft jazz that did such a good job of covering the ugly reason why everyone was there.
Jake walked from the light streaming out the door into the shadows where Stephanie stood. "You all right, chère?"
"Yeah, fine." She was lying. Eighty damn degrees out here and she was shivering.
Instinct made him want to hold her, attempt to comfort her, but it was the wrong move. Women didn't like to be touched by strange men right after something like this. And best he keep his hands off this one anyway.
Even so, his gut stayed all pinched up. She was a damn stupid woman, but her blind stupidity hadn't stopped the inexplicable fear that had raced through him when he'd opened that door. Never mind that this wasn't his business and he shouldn't give a damn. Never mind that if Cummings really went to the top brass, over and above his easygoing boss, Danny, he might have just jeopardized the easy gig he had here.
He crossed his arms again and leaned back against the railing next to her. "You see my point now, no?"
The question earned him a sneer.
Good. Would be best if she was mad at him. "You can't handle this, Stephanie Grant. Now you best get on home to Chicago, back to your neat little life up there, and forget all about this place."
She stared blankly through the mullioned glass, the old panes distorting the colors and shapes inside. "I wish I could."
"Well, you can sure as hell try. And the sooner the better, you ask me."
She whipped her gaze to him, her ire suddenly returned. "I didn't ask you, and I meant I wish I could go home, not
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