Read Online Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: K.A. Tucker
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friend,
Kacey. For the bartender position?”
My gut tenses as those dark irises turn to
appraise me but it only lasts for half a second. He bolts out of
his chair and strides around the desk, extending his hand with a
professional air. “Hi Kacey. I’m Cain, the owner of Penny’s.
Pleased to meet you.”
And here’s where my little phobia makes life
so damn awkward. I can’t get around shaking the boss’s hand when he
offers it to me. Not unless I tear out of here right now but then
I’m out of a job. One I’m not sure I want, but a job nonetheless.
My only real choice is to grit my teeth and hope I don’t pass out
from an anxiety attack when his fingers curl around my own, shoving
me back into that dark place I keep trying to crawl out from.
I look at him, I look at his hand, I look at
Storm. But most of all, I hear Livie’s voice saying try.
I reach out …
Black spots fill my vision as his bones and
muscles and gristle wrap around my hand and squeezes. My other hand
blindly paws the air for support and I make contact with Storm’s
elbow. I grab onto it. I’m going to pass out. I’m going to keel
over right here on this floor and do the funky chicken like an
idiot. Nate the gargantuan will drag me out while Cain hollers,
“thanks, but no thanks, nut job” and then I’ll be back to Starbucks
and Livie will have to eat cat food and …
“Storm’s told me a lot about you.”
With a start, I realize Cain has let go of my
hand. My lungs deflate. “Has she now?” I say in a shaky voice,
stealing a glance at Storm
He smiles warmly. “Yes. She said you’ve
helped her out a lot. You’re smart and you’re in need of a job.
You’re stunningly beautiful. I can see that now, firsthand.”
I choke, my tongue disappearing into the back
of my throat.
“Have you ever worked in an adult
establishment?”
“Uh … no … sir,” I answer and silently pray
to God that Storm hasn’t told him otherwise. I don’t know why, but
I find suddenly that I want to impress Cain. He carries an
authoritative air to him, like he’s much older and wiser than his
appearance suggests, like he’s a caring human rather than
unscrupulous strip club owner.
My answer doesn’t seem to bother him. “One of
my bartenders is pregnant. She and I both agree that a gentleman’s
club isn’t the best place for her so … how many nights can you
commit to?”
I look at Storm and shrug. “All of them?”
Cain’s head tips back as he laughs
whole-heartedly, revealing a tattoo beneath his left ear. It reads,
’Penny.’ She must be someone special if he named his club after her
and tattooed her name on himself. “Don’t sign your life away,
Sweetheart. Five or six nights will do.” His eyes skim my arms now,
skittering over the white scar snaking down the outside of my
shoulder, and I silently chastise myself for not covering them.
They probably frown upon disfigured women working in adult clubs.
“You have a fighter’s body,” he says instead.
“No fighting. Just staying fit,” I answer
quickly.
He nods slowly. That seems to impress him.
“Good. I like a woman who can take care of herself.” He settles
behind his desk again, saying, “you’ll train Kacey, right,
Storm?”
Storm is grinning ear to ear. “Yes,
Cain.”
He looks up at her again, and I see the look
for what it truly is. Adoration, not lusty animalism. Like he
worships her. I wonder if they’ve slept together. I wonder if he
sleeps with all his staff. I’m sure he could if he wanted to. Will
he try to sleep with me? I don’t have time to think about it
anymore because Storm leads me out the door in a daze.
“Come on. We’re opening soon. I need to get
you comfortable.”
***
The night goes by in a blur. Storm and I work
the main bar together—Storm on the more complicated drinks, me on
beer and straight shots while she teaches me the basics. The place
is nothing like I expected. It’s huge and three stories high in the
center with a low
Kacey. For the bartender position?”
My gut tenses as those dark irises turn to
appraise me but it only lasts for half a second. He bolts out of
his chair and strides around the desk, extending his hand with a
professional air. “Hi Kacey. I’m Cain, the owner of Penny’s.
Pleased to meet you.”
And here’s where my little phobia makes life
so damn awkward. I can’t get around shaking the boss’s hand when he
offers it to me. Not unless I tear out of here right now but then
I’m out of a job. One I’m not sure I want, but a job nonetheless.
My only real choice is to grit my teeth and hope I don’t pass out
from an anxiety attack when his fingers curl around my own, shoving
me back into that dark place I keep trying to crawl out from.
I look at him, I look at his hand, I look at
Storm. But most of all, I hear Livie’s voice saying try.
I reach out …
Black spots fill my vision as his bones and
muscles and gristle wrap around my hand and squeezes. My other hand
blindly paws the air for support and I make contact with Storm’s
elbow. I grab onto it. I’m going to pass out. I’m going to keel
over right here on this floor and do the funky chicken like an
idiot. Nate the gargantuan will drag me out while Cain hollers,
“thanks, but no thanks, nut job” and then I’ll be back to Starbucks
and Livie will have to eat cat food and …
“Storm’s told me a lot about you.”
With a start, I realize Cain has let go of my
hand. My lungs deflate. “Has she now?” I say in a shaky voice,
stealing a glance at Storm
He smiles warmly. “Yes. She said you’ve
helped her out a lot. You’re smart and you’re in need of a job.
You’re stunningly beautiful. I can see that now, firsthand.”
I choke, my tongue disappearing into the back
of my throat.
“Have you ever worked in an adult
establishment?”
“Uh … no … sir,” I answer and silently pray
to God that Storm hasn’t told him otherwise. I don’t know why, but
I find suddenly that I want to impress Cain. He carries an
authoritative air to him, like he’s much older and wiser than his
appearance suggests, like he’s a caring human rather than
unscrupulous strip club owner.
My answer doesn’t seem to bother him. “One of
my bartenders is pregnant. She and I both agree that a gentleman’s
club isn’t the best place for her so … how many nights can you
commit to?”
I look at Storm and shrug. “All of them?”
Cain’s head tips back as he laughs
whole-heartedly, revealing a tattoo beneath his left ear. It reads,
’Penny.’ She must be someone special if he named his club after her
and tattooed her name on himself. “Don’t sign your life away,
Sweetheart. Five or six nights will do.” His eyes skim my arms now,
skittering over the white scar snaking down the outside of my
shoulder, and I silently chastise myself for not covering them.
They probably frown upon disfigured women working in adult clubs.
“You have a fighter’s body,” he says instead.
“No fighting. Just staying fit,” I answer
quickly.
He nods slowly. That seems to impress him.
“Good. I like a woman who can take care of herself.” He settles
behind his desk again, saying, “you’ll train Kacey, right,
Storm?”
Storm is grinning ear to ear. “Yes,
Cain.”
He looks up at her again, and I see the look
for what it truly is. Adoration, not lusty animalism. Like he
worships her. I wonder if they’ve slept together. I wonder if he
sleeps with all his staff. I’m sure he could if he wanted to. Will
he try to sleep with me? I don’t have time to think about it
anymore because Storm leads me out the door in a daze.
“Come on. We’re opening soon. I need to get
you comfortable.”
***
The night goes by in a blur. Storm and I work
the main bar together—Storm on the more complicated drinks, me on
beer and straight shots while she teaches me the basics. The place
is nothing like I expected. It’s huge and three stories high in the
center with a low
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