Bad Intentions (Bad Love #2)(51)
She hesitates, then finally gives me a nod before heading back inside. I don’t wait around to see Lo’s reaction. When I open the door to my shop, Cam is sitting in his brother’s chair, getting a touch-up on his leg. Cordell lets out a low whistle when he sees me, while Cam smirks, clearly amused. Apparently, he told him about my phone call.
“You can both fuck off.” I walk straight back to the drawing room while I wait for my next client. Not five minutes goes by before I hear the door ding, and Lo’s voice echoes through the shop.
“Where’s Dare?” she almost yells. Shit. She’s angry.
“He’s definitely not back in the drawing room!” Cam yells loudly for my benefit. I’m mentally gearing up for a fight, listing all the reasons she needs to just shut up and accept it when she barges through the door.
“Did you do this?” she demands, thrusting the bag she’s holding in my direction.
“I…no?”
“Don’t lie to me. I can tolerate a lot of things, but liars aren’t one of them.” Her eyes fill with tears, and her bottom lip trembles. Jesus, I knew she’d fight it, but I didn’t know she’d be this upset about it.
“Fine. I bought it, but it doesn’t mean—”
Lo cuts me off, throwing herself at me. Her lips land on mine, and her tongue slips inside, kissing me fiercely. I don’t question the sudden shift. Instead, I lift her onto my desk and kiss her back just as enthusiastically. I dip both hands down the back of her leggings, soaking up her warmth. Feeding off it. She pulls back, eyes still glassy.
“You thought of Jesse,” she says, sniffing.
“He’s important to you,” is all I can think to say. I kiss the single tear that runs down her cheek, and as if a bell sounds, announcing round two, we go at each other again. Lo grips me through my jeans, and I half-chuckle, half-groan.
“I’d have bought you clothes a long time ago if I knew it got you so hot,” I tease.
“Shut up,” she says against my lips. We kiss some more, never taking it further—just kissing and touching and rubbing—before she pulls away, breathless. “I have to get back to work.”
“Have you heard from him?” I ask, cupping the back of her neck, not bothering to specify whom I’m referring to.
“Not a peep. It’s weird. Whatever you guys said to him seems to have worked.”
I nod, pulling her in for another kiss as I squeeze her ass and then give it a slap. “Can I see you later?”
Lo bites her lip and nods. “I’m having a couple drinks with Sutton after my shift, but I’ll stop by after.” She hops off the desk, straightening her ponytail and adjusting her shirt before meeting my eyes again. “Thank you,” she says, gesturing toward the bag on the floor. “I’m going to pay you back for all of it. I promise.”
“Don’t make it a big deal.”
“It is to me.”
* * *
“YOU WERE GONE A WHILE,” Sutton remarks with a knowing look when I come walking back through the door at Blackbear noticeably less upset.
“We talked,” I say, unable to hide my smile.
“Mhm.” She doesn’t believe me for a second.
We’re a girl short today, so Jake asks me to man the bar as well as my tables. We’ve been swamped with tourists since the first snow a couple of days ago, and from what I hear, this is nothing. We’re one of the closest bars that’s not on the mountain, so we’re the first place people see when they’re done. Two guys approach, putting their boards on the rack outside before taking their seats at the bar.
“What can I get you fine gentlemen?” I ask, placing a napkin in front of each one.
“Besides your number?” one asks, earning a punch in the shoulder from the other one.
“Don’t mind him. He busted his ass along with his ego on the mountain, then proceeded to get white girl wasted.”
I laugh, not offended in the least. “So, water for you then,” I joke. “How about some appetizers?” I suggest, thinking it might be a good idea to get something in homeboy’s stomach.
“What do you suggest?” the sober one asks while the drunk one fumbles with his phone.
“Our potato skins are pretty life-changing.”
“Potato skins and a Rebel IPA it is.”
“On it.” I reach for a glass as Jake rounds the corner. He greets the customers with a nod, but when his eyes land on me, he frowns. His eyes are locked on my neck, and I pull my hair out of its tie to cover the love bites Dare left me with.
He doesn’t comment, though, thankfully. I spend the rest of my shift on autopilot. I can’t seem to get Dare out of my mind. At first, I couldn’t believe that he thought it was a good idea to buy me expensive things, knowing everything he does about Eric. I can’t be bought, and I thought I made that clear. But when I saw what it was, I realized the difference. Dare bought those things for me because he knew I’d need them. Because he cared. Eric used to buy me material things—jewelry, electronics, fancy dresses. All frivolous shit that served his own selfish wants and needs.
Dare made Sutton agree not to tell me who it was from. She didn’t, but I knew right away it had to be him. Who else would it be? Once I saw the men’s clothing, I was done for. The fact that he considered Jess in this whole thing had me swallowing a lump in my throat and fighting back tears. Dare is selfless and kind and caring, but he’d rather slam his hand in a door than let anyone know.