Closer to You (Grindstone Harbor, #1) Read online

  “Horseshit,” Bob says, throwing down his cards. “Pair of tens.”

  “I’ve got nothing,” Jimmy mutters, tossing his to the table as well.

  “Pretty good hand there, kid,” Felix says, straightening in his chair.

  Evan laughs. Reaching forward, he grabs for the pile of chips in the middle of the table. “Told ya, old man, I’m a force to be reckoned with. That hand is unbeatable!”

  “Not so fast, slick. It’s a good hand, but not unbeatable.” Nodding, Felix’s lips quirk up. Arching his brow, he drops his cards down on the table. “Now, a Royal Flush? That’s an unbeatable hand.”

  Pushing to his feet, Felix throws his hands up and shakes his ass in a crazy victory dance. “I whooped your ass. Hey! Suck it up or don’t play. Luck ain’t your friend today. Hey! You’ll lose all your money if I have my say. Hey!”

  “Careful before you break a hip! Hey!” Tage shouts, earning him a middle finger from Felix.

  “No fuckin’ way,” Evan argues, his jaw nearly bouncing off the edge of the table. Releasing his hold on the chips, he grabs Felix’s cards, his eyes widening. “I can’t believe this shit.”

  Felix laughs. Reaching out, he collects his winnings. “Life lessons learned at the poker table every day.” Lacing his fingers, he cracks his knuckles. “You may wanna take notes. Because, that’s how it’s done.”

  “If you were forty years younger, I’d marry you.” Laughing, I press a kiss to Felix’s cheek once he sits back down.

  “Young is an attitude, sweetheart.” He winks, the grin on his face widening. His green eyes soften, reminding me a lot of Tage’s, only Felix’s are much darker. “Say the word and I can pack a bag for Vegas in twenty minutes.”

  “I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.”

  Giving me a wink, he turns his attention back to the table where Jimmy has already begun dealing another hand. Yanking a hair tie from his pocket, Evan pulls his long black strands up, banding them tightly. Cracking his neck side to side, he blows out a deep breath and grabs his cards. “Shit just got real, Old Man River. You’re goin’ down.”

  Tage

  For hours, Bristol’s laughter has filled the bar. I’ve watched as she joins Uncle Felix in his victory dances, both of them mocking Evan while he pouts. My uncle is usually a gloater, but tonight, he is really laying it on thick.

  The majority of my night so far has been spent tending to drink orders, and managing Jodi’s basically abandoned section. Except the poker table. She has taken very good care of them. Every time I look up, that’s where she is. Right up Evan’s ass, leaving me to pick up her slack.

  I don’t remember adding ‘ego stroking’ to the menu...

  After helping Vin clean up the kitchen, and shut it down for the night, I walk out to see Jodi rubbing Evan’s shoulders. His brows are furrowed in concentration as his eyes move from the cards in his hand, to Bob, then my uncle. Shoving the last of his poker chips into the center pile, he hardens his stare. “I’m all in.”

  “Look at you, big spender.” Bracing her elbows on the table, Bristol rests her chin on her hands. “You look pretty sure about this hand, Heavy E. Enough to place a little side bet?”

  “You lookin’ to make it interesting?” he asks, suddenly more interested in her offer than the cards in his hand, or his opponents. “Name the terms.”

  “If you win this hand, I’ll give you back triple the money you lost tonight,” she continues. “I’ll even still cover the bar tab.”

  Evan’s brows raise. Placing his cards face down on the table, he tilts his head, studying her. “And if I lose?” he asks, leaning back in his chair with a cocky grin on his face. “What’s in it for you?”

  “When you lose,” she corrects him. A smile spreads across her face. Evan’s falters. “You cage the beast for the remainder of our time here. No sexual acts of any kind.” Leaning in closer, her smile turns sinister. “That includes fisting the flesh rocket for a little self-lovin’ while watchin’ Flexy Lexy’s greatest hits on Bustanut.com. Just in case that wasn’t clear: If you break our little deal, I get to pick your next tattoo.”

  “Harsh,” I blurt, unable to help the laugh that bursts out.

  “You’re crazy,” Evan argues, shaking his head. “I’m pretty sure it’s dangerous to my health and sanity to deprive my cock for that long. I have needs. Wait a minute... The fuck you mean when I lose?”

  “I don’t know,” Bristol shrugs. “You just don’t seem very confident in yourself anymore, E. Where’s that can of old man whoop ass you were supposed to open? I mean,” shrugging again, she grabs for her drink, downing the last half of it quickly before flashing him a smug smile. “If you don’t think you’ve got this, maybe you should just fold and walk away. You need to think long and hard right now. What would Kenny Rogers do?”

  “Leave The Gambler out of this!” he shouts, defensively. Grabbing his cards, he glares at her. “You’re on. You just made shit personal.”

  “Someone hit a nerve,” I say, stepping behind Bristol. Resting my hand on her shoulder, I flex my fingers, smiling to myself when she leans back further into my touch. “I say call this thing. Let’s see how the cards land.”

  “Ah hell,” Jimmy says, dropping his first. “Pair of deuces. Lost again this week. Good thing my wife plans to kill me for the life insurance instead of puttin’ me in a home.”

  Bob shrugs. “Three of a kind,” he says, tossing down his cards. “Sounds like it’s time to call it a night and finish my beer.”

  Evan smiles. “Straight. Aces high.”

  Unc nods, his face giving nothing away either way. Holding his cards close to his chest, he looks around at each hand already been laid down on the table. “I didn’t expect it to end like this tonight,” he says, shaking his head. “As much as I know good ole’ Kenny would tell me to fold ‘em for the sake of your sex life, I made a promise to a beautiful woman that I can’t break. Sorry, kid.” Shoving to his feet, he slams down his cards. “Full House. Kings over fives!”

  Evan’s face falls. Grabbing Bristol’s hand, Unc yanks her to her feet to join in his victory dance. She wobbles unsteadily. “Whoa,” she slurs, nearly falling against the table. “Standing up that fast was a bad idea,” she giggles. “All the alcohol just went to my head.”

  “Okay, Unc,” I interrupt, reaching out and grabbing her elbow. “How about you do this dance solo?”

  Moving the chair out of my way, I snake an arm around her middle and pull her to me. She stumbles backward, her ass slamming into my dick. Turning in my grasp to face me, she looks up, meeting my eyes. “Rum Runner is a shitty name. Nobody’s runnin’ anywhere after drinking that. I can barely fuckin’ walk,” she says, her words continuing to slur.

  “I’ve got you,” I assure her, tightening my grip.

  Her glazed eyes darken. “My ass is safe in your hands, right?” she breathes.

  “Yeah,” I reply, my eyes dropping to her lips.

  Four inches. That is all I would need to move to brush my lips over hers. Her hands fist in my t-shirt, the warmth of her skin feels so damn good it’s almost too much.

  “Closing time. Theirs is the only check left unpaid,” Jodi says, interrupting us. Stopping beside us, she holds out a slip of paper. “Bob said it’s all on one. Is that right?”

  “Yep,” Bristol says, not taking her eyes from me. Releasing her grip on me with one hand, she yanks a card from her back pocket, holding it out for her. “Add fifty bucks to the total for your tip.”

  “Wow,” Jodi says, in disbelief. “Thanks.” She scurries off to the bar, heading to cash out the tab.

  “That was nice of you,” I say, knowing that no one tips like that around here.

  “Least I could do.” Her lips twitch with amusement. “Now she can buy a giant vibrating dildo since Evan won’t be givin’ it to her for a loooooooong time,” she says loudly enough for all of us left in the bar to hear.

  “My sympathies,” Unc says, patting Evan on the back. “Anot
her life lesson of the game, kid. Never wager more than you’re prepared to lose.”

  Evan’s whole body stiffens. Turning to face us, his eyes widen. “You were serious about that?” he asks, swallowing hard.

  “Yep,” she laughs, popping the ‘p’ dramatically. “Your dick comes in like a wrecking ball. My ears bleeding from listening to that shit is bad for the creative process. No one wants my next song to be about murdering you in your sleep.” Turning to me, she swallows hard. “I think he put his dick through the wall in the front room,” she says, loudly, but covers her mouth as if whispering. “My Nana entertained the pastor of her church, along with his wife, there once a month for lunch.”

  “Pastor Whelan married his first cousin after his first wife left him for his own sister,” Bob says, waving us off. “Strange man, Eugene Whelan. I heard his trips to Thailand aren’t exactly to spread the gospel. If you know what I mean,” he adds, waggling his brows.

  “Missionary my frisky white ass,” Unc says with a laugh, elbowing Jimmy in the side. “Martha was tellin’ me the same thing, just last week.”

  “Quit your gossipin’ and get your shit together,” I say, hoping to stop their rambling. “When I get back, I expect you ready to go, or you can walk your asses home,” I say, knowing that the only rule I had put in place when they asked to have their poker nights here, was that they hand over their car keys for the night.

  Tucking Bristol into my side, I follow a brooding Evan out into the lot toward their SUV. Bristol leans back against the door, staring up at the sky. “Tage?” she asks, scrunching up her nose.

  “Yes, Bristol?”

  “Is it just me, or are the stars not as bright as they used to be? No. Maybe they simply aren’t as close as they used to be. That’s it,” she nods, meeting my eyes. “They’ve moved.”

  “Get in, B,” Evan says, starting the engine. Rolling the window down a little, he shakes his head. “You’re drunk.”

  “No,” she argues, rolling her eyes. Turning, she taps her temple with her index and middle fingers. “I’m philosophical as fuck.”

  “Tell the man goodnight and get in the fuckin’ car,” he grumbles, but his mouth quirks up in amusement. “You’ll need an I.V. of coffee to sober you up before you talk to that bitch at the label in the morning.”

  “Jealousy is an ugly disease,” she scolds him, clicking her tongue. “Get well soon.” Turning to face me, she runs her hands up my arms before hooking them both behind my head. “You know, tonight didn’t go like I planned,” she informs me, pressing her body into mine.

  “Yeah?” I ask, curiously.

  “Mhm,” she replies, licking her lips slowly. “I planned to sit at the bar all night, sipping my drink while whispering all the dirty things I want you to do to me in your ear every time you got close.”

  Fuck me.

  “Oh yeah?” I ask, swallowing around the lump in my throat. “Like what?”

  “Mhm,” she repeats again. Pushing up on her toes, she presses her lips to my ear. “If I told you, I wouldn’t be able to leave. Besides, I was always so much better at showing than telling. You should ask me again,” she suggests, her breath hot as it rushes over my skin. “Later.”

  “You’re bound and determined to drive me crazy. Aren’t you, Bristol?”

  “I don’t know what it is about you, Tage, but it’s fun as hell to fluster you,” she replies, smiling against my skin. “Nothing hotter than working you up until your control snaps like a rubber band.”

  “Oh yeah?” I ask, pinning her body between mine and the vehicle.

  “Yes,” she gasps, breathlessly.

  Grabbing her wrists, I hold them both above her head with one hand. Her breath hitches, those brown eyes watching me carefully. Brushing the hair from her face, I lean in, stopping just shy of her mouth. Her eyes drift closed, her tongue darting out to slowly run across her bottom lip.

  That one little habit of hers has me ready to lose it every single time she does it.

  The second our mouths meet, she sighs. Playfully, she sucks my bottom lip into her mouth, nipping it with her teeth. Slipping my knee between hers, I close the last of the distance between us and deepen the kiss. Her fingers wrap around my hand, clinging to me as best she can while I greedily attack her mouth. The taste of her kiss mixes with the rum and fruit juice mixtures she has consumed all night. I have never tasted something so incredible. My free hand moves down her body, sliding along the curve of her hip and around to palm her ass.

  I can’t get enough of her.

  My dick aches. Flexing my fingers, I rock her into me, wanting her to feel exactly how fucking worked up she has me. The craving to taste her sweet skin, the need to strip her bare and feel every inch of her beneath my hands, is all that I can think about.

  The horn honks. Both Bristol and I jump, our kiss broken. “As entertaining as it is to watch you two dry hump each other in a parking lot, I have cold brew waiting on me in the fridge and the sudden need to watch all five Gambler movies,” Evan mutters through the partially opened window. “Time to go.”

  “Gotta go.” Sighing, Bristol pushes up on her toes and presses a kiss to my jaw. Her lips linger, drifting down to brush over the corner of my mouth. “Ball’s in your court now. You know where I’ll be if you want me.” She meets my eyes, disappointment written all over her face, but she doesn’t push further. “Good night, Tage.”

  If I want her? Christ, she has no fucking idea. It’s pretty safe to say that this has moved far beyond want now. But, it won’t be here in a parking lot, up against the side of a parked car. No. She deserves so much more than that.

  Stepping back, I grab the door handle, pulling it open for her and helping her inside. Shutting the door, I watch them pull out and drive away. Rolling my shoulders, I shake my head, trying to alleviate some of the tension that has me wound so tight my head may shoot off my shoulders like a bottle rocket at any moment.

  My thoughts run in every direction. The list of things I need to do tick off in my head, all vying for my focus. But, visions of Bristol beat them out every time. Nothing demands my time and attention tonight, quite like she does.

  That hasn’t happened in a very long time.

  Making my way back inside the bar, I start shutting down everything and turning off the lights in record speed. The paperwork, and anything else that needs to be done, can wait until tomorrow afternoon. “Move your asses. My Jeep leaves in three minutes!” I shout to the guys, grabbing my keys from my pocket. “I’ve got somewhere to be.”

  Chapter Ten

  Post-fuck Fondle

  Bristol

  Being the sore loser that he is, Evan grabs beer from the fridge and heads to his room to lick his wounds as soon as we make it through the front door. “Real friends don’t make friends give up sex,” he mutters, locking up the front door before stomping down the hall.

  “You can unleash the monster anytime you want,” I shout after him, laughing at how big of a deal he is making out of this whole thing. “If you need me, I’ll be on Pinterest checking out unicorn tramp stamps!”

  Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I kick off my shoes as I make my way up to my bedroom. Avoiding my phone, and the guaranteed calls from Quinn, I open the double doors, letting the cool night air into the room. Grabbing my notebook, I flop down into the chair, angling myself sideways in the seat so that I can see the stars and the water. Sitting my beer on the edge of the table, I drape my legs over the arm of the chair and get comfortable. Flipping to an empty page, I scribble down the lyrics that have been bouncing around in my head since we left the bar.

  Tell me your darkest fantasies.

  Whisper them like a prayer.

  Filthy promises just for me.

  Trust me to take you there.

  Tease me.

  Break me.

  Go on and drive me crazy.

  Tonight we’re gonna lose control.

  Fuck me like you hate me.

  Come a litter closer.
/>   I want to make you scream.

  Your body was built for sin.

  Let me touch the beast you hide within.

  My frustration bleeds onto the page like an opened wound. To say I was disappointed that Tage didn’t react differently to my challenging him, is an understatement. My attempt at teasing him pretty much backfired on me, leaving me a mess of crackling tension.

  Things with he and I have happened so quickly. I don’t do fast. Hell, I don’t even do this, whatever it is. Everything in my life happens at lightning speed for all to see and there are some things I don’t believe should be rushed.

  Except with Tage. For some reason, with him, I can’t get there fast enough. Everything about him intrigues me. I haven’t been able to wrap my head around my own fascination with the man, but I can’t turn it off either. I want to know what makes him tick, what sets him off, and the things that turn him on.

  The thin line between wanting to throttle him, and fantasizing about his face between my legs, is nearly transparent at this point. Any other time, warning bells would be screaming in my head, scaring me off from the inevitable problems that always come along when you mix a life like mine with a hook up that you know could very well lead to a potential relationship. Instead, my body’s impulse to be as close to him as possible, is winning out over my usual hesitation.

  It’s leaving me unbelievably confused, and ridiculously horny.

  A noise outside on the deck gets my attention. Jumping up, I toss my notebook and pen to the bed, and move toward the door. Slowly stepping out on the deck, I scan the yard and shoreline. The wooden gate at the end of the yard is unlatched, the breeze having swung it open wide. Boards creak on first floor of the deck, beneath me, then on the steps. I freeze.

  Endless possibilities run through my mind. Is it a crazed photographer going to drastic means to get a story? Evan sneaking Jodi in the backdoor so I don’t notice? Another deranged fan? Nocturnal, roaming beach cow?

  Whipping around, I start to shout for E, figuring that, if it isn’t him down there, he should probably be checking it out.