He spit again. “Oh come on, Olive. It ain’t hurting nobody.”
“Your gums, teeth, and gut might have something different to say about that.”
Otis grunted from his large bed behind my chair. “See, even the dog agrees.” Patting my leg, I called my giant pup over to me. With a heave and a yawn, Otis moseyed over to me. For a guard dog, he was one lazy son-of-a-bitch when he wanted to be. He rested his oversized head on my thigh, and I scratched behind his cropped ear, making my big oaf of a dog melt like butter in my hand.
“Hello?” I heard someone call, and Otis started to growl.
“Hush, boy,” I whispered as Shaw went to greet the customer.
I pulled Otis’ Kong out of my desk drawer and tossed it to him before following Shaw into the bay.
“How can we help you, sir?” Shaw asked the older man who was glancing around the shop.
“I was told that Mic’s garage was the best shop in town, so here I am.”
I walked up to shake his hand. “You heard right. What can we do for you?”
“Where’s Mic?” the man asked, glancing from Shaw to me uneasily.
“Mic was my father.” I pointed to a picture of my dad and me working on a ’67 Shelby that was hanging not too far from us. “I’m Olive, and I run the place now. What seems to be the problem?”
With reluctance coating his features, the older man rubbed the back of his neck. “All right, then. I was passing through town on my way into the city when my car started sputtering on the highway. I was able to get to the gas station right off the exit before she completely shut down on me, and the tow truck driver suggested I bring it here.”
I glanced past the guy to see Larry unhitching the beat-up white sedan from his truck. “Thanks, Lar!” I called out. Larry Baxter was a friend from high school and had had the hots for me for far too long. I appreciated the referrals, but I didn’t know how I could convince him I didn’t want anything to do with his pit stains, potbelly, or awful breath.
“Don’t mention it, Liv! See ya later!”
“Shaw, why don’t you go check out this gentleman’s car while I call him a cab to take him up to Pete’s diner?”
“Aye, boss.” Shaw trotted over to the car with a clipboard at the ready.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name sir.” I started to usher him into the office.
“Henry Peeler.”
“It’s a pleasure Henry. Everyone calls me Liv.” I smiled as sweetly as I could.
We shook hands again. “Nice to meet you, young lady.”
“Henry, tell me, do you like milkshakes?”
He nodded.
“Well, Pete’s has the best damn strawberry milkshake in the whole area. My treat. I’ll have a car come get you and Pete will just put your order on my tab. How does that sound? You can relax, read the paper, or catch up on some phone calls while you enjoy a nice cold shake.”
“That does sound nice.” He finally started to smile.
After shipping Henry off to the diner up the road, I got the rundown from Shaw.
“I think it’s a fuse,” he said, holding the diagnostic computer up for me to see the readings.
“I think we might actually have it in storage. Thank God!”
Shaw laughed. “Not trying to keep more skeptical customers around to harass us?”
I shook my head violently. “Did you see how he looked at us?”
“Like we were too young to be running this joint by ourselves?”
“Bingo.” Otis trotted over to me with his leash in his mouth. “Guess it’s walk time.”
Shaw started to walk back over to our storage area. “I’ll get this all fixed up. Is his cell number written down on your desk?”
“You’re the best, and of course it is. Once we’re done, let’s get the heck out of here. It’s been a long-ass day and I need a beer.”
“Now you’re talking!”
Chapter 4
Olive
Bellying up to our usual barstools in Got the Shaft felt all too right. The best part about the pool hall—other than dollar PBR night—was that they let me bring Otis.
“Well, well, well, look what the cat brought in—a couple of grease monkeys.” Rhonda hurried out from behind the bar to wrap her arms around Shaw and me at the same time.
“Work’s been crazy.” Shaw huffed, taking off his coat.
“That’s no excuse to not come in and see me every once in a while.” Rhonda put my Jack and cream soda in front of me with a bowl of water for Otis.
“It feels good to be back in here.” I smiled at her before taking a sip of my sweet drink. Rhonda had worked at that bar since before I was old enough to even step foot in there. My father used to sneak me in after late nights of restoring old cars so I could watch him play pool. Some of my favorite memories were of sitting in the back corner, drinking cream soda floats while my father ran the tables all night.
“Liv! Sweetie! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Rhonda beamed down at me.
I ran up to hug her. She scooped me up and spun me around.
“Hey Rhonda.” My father took a seat at the bar. “How’s it going?”
Setting me down on the chair next to my father, Rhonda made her way back to her post behind the bar. “Same ol’ stuff, different day. The usual?”
“Jack on the rocks, love, and a Jack and cream soda for this little lady.”
“Dad! I’m only seven!” I exclaimed, giggling. I thought he was the funniest man on the planet.
He grabbed my hand. “Oh, that’s right. Little girls don’t drink that nasty stuff. Hold the Jack, add ice cream.”
My dessert was delivered promptly, topped with whipped cream and two cherries. I was on cloud nine.
“How’s the girlfriend?” Rhonda asked my dad as I attempted to tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue.
“Not a girlfriend anymore.” My dad tried his best to tame the smile that was struggling to spread like wildfire across his scruffy face.
“Oh yeah?” Rhonda perked up a bit.
“I popped the question a few nights ago.” The excitement that laced my father’s declaration snuffed Rhonda’s out in a second.
I jumped a little in my seat. “We’re going to be a real family!” I shouted. I was so elated to have a stepmom. Even though I loved my dad to death, having a woman around the house was nice, and she made my dad so happy.
Rhonda’s features softened as she glanced between my dad and me. “That is so wonderful. Hilary is a lucky woman.”
“Ready to show these boys that a girl can hustle them?” Shaw asked, handing me a large shot of Fireball.
“You know it!” I slammed back the chilled liquid and walked over to an empty table.
We knew hustling pool wasn’t the most moral thing in the world, but whenever we found unsuspecting shmucks to work over, Shaw and I pulled in some extra cash.
“Rack ’em up, woman,” he called over to me while he eyed the racks for good sticks.
Shaw came back over to me, scoping out the twosome that was finishing a game next to us. He leaned back as the better looking of the two men bent over the table to line up a shot.
“Damn, that is an apple I’d love to take a bite out of,” Shaw whispered to me.
“Down boy. This ain’t the place to out yourself.”
Shaw wasn’t completely in the closet by any means, but he wasn’t prancing around with a rainbow on his shirt either. Living in a small farming community made it a little bit hard for Shaw to be completely comfortable in his skin. The pool hall was full of burly bikers and ignorant macho men who wouldn’t think twice about trying to kick a gay guy’s ass.
“Yeah, yeah. I know but if it happens, oh well.” Shaw brushed it off and I let it go.
“Invite them over. Who knows, you might have just found the love of your life.” I teased but Shaw was already taking a few steps over to the guys.
“Hey, would you guys want to play two on two?” Shaw called over.
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The men looked at each other and then back at us, shrugging. “Sure, why not?”
“Twenty bucks a game?” I asked, batting my eyelashes at them.
The one Shaw had his eye on snickered. “Sure, little lady. We’ll even let you break.”
Wrong move.
I giggled a little. “Oh, gosh. That’s so nice of you.”
It was so funny to me when men thought that since I was small and somewhat pretty, I was a delicate little flower. I was rough around the edges, and probably tougher than they were at the end of the day.
I broke, sending the seven right into the corner pocket.
“I guess we’re solids.” Shaw smiled over at me as I leaned against the high-top behind me.
“That we are, sir.” I waved over to Rhonda, signaling for another drink.
Shaw was sneakily eyeing his crush as he lined up a shot like an amateur. “When shooting over another ball, you have to jack up your cue,” Shaw advised as I laughed a little.
The other guy came over to me. “Y’all from around here?”
I cocked my head to the side. “Guessing from your drawl, you’re not.”
He dug his hand into his pocket to get his pack of cigarettes out. “Gave it away that easy, did it? I’m Willie.”
“I’m Olive. Everyone calls me Liv, and I’ve been coming here since I can remember. So, to answer your question, yes, we grew up here.” Otis got right in between my legs. He didn’t like it when strangers, especially men, got close to me.
Willie took a step back. “Gorgeous Cane!” He kneeled down to try to pet Otis, but the dog was not having it. With teeth showing and nostrils flaring, Otis was not a happy camper.
“He’s a little protective. Give him a bit to warm up to you.”
I glanced over and saw a sight I hadn’t seen in ages: Shaw was lip-locked with Willie’s friend at the other end of the table.
“Well, I guess our friends are having a good time.” Willie put his hand on my arm.
I giggled, taking a step back. “That they are.” Otis was still on alert, and I was thankful for his cock-blocking skills.
Rhonda brought over my drink. “Here you go, Liv. Can I get you boys anything else?” she asked, grabbing a bucket of empty beer bottles from the table.
“Another round please, and this little lady’s number.” He winked at me and I threw up a little in my mouth. It wasn’t that Willie wasn’t decently attractive—he was about six-foot and had a full head of hair, a decent smile, and all of his teeth—it was the fact that he assumed I wanted to jump his bones just because I had a vagina and he had a penis.
Rhonda scoffed. “Nice try slick.” She turned to me. “You good?”
I nodded, petting Otis on the head. “I’m covered, Rhonda.”
“I’ll be right back with another bucket of Bud for you guys.”
Willie got up to take his shot. “A little protective?” he asked over his shoulder as he lined up.
“She’s like my second mother.”
He missed, sighing. “Dammit.”
I ran the table for the next few minutes and banked the eight ball in with ease.
“Well, shit, girl!” Shaw’s wide eyes snapped to me.
“Someone has to take care of business while you’re over there sucking face.”
I could feel all eyes blaring at Shaw and his new friend, but if there was a time to not give a fuck, it was now. He was out, and who gave a shit?
“Double or nothing?” Willie shot me a crooked smile.
“I’m calling it a night. Shaw, you sticking around?”
Shaw gave me a thumbs-up as I chugged the last of my drink. “Nice to meet you, Willie. Have fun with those two.”
Chapter 5
Griffin
“Fuck, baby,” Amy whispered as I kissed down her neck. “I missed you.”
I pulled at her shirt, lifting it up over her head. A week apart was far too long for me to go without feeling her smooth skin against mine.
I grazed her hardening nipple as she wiggled out of her tight jeans. “I missed you, too,” I groaned.
My body went into autopilot.
Strip.
Throw her on the bed.
Get in between her legs.
She panted as I sucked on her clit, and her nails dug into my shoulder as I plunged my tongue into her sweet wetness.
Right as her body started to shake, I stopped to get on top of her after rolling a rubber onto my cock. Amy’s body was perfect—she was a damn model, for crying out loud, so it had to be perfect. My fingers laced into her hair as she moaned and my dick filled her tight cunt.
Wrapping her legs around mine, she pulled me deeper into her.
“Fuck, babe.” I growled, letting my teeth sink into her neck gently.
She sharply pulled away. “Griff, I have a shoot in the morning. No marks.”
I rolled off of her. “I know the rules, Amy,” I complained as I struggled to keep my hard-on. We had been over and over this for months. I wasn’t going to leave marks, but I was going to have fun while I fucked her. She was so consumed by being careful that she took most of the fun out of sex.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m just paranoid.” Straddling me, she started to rub her throbbing clit with the head of my dick, bringing him back to life just in the nick of time.
I thrust into her, grabbing her hips. “It’s fine.”
She grinded her hips into mine as she cried out my name and her walls convulsed around my dick. Just as quickly as our fuck-fest had started, it was over.
Amy pulled my shirt on over her head and curled up on her side of the bed. “You’re incredible,” she said breathily, but I didn’t feel incredible.
Amy and I had been seeing each other the better part of a year, and I felt nothing. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy her company or that she wasn’t gorgeous, there just was no substance. We went out and fought paparazzi or we stayed in, had a quickie, and she was asleep within minutes. We never had deep, meaningful conversations, and we didn’t even know that much about each other.
“So, my birthday is tomorrow.” I curled up behind her, pulling her back into my chest.
“Yeah, about that…” Her voice faded a bit.
Tucking her into my side more, I kissed her cheek. “What’s up, babe?” I asked softly, trying to be as romantic as possible.
“I think we should start seeing other people.” Her words came out sharp as she pulled away from me.
“What the fuck?”
There was no way I’d heard her right.
What in the ever-loving fuck?
She rolled over to look at me. “I have felt this way for a while, and I think it’s time to part ways, Griff.” Her eyes were cold, and she blinked blankly as my brain registered the fact that she was dumping me in the middle of the night right after riding my dick and telling me she’d missed me.
“Fuck you,” I bellowed, bolting out of the bed. “You’re such a heartless cunt.”
“And you’re a worthless boxer that can barely satisfy me.”
Talk about kicking a man while he’s down.
“Get out of my apartment.” I ripped the covers off of her. Taking a few breaths, I did my best to not freak out. My temper was raging, and all I wanted to do was throw her over my shoulder and cart her ass out of my place.
Easy.
Don’t give her a reason to slap you with a lawsuit.
Count to ten. Repeat.
Deep breaths.
I stood like a statue in the middle of my room, trying to cool my temper as she started to gather her things. A faint sniffle started and I about lost my damn mind.
“Oh, now you have feelings?” I yelled while yanking my jeans back on. I poured myself a glass of scotch and sank down onto my bed.
“Of course, I have feelings, you jerk! We just broke up!” She threw her bag on my bed, pouting.
“Don’t act like this is my fault.” There was no way I was going to play into her crazy-ass game and beg
her to stay. “There’s the door to a whole world of other people for you to go see.”
“I’m pregnant.” She dropped the biggest bomb ever and I laughed, throwing the used condom at her.
“If you are actually pregnant, it sure as shit is not mine.”
Throwing her hands over her face, she started to cry harder. “I know that. That’s why I was breaking up with you.”
“So you tried to take the easy way out and just never tell me you’re a cheating whore? Fan-fucking-tastic. See you never, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
“Holy shit! You and your brother have the worst freaking luck ever.” Jordan put my drink down as I deleted Amy’s contact out of my phone.
“Yeah, I guess so. At least Gavin’s turned around though.” I chugged down more than half of my scotch, trying to decide if I should call Gavin or not. “I mean, he’s been with Myla forever now. He just needed to wait for the right person.”
She put her hand on my forearm as I stared down at my blackened phone screen. “You know he’d understand. After Marsheila left your brother at the altar, he was a wreck for a really long time, and Myla was the only thing that brought him out of that dark cloud. At least Amy dumped you in private.”
Jordan was my big brother’s best friend and had been since we were kids. She had watched me grow up and was the perfect bartender to help me drown out my sorrows for the night.
“No matter what, he’ll find out tomorrow night,” I muttered.
“Oh shit! Happy birthday!” Her cheeks flushed as she ran around the bar. She threw her arms around my neck, and I hugged her tiny body to mine.
“Thanks.”
“What a twat cake for breaking up with you the night before your twenty-sixth birthday!” Jordan hopped onto the barstool next to me. We were the only two people in the entire bar since it was so close to closing time.
“It’s probably for the better. We weren’t going anywhere.” I sighed.
“Well then, congratulations for losing so much dead weight.” Jordan started typing on her phone and within minutes, my brother and his other best friend, Sean, were walking into the bar.
The Shots On Goal Series Box Set Page 23
