Hustle Me

by Jennifer Foor

  I put my hand on her shoulder. “Let’s just be friends, Charlie. It makes things a hell of a lot easier.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. I’m glad we talked last night.”

  I looked at her eyes and it brought back the memories of last night and how close we were, but she didn’t want that and I had to respect her. I was lying about who I was and it was obvious that I wasn’t capable of being more than I was right now. She’d be smart to keep us on a friend level, especially knowing how explosive we were when we were together.

  Chapter 17

  Charlie

  Against my best judgment, I’d slept with Jammer. I could blame it on being vulnerable all I wanted, but the truth was that when he came to my rescue and stayed with me, after saving me before, I couldn't help myself. I knew I shouldn't have given into temptation and it wasn't like he was forcing me. I made the choice. I was the one that took the leap and started it all.

  Now things were awkward. I didn't know what to say to him after I woke up and he was gone. In the kitchen, I wanted to tell him that I had a great time. I didn't know he was going to cut me off and say that we could forget about it. Which, by the way, was completely impossible to do. Jammer had given me the best orgasms of my life and left me panting for more. The last thing I wanted to do was forget about it.

  Part of me was mad at myself for even letting myself believe that he could want me differently than all of his other one night stands. If anything, he should hate me the most. I was probably the only girl to treat him horribly, that’s for sure.

  I dread having to work with him later in the day, but when Elle came in, everything changed. Jammer and I talked and I agreed with him about being friends, even though the whole time I was picturing the way his lips kissed tender parts of my body. I tried not to stare into his eyes and give away that fact that I was getting wet just being close to him.

  Elle came running back in the kitchen, just as I had left my conversation with Jammer. She was all giddy and red in the face. "Oh my God Charlie, tell me that fine specimen doesn't have a girlfriend or a wife somewhere."

  My stomach hurt hearing her ask that because I knew that ladies’ man, Jammer, would spend one night with Elle and forget I existed. "He doesn't date. He just fucks."

  Her eyes got really big and she smiled. "Yummy, no strings. What does a friend have to do to get the hookup?"

  GO HOME! Okay, I didn't say that. I knew she was here to promote Karaoke night. "You don't want to hook up with him. He's a whore, Elle. He sleeps with anything that walks."

  Way to go, Charlie. You just called yourself trash.

  "Did he tell you that? I thought you just met a few days ago?"

  "He lives with me. We talk sometimes and I saw one of the girls he was trying to get rid of. She was all up on his junk."

  Jammer's voice startled me. He was peeking through the service opening. "I need a club sandwich with extra mayonnaise and onions, when your friend is done talking about my fine ass." He winked and disappeared through the window again.

  I rolled my eyes before turning my attention to my blushing friend. Her smile was from cheek to cheek. "Do you think he likes me?"

  I wasn't used to talking about my feelings, but I wanted to scream them out loud when she asked me that. I'd never been jealous, or given myself a reason to be, and here I was feeling like I wanted to run upstairs and cry. "If you want to know, ask him yourself. I can't read his mind."

  "Well, at least we know he noticed me. Now, I just have to show him what he's missing."

  Great, not only can I never have that again but, I have to watch my only girlfriend have a go. "Don't you have to go help the guy set up his equipment or something?"

  She smacked me on the ass. "Good idea. Maybe if I shake my ass in front of Jammer all night, he'll want to hook up later."

  I waited until she left before I slumped down on the countertop and covered my face with my hands.

  What was wrong with me? I'd never stressed over someone and, of all people, I was stressing over Jammer. He just wanted to be friends with me and I had to live with that. Since he told me he didn't have relationships, his fling with Elle would be over in a day and I wouldn't have to watch her swooning all over him. In fact, before I knew it, he would be gone and I could forget all about the one night we’d spent together.

  I made the club sandwich, but not fast enough to Jammer's standards. He met me back in the kitchen and saw me cutting the bread in half. "You alright, Charlie?"

  I raised my eyebrow, but kept looking down. "I'm fine. It's just been a bad day. Hopefully it gets crowded in here and I forget about it."

  "I just came in for the sandwich but, if you need something else, I can stay."

  I gave him a dirty look. "I think my friend has something else for you. Just do me a favor and fuck her somewhere other than my apartment."

  He started laughing at me. "Yeah, I can do that. She really said she's into me?"

  I was still holding the knife and could see myself drawing an imaginary line across my neck if I heard the two of them talking about hooking up anymore. "Ask her yourself! God!"

  I went to walk away, but he jumped in front of me. "Whoa, for someone that wants to forget, you sure don't like someone else having a go."

  "A go? You say it like it's a freaking carnival ride. Sorry, I don't want to buy any more tickets for the Jammer ride. I think it needs to be retired since it's been ridden too much. Some of its parts are going to fall off soon." Yes, I compared him to a carnival ride. He deserved it.

  "You didn't complain when you were riding me last night."

  I shoved him out of the kitchen, almost knocking the sandwich on the floor. I was so pissed at him that I wanted to scream.

  Karaoke started at ten, exactly when the kitchen closed. Since I had gone up and put my brother to bed early, I had to go check on him. He was old enough to know how the baby monitor worked and I always worried he had turned it off and snuck and got into something he shouldn't have. When I came back down I saw Elle talking to the small crowd. Jammer was handing a couple a few drinks and taking their money. When he got to the register, he looked my way and winked at me, but all I could do was roll my eyes. In just a few hours, he would be banging one of my only friends in the bathroom, or some other random place, while I cried myself to sleep for letting myself sleep with him in the first place.

  I got the rest of the kitchen cleaned up and knew that Jammer would take out the trash once the bar closed. Hell, maybe he would take Elle out back where I was assaulted and bang her up against the brick wall. The bruises on my eyes were starting to fade, but I was still freaked out over it.

  I turned out the lights and made my way to the bar. Jammer was washing out a couple glasses at the small sink and drying them as he washed. Aside from the sexual tension and mess that was happening between us, he was a damn good bartender and he seemed to really have fun doing it. I walked up to the register to clear out any large bills, just as he was walking by. The front of our bodies brushed against each other and I felt butterflies immediately. This was not good at all.

  I looked up into his eyes and saw him looking back. "I need to tell you something," he shouted over the music.

  "It will have to wait until I can hear you better."

  He nodded as I took my envelope of money up the stairs. I almost hated that the music could be heard through the walls, because it was only a matter of time before my brother was awake. Sure enough, as soon as I walked inside, he was coming out of his room. "Charlie, it's too noisy."

  I ran over and grabbed his little Disney earphones. "Put these on. I can come lay with you when I put this money away."

  He took his headphones and headed back into his room. When I got in there he was already in his bed. I laid down beside him and played with his hair. "I love you, Charlie."

  "I love you, too."

  "Do you love, Jammer?"

  "No! Why would you think that?" Had he seen us last night?

  "W
ell, he keeps us safe like you keep me safe."

  He was so cute and too smart for his age. "I keep you safe because you are my brother and I love you. Jammer is just helping us out. He doesn’t have boyfriend/girlfriend feelings for me. He isn't my boyfriend. Jammer isn’t the kind of guy to be tied down to a family."

  His little bottom lip stuck out. "But I like him. He's nice to me,” he admitted.

  “Yeah, I like him too, maybe even too much, but I have you and a business to run. It’s too much for anyone to want to be a part of.”

  “Are you mad at me for being your brother?”

  His question broke my heart. “Of course not! Ryan, all that I had ever wanted is to have a real family. You gave me that. I could never be mad at you. I know sometimes I am hard to deal with, but it’s just because I am struggling to be good at everything I do. Don’t ever think it’s your fault.”

  “I think you do a good job, Charlie. I’m glad you’re my sister.”

  I kissed my brother again on his head. "I’m glad you’re my brother. Now, get some sleep, kiddo." I played with his hair until he fell asleep. His headphones weren't on too loud, but they covered up the bass of the bar music and allowed him to sleep.

  The Karaoke idea was good, but only for one night out of the week. I couldn't have him miserable because he couldn't sleep. He was the first priority in my life.

  I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes, it was quieter. Music was still playing, but nobody was singing. I got up really fast and ran into the bathroom to freshen up. I had to reapply my makeup on one side to hide the remaining purple under my eye. The bar was dark enough where it was hardly noticeable.

  I walked downstairs fearing that I would see Elle hanging all over Jammer. Instead, she was sitting at the bar across from him, laughing at something he'd said. Jammer caught me walking up and smiled. I looked away from him and turned my attention to Elle. She had a beer in one hand and her cell phone in the other. "Hey, chick. What's up?"

  She leaned into my ear. "Tommy won't stop texting me. I told him we were having a girl’s night, but he wants to hook up." She pointed at Jammer, but in a way that he couldn't see. "I had other plans tonight. What I am supposed to do, Charlie? He's so freaking hot!"

  He was hot. He was especially hot when he was naked. His soft lips felt amazing when they were wet and sliding over mine.

  I licked my lips thinking about it again. "I haven't noticed."

  She turned my body to face Jammer. I could tell she'd had too much to drink. "Look at him, Charlie. What is there not to like? He's damn near perfect."

  I knew all of this already and being forced to look was painful. I needed time to forget.

  "If I admit that he's hot, will you stop talking about it?"

  "You.Are.No.Fun."

  Jammer came over toward us. "She's had one too many. You should probably take her upstairs."

  I'd tried to walk Elle up a flight of stairs at school and almost broke both of our necks. "I can't carry her."

  He shrugged. "Why don't you pay the Karaoke guy and I will get her up to bed."

  It was a terrible idea. "Good idea."

  Elle stood up and walked sideways. "I can walk myself upstairs." She tripped on her heel and fell on the floor, laughing.

  I rolled my eyes and watched him helping her up. She turned around and flashed me a thumbs up.

  Okay, I needed a drink. I walked to the other side of the bar and poured a glass of vodka. The first glass burned but the next two didn't taste as bad. I slouched down on the floor and let the liquor run through my body. I wanted to forget about the past twenty-four hours. I needed to forget that Jammer had given me the hottest night of my life, because it was just a fuck.

  An unforgettably amazing fuck.

  Chapter 18

  Jammer

  The bar had the biggest crowd that I’d seen since I got back to town. Charlie’s friend Elle really did have a great idea and she knew how to draw people in. Unfortunately, she was like all the girls I had to go to school with when I was younger. On the outside she seemed fun and always looked for a good time, but inside, she was stuck on herself no matter who she had to walk over or backstab to get it. How she and Charlie were friends was beyond me. They were polar opposites.

  Charlie was acting weirder than usual and I had a feeling that it had to do with me. The girl really had gotten under my skin and I couldn’t stop thinking about us having sex. In such a short time, I think I had her skin memorized. She had this sweet smell to her and it was smooth and perfect. I loved the way she fought to hold her own, even when everything was crumbling from underneath of her. I think that’s what was attracting me. It was her inner strength. That was something that I’d never looked for in a woman, not that I ever really looked. For the most part, my life revolved around scoring. I lived for winning the game, finding a hot chick to bed, and moving on. I’d never stopped to let myself care about anything but myself.

  Saving Charlie, and finding out that I was somehow connected in all of this mess, was forcing me to look at my life. Sure, Charlie didn’t know I was the John she was looking for, but it still didn’t change the fact that I was a quarter owner of a place that changed my life. Here I was, back at that special place, and my life was changing again.

  I’d known her less than a week, but knew that I liked her. It was too bad she had a boyfriend, which was probably the reason she was acting so ridiculous. I wasn’t here to mess up her relationship. If she wanted us to be friends, then I had to stand by that.

  It wasn’t until she walked upstairs to put the money in the safe, that everything changed for me. The baby monitor must have dropped on the floor when she bent over to grab the money bag. I picked it up and could see the little lights moving around. I shouldn’t have, but I walked into the kitchen to listen. I just wanted to make sure someone hadn’t followed her.

  I swear I wasn’t going to listen, but hearing the conversation for myself shocked me so much, I just had to listen.

  "Do you love, Jammer?" Ryan’s voice was loud and clear.

  "No! Why would you think that?" Not that I expected her to answer yes, but she was really being defensive with her tone.

  "Well, he keeps us safe like you keep me safe." I was trying my best at least.

  "I keep you safe because you are my brother and I love you. Jammer is just helping us out. He doesn’t have boyfriend/girlfriend feelings for me. He isn't my boyfriend. Jammer isn’t the kind of guy to be tied down to one girl and especially a family." She made it sound like I was a loser. I hated hearing her say it like that. It was like she thought I was incapable of settling.

  "But I like him. He's nice to me,” It was because his father was such an important person to me. I felt like now that I knew that kid was out there, without his father, that Joker would want me to get to know Ryan. He was a cool kid.

  “Yeah, I like him too, maybe even too much, but I have you and a business to run. It’s too much for anyone to want to be a part of.” It was a lot, but if it was all worth it, maybe someone would want to be a part of that life. I wasn’t saying I wanted to swoop in after only a few days, but Charlie was so different and the circumstances bringing us together were too much of a coincidence. I felt like I actually wanted to pursue it, except she wanted the opposite.

  “Are you mad at me for being your brother?”

  “Of course not! Ryan, all that I had ever wanted is to have a real family. You gave me that. I could never be mad at you. I know sometimes I am hard to deal with, but it’s just because I am struggling to be good at everything I do. Don’t ever think it’s your fault.”

  “I think you do a good job, Charlie. I’m glad you’re my sister.”

  "I’m glad you’re my brother. Now, get some sleep, kiddo."

  When it got quiet again, I rushed into the front of the bar and left the monitor back on the floor where she’d dropped it. My heart was beating fast. I was so worried that she would find out I was listening to her private conversat
ion with her brother. I already had enough lies I was keeping, so adding to the pot was not very cool.

  Charlie didn’t come back down for a while and her friend really took advantage of the situation. She climbed up on the bar and started dancing as someone was singing Karaoke to “Cherry Pie.” She kept watching me and pointing to me.

  I focused on the bar and not the girl. Sure, she was hot in all the right places. I knew she was probably a hell of a fuck, but even though my life revolved around the hustle and the sex, there was a part of me that got tired of it. It became more of part of the job, than something I enjoyed, until last night happened. Sleeping with Charlie was only because I wanted to sleep with her. I didn’t do it for the hot meal, the shower, and the bed to sleep in. I did it because she drove me crazy in ways that made me want to know more about her.

  When the song was over, Elle climbed down on my side of the bar. She tucked her hands into the waist of my pants and pulled me closer to her. I was tall enough to keep my face away from hers. She looked up and licked her lips. “I bet you’re a real good time.”

  I put my hands on her waist and backed her up against the bar. “That’s what I hear.”

  She smiled and grabbed one of my ass cheeks into her hands. I clenched my jaw, feeling more annoyed than turned on. I could smell the alcohol on her breath and I really disliked easy girls. Sure, I fucked them, but I didn’t like them at all, not as friends and not as lovers. Plus, most of them ended up not being that good in bed. Being with them was like acting out a bad porno. They were orchestrated and rehearsed. Nothing was natural about them.

  “So, do you want to share that little bed of yours with me tonight?”

  “Sure.” You can have my bed and I will take the couch.

  She looked all happy about me saying that, little did she know I wasn’t going to do shit with her. Obviously Charlie hadn’t talked to her friend like most girls did. This chick had no idea that I’d fucked her friend last night. Wasn’t there some kind of girl code about that?