Page 1 of Stuck with You

Aubrey

If you’d told me this morning that I’d end my day sharing a jail cell with my high school nemesis, I would have suggested that you lay off the pot gummies. Yet that’s exactly what happened.

I looked up under my eyelashes surreptitiously studying my cellmate. I hadn’t seen Taylor since our high school graduation fifteen years ago. She was sitting on the cot across from me looking way too at ease given our surroundings. Let’s just say this jail wasn’t the Hilton.

Taylor’s blonde hair was darker now, with some kind of silver lowlights, but still long and thick, falling to her shoulders like she’d just stepped off the set of a shampoo commercial. She was dressed in a short, tight dress that hugged her generous breasts and revealed miles of shapely leg. The shoes she wore had at least a four inch heel, way higher than anyone should be able tocomfortably walk in, yet I’d watched her run from the cops in them as easily as if she were wearing trainers.

Her makeup was impeccable. Dark red lips. Smoky shadow highlighting her blue eyes with lashes that were too long and thick to be natural.

She should have looked cheap in that outfit, yet somehow Taylor managed to pull off a cool sophistication that I couldn’t help but admire. There was something commanding about her, like she had the upper hand even though we were both here for the same reason. She vibrated self-confidence.

Feeling my gaze, her head turned in my direction, one blonde eyebrow arching. I resisted the urge to cringe like a naughty girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I noticed that there was a bluish bruise coming up on her chin from where I’d accidentally punched her. This time I did cringe.

“Sorry about that,” I said, waving vaguely at her face. “I didn’t expect that guy to duck, or for you to be behind him.”

One corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk. “I didn’t expect you to throw a punch like that. I was actually coming to help you with that guy.”

“Oh, my bad.”

***

Two hours earlier…

The bar was more crowded than I’d expected, and much louder too. I had no idea how I was going to find my date in this crowd. All I knew was that he was going to be wearing a white button down and black pants. I looked at my phone again studying the picture of Jason from the dating site where we’d matched with each other. Another quick look around the bar didn’t turn up any guys who looked like Jason.

Maybe he’d seen me and left without talking to me? I’d heard this could happen sometimes on these dates, although I wouldn’t expect it to happen to me. I was looking good tonight. My hair was perfect, my make-up was subtle, and this dress was doing amazing things for my figure.

“Hey sweetheart.”

The voice came from my left. Turning my head slightly, I realized the guy was talking to me.

“Can I buy you another drink?”

I turned to face him more fully, categorizing his appearance. He was wearing dark washed jeans that were straining to cover the paunch of his belly, and the three buttons he’d left open on his light blue shirt revealed a chest that had enough hair to make a rug. I cringed internally. I hated super hairy guys. This guy had back hair, I just knew it. When I saw the tan line on the ring finger of his left hand, I knew I needed to put a quick stop to this.

“I’m meeting someone.”

“Looks like he’s not coming,” he sneered. “I been watchin’ you for a while now.”

My spine straightened and I gave him my bitchiest face, the one I’d perfected over years working with difficult customers in service jobs.

“I’m not interested,” I said slowly but firmly. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

I turned back away and that’s when Hairy Guy made a big mistake. He grabbed my arm, fingers biting into my soft skin, and pulled me closer to him.

“No need to be all high and mighty,” he growled. “You’re not exactly the best lookin’ chick in this bar.”

My mouth dropped open as I tried to pull my arm away. His fingers tightened.

“So I should, what? Be grateful for your unwanted attention?”

I snapped my arms downward to break his hold and without thinking about it, I pulled back my fist and aimed for his face, just like my older brother had taught me. Unfortunately Hairy Guy had good reflexes, ducking just as another person came up behind him. My fist came into contact with a decidedlyfeminine face. She looked kind of familiar but before I could place her, the woman lunged for me.

“Hey!”

Adrenaline surged as we toppled onto the floor, rolling around as we struggled for control. She grabbed my hair, pulling out a nice chunk. I tried to bite her and ended up with a split lip. We both landed a few good punches until someone pulled us apart. It was two of the bouncers, I later learned, but at the time in my rage-fueled mind I thought it was another bar patron trying to cop a feel.

One man lifted me to standing, and I threw my head backwards, grinning as my skull came into contact with the guy’s nose with a sickening crunch. I winced when I felt his blood splatter on me.

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