Page 57 of Wasted

And considering he was filthy freaking rich, I was sure he could handle paying a fine.

Cole: Absolutely.

Cole: Are you still at the bar?

Taylor: Yep. Bailey and I are wrapping up now.

Cole: Text me when you get home.

I smiled at the phone and said a silent prayer I wasn't getting my hopes up for nothing. The saying you can't have your cake and eat it too rang loud and clear, but I was still hopeful that Cole and I were meant to be and that we'd find a way.

Chapter Thirty-One

Cole

"Pack your things, Taylor." I grunted, my gaze following her as she worked behind the bar. "You're not staying here." The bar was closed, and Taylor was closing up for the night.

"You can't just roll back into town and start throwing around demands, Cole." Her eyes didn't meet mine as she busied herself with wiping down the bar.

I'd just gotten back to town in enough time to run an errand, get to the bar, pick Taylor up, and bring her home with me.

"Okay," I mumbled. “Please come stay at the ranch with me." Taylor was officially free of Bridgewater if she wanted to be. The house sale was finalized today, which also meant she was homeless until she found another place to live, and I had a feeling she wouldn't until she chose whether to move with me or stay behind.

"No, thank you."

"Taylor, you can't stay here." I groaned. "It's not safe."

She stopped flicking me a look. "It's fine, Cole. I've slept here more times than I can count." I ran my hand down my face. "Plus, you know your mom isn't my biggest fan."

"Then we'll sneak you in and out of my bedroom window like we're sixteen again." I was mostly teasing.

She huffed out a laugh. "I was never really good at sneaking around."

I shook my head, a grin spreading across my face. "No, you weren't. I think you almost got us caught every time."

"Drink?" She pulled a bottle of whiskey off the shelf and held it up.

I nodded, sliding onto a bar stool. "How many shots will it take to make you come home with me?"

Frowning, she pulled two glasses out and set them on the bar. "To deal with your mother?" she poured the brown liquid into the glasses. "Probably a lot."

"Okay." I leaned forward, reaching for a glass. Then how many shots until you invite me to stay?" Dropping back against the high-back barstool, I brought the glass to my lips without taking my eyes off her. God, she was beautiful. Even in a pair of black leggings, a T-shirt, and her hair pulled up messily with no makeup, she was still the prettiest girl—well, woman now—I'd ever seen, but she was also annoyingly stubborn.

Her gaze lifted, meeting mine as the corner of her lips twitched with amusement. Her big blue eyes flickered with flirtation. "I wasn't aware you needed an invitation?"

My eyes followed her as she brought the glass to her lips, sipping the dark liquor before strolling around the bar. "Would you rather I tell you I'm staying?" I smirked cocking my head to the side as she slid in between the stool next to me and me leaning against the bar. "I don't have a problem with that way either."

"That's more your style," she teased.

Setting my glass on the bar as my heated gaze swept over her, I twisted and shifted so she was between my legs. My hands curled around her hips, and I jerked her into me so fast and hard that the dark liquid in her cup sloshed around, threatening to spill. The energy between us was so electrically charged I thought I might hear the sizzle as our bodies collided. My lips dropped to her ear. "But if I recall correctly, you don't like being told what to do." I pulled back, my eyes meeting hers.

She smiled as she leaned forward, brushing her lips with mine. "That is true." My heart rate ramped up when she groped me through my jeans. "Unless you're ordering me to my knees." My breath caught, and I nearly choked on it. My eyes closed, savoring her heated touch, and my cock twitched under her firm palm, trying to burst through the denim to get to her touch.

"Don't play with me, woman." I groaned, pulling her onto my lap before spinning back to the bar and pinning her between me and the bar.

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I would never."

My mouth captured hers as my arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her body flush against mine. Her lips parted as her hand dove into my hair, pulling and tugging like she was in control.

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