Page 7 of Filthy Player

PAIGE

My hands were shoved into my hair, my eyes closed and I growled at the ceiling in a way that sounded feral and shocking to my own ears.

Damn him. Stupid men! For a split second when he’d mentioned his mom, I actually thought Beaux Hale might be a decent human being, despite his earlier sexual innuendo and flirting.

I’d thought he was so nice I’d grabbed the water pitcher from Hannah before I placed the football team’s order.

It was rare in the service industry that people not only recognized how hard you worked but took steps to make that job a little bit easier. Splitting bills wasn’t rocket science. It certainly wasn’t brain surgery. It was the thought behind his actions that made my stomach flutter and my spine warm in a way it hadn’t in a long time.

Yeah, I was independent and used to taking care of my dad and myself. But sometimes, occasionally, in the dark of night, what I really wanted was someone to come along, take my hand and say, “Have a seat, honey. You’ve had a long day. I’ve got this.”

This didn’t have to be a big thing, it could have been unloading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, or grabbing the mail or the newspaper at the end of the driveway I always neglected.

This could be anything, and with Beaux’s shining blue eyes on me, Hannah’s reminder of my lack of a sex life, for a moment…one small, tiny, barely-there moment, I’d really liked the idea Beaux would be somebody like that for me, even if the small thing he was offering was saving me only a few minutes at my job.

But then he had to open his mouth. He was just as arrogant, just as cocky and self-serving as most of the men I’d come across in the last few years. More takers than givers, more likely to get off than ensure I did first, more likely to blow their load and begin wondering when I would leave before offering me a glass of water.

He was like the rest. Actually, he was worse. He knew it and clearly knew how to play the game. Flash a smile and a wink, offer up something nice, and just like all other strings, he tightened the noose and let it swing.

Ugh.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

“What are you doing?” Hannah asked, rushing into the break room where I’d escaped to regain control of my emotions. “Are you insane? You just doused Beaux Hale of all people! What happened?”

“He’s an asshole, that’s what happened.”

“No way.” Her hands landed on her hips, and change jingled in her waist apron. “Not Beaux. Everything I’ve read about the guy says he super sweet. And you’ve read about his relationship with his sister.”

“Having a sister doesn’t mean he’s not a jerk, Hannah.” Stars in her eyes were shining bright like diamonds. Naive little girl. I swore she still believed in once upon a times and happily ever afters.

I’d thought I had found mine with Spencer, but I was wrong. We dated for two years and had lived together for one of them. Our relationship crumbled when my dad got sick and I moved home. After only two weeks of trying long-distance, he called and said it was over because I no longer had the time to invest into our relationship.

It was the first time a guy had left me because I couldn’t give him my full attention due to helping my dad, but he wasn’t the last. I’d tried dating since moving home, but in the end, those men also walked away when I couldn’t give them the time they wanted.

Sorry, assholes and losers, my dad owned top spot. At least, he would until someone came along and realized that me taking care of him wasn’t a burden, but an honor. How could I not when he’d given me everything he had and made me the woman I was today, busting his ass left and right at his garage so I could have the best of everything?

I turned to Hannah, hating to blow the light out of her excitement and told her what he said. When I was done, her pale green eyes were in danger of popping right out of their sockets.

“No way! He didn’t!”

I nodded. “He most certainly did.”

Saying it out loud stung worse than the reality that he was like everyone else. How ridiculous of me to think otherwise.

Good grief, I’d almost lost myself in his manners and charm. Was I really that hard up for a decent guy? I mean, I’d even been considering letting him in my pants if the opportunity presented itself until he told his whole table that was all he wanted from me.

Sorry, not sorry… I was raised with a small amount of decency. That meant not falling into a guy’s pants just because he crooked two thick, callused fingers.

I had to stop thinking about it. Problem was, I knew Paulie wasn’t going to let me.

“So, how bad is Paulie when he’s really pissed?” I asked Hannah.

Her lips twisted and she made a face. “Well, I’m still here, so.” She shrugged in that innocent, playful way of hers I loved so much. I pulled her to me and gave her a quick hug.

“Thanks for listening to me.”

“Anytime, Paige.”

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