Page 4 of You're All I Need

“Thanks,” she states, paying my tab and slipping the rest of the money into the jar.

I wave at the guys, even though none of them are particularly paying me any attention. “Have a good one, everyone,” I holler. “Safe travels home,” I tell Adrienne.

Just as I turn to head for the front entrance, I hear, “Mind giving me a ride home tonight?”

I pause, returning my attention to the bar. “You don’t have a ride?” I ask unnecessarily, considering she asked me for a ride.

She shrugs. “Car’s in the shop.”

“Okay,” I reply immediately, returning to my seat, but then quickly noticing Jameson is placing the stools on top of the bar for the night.

I jump into action, starting at my end and meeting him at about the halfway point. “Thanks,” he says before heading off to complete another task.

Even though I’m not really sure what to do to help, there’s no way I can just sit here and watch while they close up the bar for the night. I head to the walk-in cooler, where Jameson isnow pulling cases of beer to stock their coolers. I move what he’s setting outside the door and take them to where Walker is filling coolers.

Walker nods in acknowledgement, setting the empty cases out of the way and tearing into another.

I help break down the empty boxes and carry them outside with Jasper, who is tossing trash bags into the dumpster. “Thanks for your help.” He takes the boxes from me and places them in the dumpster.

“You’re welcome.”

He turns and pins me with a look. “You’re hanging around longer than normal.”

I hold up my hands in surrender. “Adrienne asked for a ride home, and I thought I’d help clean up instead of just sitting there, waiting and watching her work.”

Jasper continues to watch me, as if gauging my response for sincerity and truth. After a few seconds, he states, “She’s new in town.”

Annoyance fills my chest as my eyes narrow. “I’m aware.”

The whole big brother routine continues as he adds, “We all like her. Just…be careful.”

“Or else?” I ask, chuckling at my little joke.

But the moment I see his dark eyes thinning into little slits, I realize he didn’t appreciate my joke. “Yeah, or else.”

With that, he makes his way back inside, leaving me standing here under the security lights in the parking lot, wondering what in the fuck that was all about. I haven’t done anything wrong to warrant the whole tough-guy act from Jasper, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought it. Adrienne’s fucking hot, and I won’t deny I’ve had plenty of fantasies in the recent weeks fueled by her. Jasper knows my reputation. Hell, everyone knows it. I’m a love ’em and leave ’em guy. No strings. I’m notashamed of it, especially when the women I’m with know the score.

Just as I open the door and step inside the building, Adrienne’s there. “Ready?” she asks with a pleasant smile.

“Yep,” I reply, pulling my keys out of my pocket. “Let’s roll.”

Chapter Two

Adrienne

I follow Caden to his vehicle, surprised to find him making his way toward a sleek, pearl white Tahoe. I stop in my tracks, trying to wrap my head around the fact he’s driving an SUV.

“What’s wrong?” he asks after unlocking the doors with the fob.

Giving my head a little shake, I reply, “I wasn’t expecting the mom SUV.”

The corners of his mouth curl up, and when he smiles his entire face lights up, making his blue eyes sparkle beneath the security lighting off the buildings. “What did you expect?”

“I don’t know, but not this. A Camaro? Maybe a Mustang? Something that goes from zero to sixty in about five seconds.”

He chuckles, leading me around to the passenger side and opening the door for me. Once I’m seated, he shuts the door and jogs around to the driver’s side. Once he’s inside and belted in, he starts his SUV and backs out of the parking spot. “Well, while I’m not opposed to speed, I like the space and luxury,” he says, reaching the roadway. “Which way?”

“Oh, right, please. I’m in the Conrad townhouses,” I tell him, certain he’ll know which building I’m talking about, since the eight-unit townhouse buildings are well known by locals.

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