Page 12 of Barker

I shake my head at how ridiculous I’m being. There is absolutely no room in my life for a boyfriend or anything even remotely close to a significant other. It just isn’t possible. My plate is overloaded already. Plus, Barker didn’t need me when he had more than enough girls willing to jump when he said so. I had witnessed and heard more than my fair share of Barker love tonight. The girls dressed in their barely-there clothes with faces done up just for him, begging for his attention, showed me that I’d never hold a candle to them. I’d never have the attention of Barker Tobin… at least not like they would.

Talon wipes down one of the last tables for the night as I approach him. “Hey, if Barker doesn’t care, why don’t you call it a night?” He looks around the place and sees there are still two tables with people at them. “I can get those two. You really should rest a little.”

Talon nods. “Okay, if you’re sure, but please be safe on your way home. Let me know when you’re leaving so I can be on the lookout for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I will,” I reply, as I wave him away. I watch as Talon goes over and talks to Barker for a minute before he heads out the door. I collect my tray and the rag that Talon was using, before heading to the bar where I start to line up the stools.

“I can do that,” Barker tells me.

“I know, but I like to keep busy.”

Barker nods his head slowly. “I noticed.”

I laugh. “Stalk much?”

“Just a little. I just wanted to make sure no one gave you a hard time.”

His words make my heart jump slightly, which is stupid because I can take care of myself, but it is nice to know he at least thought about protecting me. “Thank you, but I can handle myself.”

Barker bites down on his bottom lip. “Oh, I don’t doubt that, darlin’.” I hand my tray to Barker as I finish arranging the stools. I try to ignore the pet name that creates a flurry in my stomach, because normally I’m against pet names. I think they are silly and unoriginal and sometimes insulting, but something about the way Barker says darlin’ has me almost in a puddle on the floor. Darlin’ isn’t something you hear often in Los Angeles but from what I gathered from Talon, Barker is originally from Kentucky. A true southern gentleman it seems. “So, did you do okay tonight, with the tips I mean?”

I look over at him and nod. I hadn’t checked, but from what I could tell, I actually did really well. I hadn’t been expecting it to be better than Vixens, but so far, I was pretty sure it was. “I think I did. Do you mind if I run to the restroom?” I ask.

“Nope, not at all,” Barker replies, as he takes my apron as I pass it to him. I don’t think anything about leaving my tips in it, because for whatever odd reason, I trust Barker.

When I come back out, one of the tables was gone and Barker was leaning across wiping the table down, which gives me a great view of his broad, muscled back and his toned butt, and how his clothes hug every inch of him. I’m so busy checking him out, that I don’t even realize he’s turning around until I’ve been caught. Quickly, I avert my eyes, but I can’t stop the flush as it fills my cheeks. Barker chuckles and heads my way. “Like what you see darlin’?” he asks, as he hands me the tip from the table.

I clear my throat and take the money as I step around him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Barker’s laughter fills the room. “Sure you don’t.” He comes around me and heads toward the last table. “Okay, guys, closing time.” The guys mumble, but throw a tip on the table as they eventually say goodnight and head out the door. Barker clears and cleans the table before heading back toward the bar. “Don’t forget to grab the tip.”

I make my way over, grab the tip, and head back toward the bar. Barker reappears from the door that leads to the kitchen. He hands me my apron where I grab the rest of my tips before passing it back to him so he can stash it. I try to do a quick check, but it looks like I made close to the five hundred dollars tonight. I wobble a little at that thought so I take a seat on one of the stools. When Barker turns back around, he hands me an ice-cold bottled Mountain Dew. “Thanks. I didn’t know you had this on the menu.”

“We don’t, but I bought a six-pack and stashed them in the fridge for you,” Barker replies with a shrug, and there’s that dumb flutter again.

“Why?” I ask, before I can stop myself.

Barker raises his eyebrows. “I’ve seen you before you’ve had one. It’s kind of scary, so I thought I should be prepared.” I can’t help but laugh, because he’s not wrong. Barker has a serious look on his face once my laugh dies down. “Your laugh is contagious.”

“Well, you could have fooled me, Mr. Serious.”

Barker holds his hands up in surrender. “What? I was admiring the beauty of it.” I roll my eyes at that cheesy comeback, but it still made my heart jump. Barker was causing all kinds of weird reactions from my body tonight. “So, what are you doing after this?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Probably, go home, shower, and cuddle with Augustus. Why, you have some hot date?” I tease him.

He shakes his head. “I was going to see since you rode your bike if you wanted to go for a ride.”

“Right now?” I ask, and Barker nods his head yes. “But it’s late and it kind of smells like rain out there.”

“Oh come on, darlin’. Live a little. There’s nothing better than riding right now. Middle of the night, open road with basically no traffic, and just the stars and moon to guide you. The smell of the rain and wind filling your nose as you whip around the streets. It’s a form of magic, a special kind of freedom.”

I study him for a moment to see if he was making a joke or if he was actually serious, but he never cracks a smile. I didn’t know Barker Tobin could be so passionate about anything, but the way he just described that makes me wonder how much I really know about him. “Well, after you describe it like that, how can I say no?”

Twelve

Barker

I had been ruthless tonight. I had watched Annistyn like a hawk and I knew she knew, but I didn’t care. I had even told some preppy jocks that she was taken when they started talking about how hot she was while sitting at the bar. There was no explanation for what I felt towards Annistyn. It’s like I wanted to lay some kind of weird claim on her, yet she wasn’t mine to claim. Hell, I hadn’t even kissed her.

---