Hard Bastard(8)

“Well. Here’s to your homecoming.”

We clinked glasses and drank. He smiled at me, crossing his arms. “You look good, kid.”

“Thanks,” I said. “You look fine yourself.”

“Please. We both know I look better than fine.”

“You look healthy.”

“I assume that means you want to drag me into the bathroom and have your way with me.”

“Not exactly.” I couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, sorry. I think I had that backwards. You want me to drag you.”

“Of course. I do love an alpha caveman making me do his bidding.”

“You say that like you’re joking, but we both know what you like.”

I paused, biting my lip, and quickly sipped my drink to cover my embarrassment. Gage always did know exactly how to push my buttons, and apparently ten years hadn’t changed a single thing.

That was probably the craziest thing about our conversation. Ten years had passed, and I was ready to run the hell out of there when we made eye contact, but as soon as we sat down together it felt just like old times. I knew I should probably stay away from Gage, since I shouldn’t let myself get involved with an old flame like him, but I couldn’t help myself. Gage just had that magnetic personality that drew me toward him, closer and closer.

I couldn’t walk away now even if I wanted to. It only took maybe ten minutes, but I was already hooked. Besides, I didn’t know anybody in town anymore, not really. All of my old friends moved away, and plus, I hadn’t really seen them in ten years either. When I moved to Seattle, I had to start all over. I tried to keep in touch with my best friend at the time, but we just slowly drifted apart. As far as I knew, she was living in Philadelphia and had a kid.

Gage made Ashertown feel like home again, which was just so strange. I didn’t know how he did it, but just talking to him made me feel like I was where I belonged. Ashertown had felt like my home for a long time, even years after we moved to Seattle, but that feeling had long since passed. I hadn’t missed Ashertown in a long while, had barely even thought about it.

Gage brought all of those feelings back and much, much more. That cocky smile on his face brought back some memories that I hoped were long buried.

I went to order another drink from the bartender, but two men suddenly appeared behind Gage. One man was overweight and ugly with a creepy smile on his face. The other man was thin and intense looking with a large, crooked nose.

“Gage,” the thin one said. “We gotta go.”

He cocked his head at the guy. “What do you want, Alex?”

“We got a call. Finish up here and meet us outside.”

The fat one gave me a creepy smile as the two men walked away.

Gage sighed. “Guess I have to get going.”

“Who are they?”

“Business associates.”

I nodded. “Okay. You work weird hours, huh?”

“Can’t control the collections business. When you get a call, you gotta work.” He stood up and dropped some cash on the bar. It was way too much.

“Gage, you don’t have to do that.”

“Sure I do.”

“That’s too much.”

“That’s okay.” He leaned toward me. “What’s your number? I think you need to be shown around town one more time.”

I took a sharp breath and then gave him my cell number. He nodded, typing it into his phone. I had a nagging feeling that I was making a mistake, but Gage was the only person I knew in town anymore. It would be pretty damn lonely without a single person I could meet up with for drinks.

Besides, he was harmless. Nothing was going to happen between us.

“Good seeing you again, Sadie,” he said.

“Yeah, you too.”

He smirked one more time at me and then walked away. I watched him go, admiring the muscles in his body as he disappeared out the door.

Nothing was going to happen to me. It didn’t matter that I was dripping wet and practically panting at the sight of him. He was my old boyfriend and I wasn’t going to let myself get involved with him ever again. Even though neither of us wanted things to end, I couldn’t bring myself to do that again.

I couldn’t risk it. I just couldn’t.

But he looked so damn good. I finished my drink, sitting there alone at the bar, and I kept thinking about Gage. About the things we did together, the times we had together, the way he made me feel when I was with him.

Most importantly, I kept thinking about his body against mine, and how stupidly badly I wanted that again.





Chapter 4





Gage





I wanted to fuck up that fat piece of shit and the idiot with the crooked nose for pulling me away from Sadie. I was in the fucking zone, completely and entirely focused on her, and I knew she was feeling the same way. I could remember exactly why I was so into her when I was younger.