Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,9

and baby daddy, Kevin. I don’t know the details but Cooper asked me to help him take care of him. He didn’t have to ask twice because the fucking pussy knocked my little sister up four years ago and left her high and dry while he went off to college on his football scholarship.

I walk over to Cooper who is standing next to Jackie, the bartender, who clearly is handling things like the pro she claimed she was. “Coop?”

“Not now, Eli.”

I stand with my arms crossed waiting for him to turn around. I’m not leaving until he does. He shifts on his feet while seeming engrossed in his phone. I can see over his shoulder and he’s looking at his screensaver that happens to be a picture of him and Jaylinn.

Finally he turns, his eyes a little wide when he realizes I’m still standing behind him.

“What the fuck was that?”

“That was nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

He shakes his head and looks down to the ground. “Fuck, man.”

“That was a dickhead move.”

Cooper looks up and his head nods slightly. “I couldn’t stand there and talk to her with everyone staring at us, Eli. Do you have any fucking idea how hard it is to even look at her? It’s fucking killing me.”

I look around to see if anyone is staring since Cooper is raising his voice. The only one paying us any attention is Mason who walks over and puts a hand on Cooper’s shoulder. “Let’s have a drink.”

I chuckle, lightening the mood. “He needs more than one.”

Mason laughs. “That he does.” He turns his attention to Jackie and lifts his glass. “Two more and make them doubles.”

As Mason gets Cooper a drink and tries to get him to relax, I wander back downstairs to check on things and make sure Jaylinn is okay if she’s even still here. I also need to get that case of beer I meant to grab earlier.

Heading towards the back stock rooms, I push the door open that leads to the storage area. I go to grab the handle for the beer cooler but it bursts open.

Layla screams and damn near drops a case of beer on my foot. I quickly reach a hand out and steady it, saving a pricey case of imports from crashing to the floor.

“Damn it, you scared the hell out of me.” Layla says securing the beer in her hands.

“I normally don’t have that reaction on the ladies.” I chuckle.

Layla’s face starts to turn red. “Yeah, well…”

“I was actually coming in here to grab this for you guys.” I say nodding towards the beer.

She shrugs. “We needed it.” Layla’s eyes roam up and down my body. “I, uh, I got to get back.” Then she’s walking away.

I reach out to take the beer from her as my hand accidentally grazes her ass, wearing those shorts…the ones I’d specifically dreamed about pulling from those fucking legs of hers. She turns on a dime, knowing that there is most definitely something between us, an impossible boss-employee barrier that we shouldn’t cross.

I watch as her eyes glaze over, knowing the affect my touch has on her I decide to say to hell with it all and invade her ever space.

“I don’t know about you but it’s getting awfully warm in here,” I say as my eyes travel up and down her body, landing on nipples that are at full attention and knowing that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the temperature in this cooler. Taking a step towards her, I hear an intake of breath, unsure whether it’s mine or hers.

“Eli, it’s freezing in here and I’m quite capable of loading the bar and doing my job, thanks though,” Layla says a bit too quickly, a sense of fight or flight in her tone.

“Oh, I know you’re more than capable of doing your job and loading what needs to be loaded, too.” I smirk, dancing on that fine line.

Mouth open, Layla turns and is out of that cooler quicker than I can stifle the chuckle that begs to escape.

The main floor is standing room only, people are shoulder to shoulder. I never thought that tonight would have this good a turn out. I had high hopes but this blew me away. I glance over to the bar and see Layla behind it manning her part. Jaylinn is sitting next to the asshole from earlier.

Making my way over to them I lean on the back of Jaylinn’s chair. “Everything okay?”

She turns and gives me a sad smile.