Page 24 of Let Me Keep You
I keep my head down so they don’t notice me. But damn, I can’t help but glance at Gemma. Yesterday, Everleigh told me they were doing a photoshoot with some of her new inventory. The three of them look fierce as hell, but Gemma steals the show with her loose curls and dark makeup.
I watch through the bar mirror as they find a table, giving me the perfect view of them.
After I finish eating, I order another beer and notice Donald McDouche walking toward their table. The guy was a total asshole in high school, and even now, he looks like a grown-up twelve-year-old.
He leans against the table and offers to buy them all drinks while obviously checking them out, though none of them are showing any interest.
Everleigh isn’t having it and rolls her eyes, then asks him to go away, but he doesn’t get the blatant rejection. When he continues to bother them until they all look uncomfortable and annoyed, I grab my drink and walk over.
I’m not sure whose eyes are wider—the douchebag’s or the girls’.
Everything goes silent as I look at Donald. By the way he swallows hard, he knows exactly who I am.
“Can I help you with something?”
“I was just offering to buy these ladies a round,” he slurs.
“And they said no, so you can move on.” I wave my hand in the air, eyeing the space behind him.
“They can speak for themselves.”
Everleigh scoffs. “We did…twice. So here’s a third: you can fuck off.”
Grinning, I hold out my hand with the beer in it. “Well, there you go. Fuck off.”
Donald hisses, then walks away with his dick tucked between his legs.
I suck in a deep breath, hyperaware that Gemma’s staring at me.
“And my brother saves the day! Reminds me of when you threatened the seventh-grade bully who kept throwing spitballs at me.”
Chuckling, I nod. “You good now?”
“I think we can handle ourselves,” Everleigh says.
“Alright, good.” I turn to walk away.
“You should join us,” Gemma says.
I look at her like she’s lost her mind. “Join you?”
“Well yeah.” Her voice lowers. “Unless you have other plans.”
“Yes, come sit!” Everleigh scoots over and pats the empty seat next to her.
“As it gets later, the creepier the guys get. It’ll be nice having you scare them off for us,” Katie says.
“I’d be intruding. You’re obviously having a girls’ night.”
“Don’t be stupid.” Everleigh smacks the seat again, giving me a demanding scowl.
“C’mon, sit.” Gemma gives me a sweet smile, and that’s when I know I’m fucked.
It’s easy to be a disappointment when I’m so far away, but when she’s staring at me with such a deep intensity, it’s hard as hell to say no.
CHAPTER SIX
GEMMA
