Page 30 of Shephard

So many strange thoughts rushed through my mind, including the one time when Mom and Dad had taken me and my brothers to an amusement park in the next town. Suddenly, we’d been forced to leave. There’d been no explanation, no hesitation. When I’d asked, he’d forced me to stay in my room for the rest of the night.

Had he been afraid someone had seen him, or he’d recognized someone from his past? I wasn’t ready to jump to any conclusions.

I headed toward the neon-lit corridor leading to the bathrooms, doing my business and washing my hands. Anger still resonated somewhere within, the reporter threatening to sue my sorry ass, his new name for me. I’d dared him to bring it on. No, the resort didn’t need that kind of notoriety, but even after I’d broken his nose, he hadn’t stopped pestering me with questions. It was as if he was digging into my past.

Unacceptable.

I was committed to keeping to myself as much as possible.

After glaring at my reflection, I headed back to the corner stool. I’d grab another drink before leaving. That much I owed to myself. I should have known some jerk would steal my barstool. I noticed the dude’s presence as soon as I walked back into the bar. Not that I had my name on the stool, but it was obvious someone had been still sitting there with a partially consumed beer.

It didn’t take me long to realize who was sitting in my chair.

The woman from before, the one who’d bumped into me and made a scene earlier that day. She was also the copper-haired beauty I hadn’t been able to get my mind off. Or maybe I should say my thoughts had been buried in a filthy gutter, the longing keeping my cock aching and my balls tight.

After this morning, it had taken all I had not to follow her to her vehicle, forcing her to go somewhere with me. But that would be considered kidnapping, wouldn’t it? I moved closer, crowdingher space. She was looking the other way, tapping her long fingers on the bar as if impatient for a drink.

I was within inches when her body tensed and she turned slightly in my direction. Her reaction was immediate and just as surly as earlier in the day. She narrowed her eyes and cursed under her breath.

“Are you stalking me now too?” Her question was laced with venom.

“You’re sitting on my stool.”

“I didn’t see your name attached. Are you one of those guys that must sit in the same place at your local watering hole?”

I cocked my head, leaning against the bar. The bartender eyed me first and I nodded. If she was waiting for me to ask her what she wanted, she’d be sitting without a drink for a long time.

“I’ll have a merlot, Josh. You know the one. Make certain my buddy here gets rotgut whatever.”

Josh whistled and threw up his hands. “Just play nice. I have enough of a rowdy crowd to deal with.”

The guests from tables behind us took that moment to issue collective primal screams for whatever team had scored a touchdown.

“Sure thing,” she answered. When I didn’t budge, she exhaled. “Are you going to stand there the entire time I’m here?”

“Since you’re sitting in my seat, I could deal with pulling you into my lap.” I had a feeling that would shock her since I’d said very little.

“I suggest you not try something stupid like that, buddy. I’ve had a shit for a day and I’m in the mood for a war.”

“Yeah? My day was worse than yours.” Now we were comparing bad days. I’d be damned, but as if by some karma or clockwork from hell, the news broadcast from the incident this morning was played out in vivid color on a commercial.

Well, shit. There was the solid hit for the entire town to see. At least the volume on the guy’s microphone hadn’t been at a level anyone could hear.

The horrible scene grabbed her attention and as she stared at the screen, she went from smiling that I’d broken the guy’s nose to grimacing when hearing who I was.

“That’s you?”

I could tell she wasn’t very happy about learning what little the reporter knew about me. “Yeah. Don’t like it?”

“You’re running the resort?”

“With my two brothers. Not my idea or something I dreamed of doing.”

“Then leave.” She turned her head just as drinks were thudded down on the bar.

“Can’t do. Family comes first.”

“Shephard Fox. Sounds like a hero in a romance novel.”