Free Barred by Paisley Walker

today, and I wanted to make sure you ate.  I brought you a sandwich and some coffee.  I never saw you leave today.” She blushes a bit and he can’t help but smile.
    “Thank you Nicole. That was very thoughtful of you. I am kind of hungry.” He eyes her as he takes in the neatness of her ponytail all the way down to her tailored dress and pumps. At one point, he would have found her attractive but with Kimberly invading his every thought these days, that was definitely a no go. 
    “Sure thing.  Have a good day.”  She smiles and turns away, exiting the office. He reaches for a pen and makes a note to make sure the woman has flowers on her desk in the morning. The papers may say that both he and Emerson were players and users, but the thing they didn’t know, was that every employee of Phillips and Stanley were well taken care of.  He eats the food while he goes over a few more things.  He sends a couple of e-mails to other attorneys with the cases he’s working on before deciding it’s time to cut off for the day. 
    Not really wanting to go to an empty house tonight, he makes his way to a bar close to work.  He smiles as the Cajun music blasts through the speakers while making his way to the bar.  He nods his head at two of his old high school friends before he sits at the end of the bar closest to the wall, hoping to not be noticed.  All of the old signs in the place make him feel oddly at home. 
    “Well…Hey there stranger. What can I get cha?” Jonathon looks up into the eyes of Piper and kicks himself mentally for forgetting the woman worked there.
    “Hey Piper, I’ll just take a Jack and coke please.” 
    “Coming right up.” She turns to make her way to the glasses, shaking her hips a little more, hoping he notices.  He shakes his head and his lip curls.  If only she wasn’t a fire engine red head and instead a mousey brunette it may make his dick jump.  Kimberly really had fucked up his game.  It wasn’t like him to not want to pick up a woman in a bar.  Hell, even Mallory hadn’t been able to keep his dick in his pants.  “Here ya go, sugar.” 
    “Thanks,” he replies, smiling before handing her a twenty-dollar bill.  “Keep the change.” 
    “What’s got you down Jonathon?” She slides a black, perfectly manicured nail, over his arm and he has to bite back the urge to cringe.  “Must be a woman, you never used to mind me touching you.” 
    He looks up into the bright blue eyes of the woman in front of him, letting his eyes rake over her enticing cleavage.  Wanting to feel at least an ounce of desire for the woman, but he cannot.  “Yeah, I guess so.”
    “That girl in the paper?” 
    “Yeah, her,” he lets out a sigh, taking a sip of his drink.
    “So where is she now?”
    “Business trip.” 
    “Ah, well you know my number if you need someone to warm your bed.” 
    “Mmmhmmm,” he replies, slamming back the cool liquid, raising his right hand to motion for another.  After two more drinks, he tips his head at Piper and leaves a hundred-dollar bill on the bar. He reaches for his phone in his pocket, making sure no one has called while he makes his way home.  He slides into the front seat of his vehicle, starts the ignition and turns out of the parking lot.  Fifteen minutes later, he pulls into the driveway of the home he always wanted, but the feeling that overtakes him is not what he ever expected. It’s a feeling of loneliness, and this place is far from empty. He gets out of his car, walking into the kitchen for a glass of water.  He drinks the cold liquid while he walks into his master bedroom.  Looking at the bed, he lets out a growl.  “What the fuck is wrong with you?  She’s one woman.” 
    He rips off his shirt and jeans, walking to his dresser.  Pulling out a pair of running shorts, Jonathon slides them on while walking to his home gym.  He opens the double doors of the room that once housed a formal dining room.  Now it contained