Free Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker Page B

you?”
    “You don’t give off lawyerly vibes.”
    Ben turns his body and rests his elbows on
the bar so he faces out into the crowd while he talks to me. “So I
hear you just moved here?”
    “Yep.” I busy myself with wiping the counter
down and stacking freshly washed glasses.
    “You’re a big talker, aren’t you?”
    “Us fully-dressed girls have to work extra
hard for our money.”
    His head falls back to look at me. “Fair
enough. Listen—next time you’re at the gym and I’m there, come get
me. We can go a few rounds.” He saunters away, not waiting for my
response.
    Oh, I’ll go a few rounds with you, but
probably not the kind your crotch brain is offering. I follow
his movements, about to holler, “You got it, Lawyer Boy!” but the
words die on my lips.
    Trent is sitting at a single top bar height
table.
    And he’s not watching the naked pretzel on
the stage. He’s watching me.
    Check that. Staring at me.
    Trent is here and he’s staring at me.
    “What the hell …” I grumble to no one in
particular, ducking my head. I can’t deal with him and what he does
to me now. Here. Tonight. Fuck!
    I sense a form step up to the bar and I
cautiously look up. It’s Nate, thank God. He’s back from the cowboy
eviction already. “Is that guy bothering you, Kacey?”
    I swallow. “Nah.” Yes, but not for the
reasons you think .
    “You sure?” He pivots his massive body to
check the table. Trent’s still there, leaning his long body back
into his chair, sipping on his straw, his focus now on Cherry.
“He’s been there for half an hour. He’s been watching you.”
    “He has?” I squeak and then quickly add in a
normal tone, “he’s my neighbor. It’s okay.”
    Nate’s dark orbs wander the rest of the room,
looking for grabby guys that he can toss out the door, no doubt.
“You make sure you tell me if he bothers you, okay, Kacey?”
    When I don’t answer, he looks down at me
again, that thunderous voice of his a little softer. “Okay?”
    I nod. “Yup, you got it, Nate.”
    With a curt bob of his head, he wanders back
to stand at his post like a sentry. One who could rip a guy’s legs
right out of their sockets if he sneezes too hard.
    “What was that about?” Storm sneaks up behind
me.
    “Oh, nothing.” My voice is still shaky and I
can’t get my tongue to work properly. I hazard another glance over
at Trent. He’s leaning into the table, toying with his straw, while
Mediterranean Barbie—Bella, I think she goes by—presses her
scantily clad body against his thigh. I watch as she gestures
toward the V.I.P. room, her hand slipping over the back of his neck
affectionately.
    “You okay? You look like you’re trying to
choke someone.” She’s right, I realize, as I notice my fists
wringing the dish cloth in my hand like it’s a neck. It is
someone’s neck right about now. Bella’s …
    “Yeah, I’m fine.” I toss the cloth down and
hazard one more peek at Trent, the same second his gorgeous blue
eyes dart back to touch mine. I jump. He gives me that teasing
smile that peels away my defenses, leaving me as naked as the
dancers on stage. Why does he affect me so? It’s unnerving!
    “Uh, that’s not ‘nothing,’ Kacey. Are you
looking at that guy? Who is that?” She leans over my shoulder to
catch my line of sight. “Isn’t that—”
    My hand goes up to gently shove her face
back. “Turnaround! Now he knows we’re talking about him.”
    Storm doubles over, laughing. “Kacey’s got a
crush,” she sings. “Our neighbor’s eye-humping you. Go and talk to
him.”
    “No!” I growl back, throwing my best set of
icy eye daggers at her.
    She ducks her head and busies herself by
clearing glasses off the bar. I can tell she’s stung by the venom
in my tone. Guilt instantly swells inside me. Dammit,
Storm!
    I struggle to ignore Trent’s table, but it’s
like passing a train wreck. It’s impossible not to look. By the end
of the night, I’m exhausted and annoyed by