Free Love & Hate (Book Two: Love) by JJ Dorn

the restrooms are. I can just see the line of girls waiting outside when a pair of large hands grab me and pull me into the darkness.
    “ What do you think you’re doing?” The owner of the large hands demands.
    I know it’s him.
    “ Let me go Cutter.” I say as I squirm for him to release my hand. I can see his silhouette in the glow of the neon lights from inside the bar. He is wearing a firefighter outfit. He has on the classic khaki pants with red stripes on the side and then a simple tight white t-shirt with red suspenders over it. The sight of him is almost too much for me. A flood of memories hits me as I relish in his touch.
    “ No. What the hell are you thinking? You’re seriously drunk and you’re wearing that?”
    I suddenly feel self-conscious about my outfit, which pisses me off. “I like my outfit.”
    “ There is nothing to it. Every guy in here can see your damn butt.” He growls still holding me captive.
    “ What do you care if they can?” I growl back at him.
    “ Don’t start with me Paige.” Really? Who the heck does he think he is?
    “ No don’t you start with me. I am not yours. You have no claim on me.”
    He looks down for a moment. “How can I forget?” He says softly with his eyes still downcast.
    “ Don’t you have a girlfriend that needs your attention? She has already established she doesn’t like you being around me.”
    “ We broke up.” Wait, what?
    “ Well that’s too bad; you guys seemed perfect for each other.” I spit back. I know I am being snatchy but he brings it out in me.
    He doesn’t say anything back to me just stares at me. It’s like he is searching my eyes for something, what I have no idea.
    “ Okay, well as much as this has been fun, I need to go use the restroom now.”
    He lets go of my hand and I spin on my heels stalking off to the bathroom. As soon as I hit the stall my alcohol consumption for the evening hits me like a wave. I was going to puke and there was nothing I could do to stop it, so much for my fun birthday.

    I don’t know how long I had been in the bathroom laying on the tile floor of the stall when I hear a commotion. The stall door bursts open and Cutter stands there with his hands against the walls of the stall. He looks absolutely terrifyingly pissed off.
    “ Damn it Paige.” He growls and bends down gently picking me up. He carries me through the crowd making sure no one bumps into me. We arrived at the exit door in the back part of the bar and he pushes his way through it. We are in the alley that is behind my house. The cool night air hits me and it feels amazing. I realize I should care that Cutter just dragged me out of the bar and I didn’t tell Millie or Holden where I was going, but I can’t, I’m too sick. Cutter carries me through the alley and to the sliding back door of my house.
    “ Key?” He asks.
    “ It’s open. We usually forget to lock it.” I say through my drunken haze.
    He curses under his breath and opens the door carrying me inside the house.
    “ Bedroom?” He asks.
    “ Oh, on the right.” I say and lean back against his chest inhaling his cologne deeply. I have missed his smell.
    “ Sit Paige.” He says as he gently sets me on the edge of my bed. He turns and starts riffling through my dresser drawers. “Where are your favorite pajamas?”
    It takes a minute for my drunken mind to process what he is asking. “They don’t fit anymore, too big. I had to get rid of them.”
    He mutters something and I stare in wonderment as he pulls out a pair of pajamas from the drawer. He turns back to me and sets them next to me on the bed.
    “ Turn around.” He says in a low tone.
    “ Cutter…” Who, what is he trying to do?
    “ Turn around Page. I’m going to help you, so don’t argue.”
    I do as he asks because I know there is absolutely no way I can undo all those eyelet hooks in the back of this bustier. It took Millie almost fifteen minutes to get them all hooked properly. Cutter takes