Forty

E

It's early Friday night, and we're already slammed. Just how I like it.

Bella is running around, slinging drinks and bussing tables like a chicken with its head cut off, but she's smiling and having a great time.

I myself am having a hard time concentrating on work, and it is entirely her fault. She took one of the shirts a distributor left—Heady Topper—but she cut a deep V in the neck and tied it so that a small sliver of skin peeks out between the shirt, and a pair of super tight jeans that might as well be painted on.

I can't wait to lock the doors and peel those off of her. I might even spank her for being a tease. I bet she'd like that. I know I would.

Bella's agreed to come home with me tonight. It's been a few days because she's been busy taking care of Rose, who got a bad case of food poisoning. Rose is on the mend now and being nursed back to health by her boyfriend Emmett. I met him a few weeks ago, and he seems like a nice guy.

Watching my Bella, a five-foot-eight hellfire, threaten a dude twice her size much like the way Rose threatened me was comical at best. My girl is a bit more theatrical than her best friend.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Bella asks. She's flushed and there are tendrils of hair framing her face, having escaped from the messy bun on the top of her head. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

"Nuthin'."

Her brown eyes roll. "Sure, sure."

I drop a kiss on her pouty mouth and squeeze her ass just because I can. "I'm going to clean some glasses. Looks like we're going to need them at the rate we're going."

"You love it." Bella hums.

"I do. But I love you more."

"Go do the dishes before I do something crazy like mount you right here, right now."

My pants grow tight, and I reach for her, but she steps back, shaking her head. "Maybe later when we get home." She winks and turns to the customers waiting with a coy smile.

Yeah, she's getting it tonight.

I wash a few loads of dishes and take the dry glasses out to the bar so I can keep an eye on Bella. She seems to be holding down the fort just fine. But I notice that her attitude has taken a one-eighty. Gone is the big smile that usually adorns her pretty face, replaced by a strained, I don't know what to call it, the mix between a forced grin and a grimace. I drop the tray of glasses on the bar and pull her away from the liquor, customers be damned.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Her eyes flit to a table by the windows and back. "You remember my old boss?"

"The asshole who couldn't understand the concept of the word no?"

I don't need her to tell me that he's here. My blood runs cold, and I scan the room. Rebar has seen a lot of townies recently but it's easy to spot the asshole.

He's here with a few colleagues, but his focus is on the girl behind the bar. My girl.

I move so that I'm in between the two and growl.

"I mean, what are the chances?" Bella asks sarcastically.

"I'll go kick him out."

"No, I'm not going to give him the satisfaction. Let him stay. Maybe charge him extra." She pulls away. "I have customers waiting. Help me catch up and I'll go finish the dishes. I could use a break."

We work together, and I ask Bella to hold off on going to the kitchen so I can bus a few now empty tables real quick. She offers to do it, but I'll be damned if I let her be anywhere close to the douche.

Before I grab a tray, I pull her aside and make a quiet promise that I'll take care of her tonight. She presses a quick kiss to my lips and I deepen it.

"Wanna pee on my leg while you're at it?" She laughs when I finally let her go.

"Are you into that sort of thing?" I ask with a raised brow.

"Absolutely not!"

"I know, baby. But I made you smile." I kiss her. "Let's get back to work. I wanna get out of here on time."

"Yes, sir."

He's either smart or a coward. I'm going to go with the latter. Bella's old boss doesn't say anything or even look her way as I work, cleaning the tables around him.

Correction. He's a fucking idiot.

"You should know she's a tease."

I stop what I'm doing and turn to him. "Excuse me."

"Bella. She'll lead you on until things don't go her way. She'll act out. Trust me, she's not worth the time."

His coworkers laugh at Bella's expense, and that just won't fly in my bar.

"That's your opinion. I think it's time for you to go."

"Nah, man. We haven't finished our drinks yet."

"I can help with that." I grab his beer and dump it into one of his friend's glasses. "Now, you're done. Feel free to leave and never come back. You're banned from this bar."

"On what grounds?"

"For being disgusting or talking shit about my girlfriend. You take your pick."

With a few choice words and a big scene, he finally leaves.

I join Bella behind the bar, and she tries to act angry, but I can tell she's fighting a genuine smile.

"Are you mad?"

"How could I be?" She throws her arms around my neck. "My hero."