Mr. Big Jerk: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance (Kinda Cocky Series Book 3), стр. 9

But, as I tried to approach her, she swayed in my direction.

Before running smack dab into my body.

Shit!

I watched her arms flail backward as her body started falling to the floor. And that sure as hell wasn’t happening. On reflex, I reached out, gripping her waist with my hands. I pulled her close to me, helping her to steady herself on her feet when I felt something wet bleeding through my shirt. I gazed down at the wet spot before I saw Roxy’s empty glass in her hand. But, the grip she had on my arm pulled me from my trance quickly. I liked how she clung to me, how her delicate hands gripped my muscles.

“My my, I didn’t realize where I was rushing off to. I’m so sorry, Mister…?”

I blinked. “You good, Roxy?”

The second my voice sounded, she pulled away from me. I watched her carefully as her back fell against a pole that stood behind her as her eyes slowly worked their way up to my face. Even in her drunken state, she was a very pretty girl. The outfit she donned for the evening made my fingertips tingle. I wondered what her shirt might look like on my bedroom floor, and the second that thought rolled through my mind, I knew I’d made a mistake coming here.

She’s your employee, and you’re here working—nothing else.

“Holy shit, I’m so sorry,” Roxy said breathlessly.

I looked down at the wet spot on my shirt. “Oh. That.”

She started looking around. “I didn’t even know I had picked up that new drink. I’m so sorry, Clint. I’ll pay for the dry-cleaning, and--.”

“It’s fine, Roxy. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”

She turned around with napkins in her hand. “Aha! Here. Let me just--.”

I sighed. “Roxy.”

She reached out for my suit. “This will get some of it off, at least.”

I wrapped my hand around her wrist. “Look at me when I’m speaking with you.”

She’s not on the clock right now, cool your jets.

She pulled away from me. “You’re only my boss on workdays, and while I’m clocked in. You don’t get to address me like that during off time. Got it?”

I shrugged. “Well, it’s not off-time for me.”

“It is for me, Clint. So, why don’t you try that statement again.”

I didn’t know what to say to come back from this awkward encounter. So, I simply stared down into her frustrated gaze.

“I don’t even know why you’re here anyway,” she said. “If you don’t want to be here, you can leave. You have the birthday girl’s permission.”

I blinked. “Did you not hear me tell you that it’s not off-time for me?”

She slipped around me. “You’re never on off-time. You’re a workaholic, just like the rest of your family.”

Why did you press that button? “Hey!”

She whipped around. “I don’t give a shit what you think you’re doing here. And I don’t know where you get off jumping in front of me like that. I didn’t need your help, or your intervention, or your expertise. So, why don’t you just keep patrolling around here like the security man you are and leave me the hell alone, yeah?”

My stomach sank. “Happy birthday, Roxy.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I would’ve rather stayed home with a pizza.”

Then, she turned on her heels and headed back for the bar.

Her words hung heavily in my mind, though, because she had a point. Not once had I seen Kelly or Karina since I came to the casino, and they beat me here by an entire hour. And if they weren’t keeping an eye on Roxy, then who the hell was? I turned around, looking out over the sea of heads that bobbed as people wasted their money on pointless machines. I tried to spot Brenden or Zane. I tried to see where the hell those four had gotten off to.

I didn’t see them, though, either.

“Just go, all right!?” Roxy yelled.

I didn’t even bother turning around to face her.

“Sure thing,” I said.

I made my way for the front doors and headed back out into the parking lot. I don’t know what kind of time Zane was having, but it sure as hell wasn’t the kind of time Roxy was having. And if she didn’t want me here, then I certainly wouldn’t rain on her parade anymore than it had been rained on. Part of me felt bad for her, though.

It was her birthday, and her friends weren’t even at her side.

At least I can tell Zane I got out…