Page 53 of To Love Jason Thorn

“And if I am?”

“I’d say you must not have enough of Meganchewing your ass and you’re jonesing for more.”

I laughed. “Don’t worry, she won’t hearabout this.” I stopped next to my bed. “And if you don’t want to get fired,you’re not reporting that to her either. Get back to me as soon as you can. I’mtexting you her address.”

Ending the call, I texted him the addressof her apartment and went to my closet to change into something more college-yto blend in with the rest of the frat boys.

Fifteen minutes later, I was on my way toattempt to find Olive in one of the five bars Alvin had texted.

***

It was at the fourth bar that I finally found…something.And by something, I mean Olive and the friend she had introduced me to thatday—Lucy? Charlotte?—up on the small makeshift stage just about to start asong.

She looked…damn it but she looked good. Herhair had clearly been haphazardly put into a messy bun, but there were still afew locks that had escaped and were resting over her shoulders, framing anddrawing attention to her beautiful smiling face. She was wearing a short dress,which seemed to sit a little tight on her breasts.

Why the hell am I looking at herbreasts, again?

Shit!

When the music blasted, they startedswaying to the beat. Then reaching up, she let her hair loose, shook her head,and looked at her friend with a big smile on her face as she mouthed somethingI couldn’t understand. Just as she had said on the phone, they started to sing‘Let’s Marvin Gaye’ from the top. Then started the slow hip and shouldermovements. The saps who were lined up in front of the stage ate it all up, catcallingand whistling.

Looking down at the floor, I pulled down mybaseball hat, trying not to draw attention to myself. I walked in farther and founda dark corner close to the stage. I wanted to grab a beer from the bar, but itwasn’t worth getting recognized for. As soon as I knew Olive was safe with herfriends, I would leave. My hands in my pockets, I leaned back against the woodwall and watched the whole thing with bewilderment, amusement, and fascination.

When Olive smiled and bit her bottom lip asher friend took over the song, I was completely mesmerized by her.

Sucker punched.

Then the chorus came and they were singingtogether again. At one point, Olive gave her back to her friend, glanced overher shoulder, and with a playful look on her face, winked at her. I would havebet millions of my dollars that every hot-blooded male’s attention was on her,not her friend, but it didn’t even look like Olive cared for any of theattention she was getting. Even though her friend was a fiery brunette, shecouldn’t hold a candle to Olive’s beauty. If they had the chance, more than halfof those idiots would go after her without a second thought.

Without even realizing what I was doing, Iwalked closer to the stage. Blending in had been easier than I’d thought itwould be, so I didn’t see a problem with being more in the open.

A college bar wasn’t exactly the placepeople would expect me to hang around, after all. Even if a few of them thoughtI looked like someone they knew, with the amount of alcohol in their systemthey wouldn’t remember a thing by the morning, and if someone started to takepictures, I would just head out.

My eyes glued to the stage, specifically onOlive, I didn’t see the guy next to me and took an elbow in my side. Gruntingin pain, I lowered my baseball cap just to make sure no one could see my entireface. I couldn’t stay there the entire night, but I knew I wasn’t goinganywhere until I talked to Olive and made sure she wasn’t pawed by any drunkenidiots.

I didn’t trust any of those bastards not topull anything on her as soon as she was off the stage.

As much as the crowd was getting heated,Olive and her friend seemed to enjoy singing to each other, laughing andsmiling the entire time. When they were at the opposite ends of the stage,Olive crooked her finger at her friend and I found myself a few steps closer tothe stage.

Damn it, Jason!

When she screamed for mercy, I was rightthere with her. My phone started buzzing in my pocket. Seeing Megan’s name onthe screen, I ignored her call. Suddenly, flustered and angry for some reason,I was about to turn around and leave when I heard someone yell, ‘I’ll give youall the healing you need, all damn night babe!’

Stupid shitfaced bastards.

So, I stayed.

I would drop her home myself. That way Iwould feel better, knowing she was safe.

When they were finally done with the song,I was more than ready to deck a few guys I had set my eyes on. Dylan would wantme too, wouldn’t he?

As soon as Olive got down from the stage,the guy I’d seen when I’d dropped her off at her apartment took her hand and ledboth the girls to the end of the bar where a few more of their friends weresitting. Heading toward them, I noticed Olive pulling her hand out of his andlinking her arm with her friend’s again.

When I was almost by their side, my eyesmet with her friend’s—the one she had been on the stage with—and she recognizedme at once. Had someone else also recognized me? Taken pictures? Was that whyMegan was calling?

When I was standing right behind Olive, herfriend’s grin had become too big for her small face.

That one was trouble.

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