Page 15 of Throttle All the Way

She reached out her hand and I slid my hand around hers, bringing it up to my lips for a kiss. “It’s a pleasure,Mindy.”

“I should be going,” she slid off the stool as I assisted her.

“Do you have a ride?”

“I don’t, but I’m sure I could walk or grab a taxi, I’m not far.”

I looked out the window and raised a brow. “Honey, not in Port Townsend, and not in this weather. Where are you staying?”

“A hotel in Silverdale.”

“Well, shit,” I uttered, pretending I had no idea where this asshole had taken her. It was a hotel about an hour away, far away from anyone here so that no one would notice his seedy liaisons.

“You’ll be staying here for the night.”

“Oh no, there’s no need.”

“I can't drive you out there tonight. There's a snowstorm coming. And it's as bad as it gets.”

“I live in Seattle, I honestly have no idea where I am. I was supposed to spend the weekend with Tom…” she stared back at the bathroom once more and sighed.

I slid off the stool and hovered over her. Gently, I slid my fingers beneath her chin and raised her head until her eyes met mine.

“No arguing. I’ll take care of you from here.”

“I…”

“I said no arguing,” I pressed a finger to her lips, lost for a moment in her softness.

“Okay. Whatever you say.”

“Good kitten,” I winked at her as I made my way through the crowd toward Silencer and Virgil.

“You work fast,” Virgil said as he watched me grab my jacket and steal away my laptop.

“Gimme your keys,” I waited with my hand, open palmed, reaching out at him.

He narrowed his eyes on me. “I don’t lend my baby out to anyone.”

“I’m not anyone. Besides, you're a Preacher, I’m doing a good deed here. Unless you want me to leave her to walk alone? In the dark? In the snow?”

His eyes glanced behind me toward the door where she waited for me.

“I ain’t no preacher,” he reached in his pocket and deposited the keys in my hand. Just before I pulled away, he gripped my wrist.

“You take care of her like she was your child.”

I never understood the obsession with cages, but I guess it just wasn’t my thing. Instead of arguing, I nodded. “I got you, brother.”

Pulling away I turned to Buzz at the bar. “We’ve gotta rich boy, fell asleep on the toilet.”

The guys around us started to laugh.

“Ahh shit,” Buzz uttered, slamming his bar towel on the counter before taking off toward the bathroom. He’d ask a prospect to take the fucker home.

I, on the other hand, headed toward the pretty blonde waiting for me at the door. “Ready?”

She looked up at me, biting down on her lip. “You really don’t have to.”

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