Page 18 of Landlord Daddy's Girl

“Yeah. That was funny,” I deadpan, then turn to Sierra. “You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t she be okay?” Stu says indignantly.

Ignoring him, I press her with my eyes. “You all right?”

“I was just talking to her,” Stu huffs. “This is a social place?—”

“Enough,” I growl. “Walk away, Stu.”

“Maybe you forgot, but this is my place?—”

“And this crowd is in here because of me,” I snap. “Now, unless you want this place to get really empty, really fucking quick—and stay that way—you should shut the fuck up and walk away.”

Stu looks at me like I just slapped him across the face. He glances at Sierra, who looks away. He blinks and walks off without another word.

“Clearly, I should avoid this bar,” Sierra says.

“I should too,” I reply.

“Slater, I don’t want to affect you doing your job.”

“I don’t do this for the money. I do it because it gives me a break from fixing toilets. I do it because it’s fun,” I say. “This stopped being fun.”

“Slater—”

“Listen, finish up your drink and head on home. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Are you sure?”

I flash her a smile. “Very.”

Sierra doesn’t even finish her drink. She simply slides off her stool and heads out of the bar, my eyes fixed on that divinely perfect ass as she goes. It makes me anxious to get home and put my hands all over it. Stu sidles up next to me, a look of displeasure on his face.

“I don’t know what your problem is, but I was just chattin’ that girl up like I do with everybody else who comes through those doors?—”

“Let me just stop you right there. You don’t leer at everybody who comes through those doors like you were leering at her. You were making her uncomfortable.”

“Like hell I was.”

“You should learn to read your audience, Stu.”

“I don’t appreciate the way you’re talking to me right now.”

I shrug. “I tell it like it is.”

“Yeah, well, in case you forgot, this is my place,” he says. “And I’m not going to have you treating me like an asshole in my own place.”

“Don’t act like an asshole, I won’t treat you like an asshole.”

“Who in the hell do you think you are?”

“Me? I’m the guy that filled your bar tonight.”

Stu glares at me, his jaw clenched. He looks like he wants to take a swing at me, but I know he won’t. He doesn’t have it in him.

“You know what? I’m done,” I say.

“What?”

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