Page 73 of Unbearable

The professional sander I rented was supposed to suck up the dust but still managed to scatter dust everywhere, leaving me covered in tiny wood particles after the second day.

Fortunately, Trent came to the rescue, miraculously finishing the sanding while I was at work. I had no idea how he did it, but I didn’t ask questions.

Balancing long work weeks with cabin renovations was exhausting, but seeing my father, brothers, and Gracie regularly made the effort worthwhile. My manager hinted that a long-awaited promotion was finally within reach,and I was grateful that the remote work hadn’t hindered my chances.

Glancing at the clock, I realized it was already past five and decided to clock out for the weekend. Trent knocked on my door as I closed my laptop.

“Come in,” I called out. Turning away from the desk he had built for me, I was met with Trent’s presence filling the doorway, his arms resting casually on the frame. I suppressed a flutter of nerves.

“Hey, Dorian and I were going to head down to the bar. You in?” He gave his signature charming smile, his dimples on display.

“You know what? Sure. I could use a drink after this week.” Despite my secret admirer’s recent silence, I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending dread as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. I needed a little fun to get it off my mind.

“Get ready. Dorian is DD tonight.” He winked.

I wasn’t sure why such a small, stupid gesture affected me so much? It was simply the careful movement of one eyelid, yet it caused an avalanche in my heart.

Outlaw’s parking lot overflowed under the glow of Friday night lights, forcing us to park along the roadside behind a line of cars. Live music resonated from the building, spilling out into the bustling lot, explaining the vibrant crowd.

Dorian swung open the doors, and Trent guided me inside with a reassuring hand on the small of my back. The band was putting on a surprisingly good performance for a small-town band, which added to the lively atmosphere.

It was so busy we had to push our way to the bar. In the process, I almost got separated from Dorian and Trent. When Trent noticed, he grabbed my hand, leading me through the bar.

After navigating the crowd, Dorian started to order drinks and nodded toward Trent.

With a casual charm, Trent flipped his ball cap backward and leaned in close to whisper in my ear, “Tequila soda?” His deep, husky voice, paired with the rough texture of his hand wrapped around mine, sent a shiver down my spine.

Gazing up at him through lowered lashes, I muttered, “Yes, please.” I bit my lip to stop myself from saying something I might regret, like how stupidly good he looked with his hat backward.

TWENTY-SIX

Trent

FAST CAR - LUKE COMBS

I leaned over the bar,shouting our drink orders to the bartender. Returning to Dotty, I whispered in her ear, “Stop biting that lip.”

She was making it really fucking hard to respect her boundaries. Over the last month, I gave her distance, because being in close proximity only increased the chances of me snapping.

She shoved me with her shoulder. “Or what?” she scoffed. “Like you’d do something about it with Dorian right there?”

“It’s cute you think I care what your brother thinks,” I said. Our gazes held briefly before she glanced down, absently tracing her necklace.

Dorian was engrossed in conversation with someone at the bar when the bartender handed us our drinks. Dotty took a sip of hers, only to be overcome by a coughing fit.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she mumbled. “It’s just really strong.”

“Aw, poor thing,” I teased.

“Oh, shut up,” she replied, playfully shoving me.

Seizing the opportunity, I swiped her drink from her grasp.

Our eyes locked as I took a sip, and she was right. It definitely was strong, but I ignored it, giving her no reaction.

I noticed a smudge on her glass where her lip gloss had transferred. Without breaking eye contact, I licked it up, and let a satisfied hum at the taste, knowing exactly what she would taste like right now if I kissed her.

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