Page 76 of The Fixer

Joy bobbled one of the cups. “Is this sugar-free?”

“Sorry, no.” The waitress handed Charlie the receipt and left.

Joy remained on his lap as if she’d forgotten she was sitting on him. Thank God she had stopped moving around. He was already sporting a semi, and her tight little ass wiggling against his crotch wouldn’t help him focus on their next plan of action—it would only lead his mind astray in interesting, wholly different directions.

She stabbed a straw into one of the sodas, took a cheek-hollowing sip, and moaned. “Oh my God, this issogood! I forgot what real sugar tastes like.”

How simply sipping a Coke could be so damn sexy was a mystery to him. Actually, just about everything she was doing tonight was translating into a turn-on, including getting them tossed from the Silver Lode. He needed to get himself back to reality and under control. Whatever his libido was cooking up could not happen. He would have to look elsewhere for the kind of release it craved.

He slid her off his lap and onto her own chair. She didn’t seem to notice, which both relieved and disappointed him. She took another sip of her soda and slumped forward, cupping her cheek in her palm.

He tipped his chin. “What?”

“What do we do now?”

He signed the receipt and pocketed it and the credit card. “Well, Cinderella, I think it’s time we head back to Fall River.”

She sat upright. “I’ve had too much to drink. I shouldn’t drive.” She gave him a contrite smile. “I don’t usually do this.”

“I know.” And he did. He hadn’t known Joy long, but he was witnessing a rarity: her allowing even an infinitesimal amount of control to become untethered. He grabbed her hand, pulled her up, and held out his palm. “Now might be a good time to turn over the keys. I’ll drive.”

“I can’t let you drive the Beamer. I’ll be breaking the rental contract rules.”

His one hand still held hers, and he didn’t let go, twining his fingers with her soft delicate ones. They nestled nicely together. “Well, I can’t letyoudrive it either because you’ll be breaking the laws of the stateandcommon sense. I don’t want you, me, or some poor schmo to wind up wrapped around a tree because you were under the influence. Besides, Iknow these roads way better than you do. So where does that leave us, princess?” He gave her a pointed stare.

She gave it right back. “Maybe we should ask the big guy who stole our table to drive us back.”

A laugh formed in his belly and rolled through him. He was helpless to stop it. Soon he and Joy were both doubled over.

She swiped at the tears that had spilled down her cheeks. “Oh my God, I can’t remember when I’ve laughed so hard. It’s so … liberating.” She jutted a hip at him. “All right. It’s all yours.”

A grin spread over his face. “What exactly are you offering me?”

She stuck her snub nose in the air and tutted. “The fob. It’s in my right front pocket.”

They both knew she was capable of taking it out on her own, but he wasn’t going to bring this to her attention. When she sobered up, the opportunity might never present itself again. “Aren’t you worried I’ll put my hand where it’s not supposed to go?”

“Maybe I’mhopingyou will.” She raised her brows suggestively.

Releasing her hand, he slid around her, hauling her back to his front, and steadied her with both hands on her hips. She let out a little gasp that got all his cock’s attention. Leaning down, he rubbed his nose against the shell of her ear and whispered, “Which pocket was that, princess?”

Before she could catch her breath, he slid his hands into the back pockets of her skirt. “Is it back here?” Yeah, he was pushing the limits, but she wiggled her ass into his hold, signaling that she didn’t mind. Fuck, she felt good! He reined in the urge to slide his hands out of the pockets and under the hem of her skirt. His mind raced with what he might find under the denim. Ass cheeks exposed by a thong? Tiny silk panties that matched the pink bra? Nothing but bare flesh?

Grasping his right hand in hers, she guided it to her front pocket. “What you’re looking for is right here.” Her voice was pure sex, dripping with decadence. At least that’s the way he heard it.

His cock swelled and strained against his fly, pressing into her back. They were going through the steps of a different dance now, an intimate one that sizzled.

“You can’t be out here!”

He snapped toward the waitress, whose annoyance was written all over her face. A guy who had to be a bouncer stood right behind her.

Charlie plucked the key from Joy’s pocket and held it up. “Just getting the car key.” The waitress narrowed her eyes, and he sent her a wink before grabbing a couple of waters and steering Joy off the prohibited patio, around the building, and into the parking lot.

He pointed the fob at the BMW. “I guess we’re sleeping in your fancy car.”

“You’re joking.”

“Youcan’tdrive, and I’m not allowed to. Got a better solution?” He opened the back door.

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