Page 80 of The Brave and the Reckless

“Down, boy.” Adriana slammed a bowl of nuts on the counter in front of me.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s supposed to be funny and embarrassing.” Adriana clasped my underarm on the bar, keeping me rooted in place even as Esra clearly shook her head and waved the dancer’s unwanted attention off. “They actually have a very strict contract about not getting frisky with any of the saloon guests.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because that guy grinding up on Esra is called Sam. He has a pierced dick. And I’m not technically a guest at the saloon.” She whipped her hair over one shoulder and shrugged.

“I get why you and Esra get along so well.” I shot another look at Sam, but lucky for him, he shimmied his way over to the next lap. Esra had a hand clasped over her face, laughing. “She told you?”

“Nope. Well, only that she’s getting it good, but thanks for confirming.”

“Fuck. You’re not part of the betting pool, are you?”

“Technically, yes, but I put my money on her punching you in the nuts. We’ll just have to wait and see on that one.”

“Great, thanks.”

“Hey, if you keep up the jealous watchdog act, I might get my payout sooner rather than later.”

Instead of rising to the bait, I turned around and put my attention back where it belonged. Every now and again, Esra looked over her shoulder and scrunched up her nose or gave me a smile, just to acknowledge my presence.

Every single look squeezed the air from my chest. Maybe I was jealous after all.

The second we were home and in our hallway, and I was sure no one would see, I pulled her into my bedroom. I just needed her to myself, just for a few minutes.

“Ooh, scandalous! Are you going to rip my clothes off, Young?” She twirled in the center of my room, swaying lightly.

“You’re gonna have to be quiet, princess,” I whispered and furled my arms around her, shushing her with the kindof kiss I’d wanted to break out in the saloon, in front of everyone, just to mark my goddamn territory. She tasted like sugar and champagne.

“Then you have to keep my mouth busy.” She grabbed her shirt and started pulling it up, but I pushed her hands back down.

Esra let out a little whimper and stuck her bottom lip out. She was learning far too quickly what that pout did to me, my dick stirring just at the sight. I still kept my hands on hers, leading her to my bed fully dressed. She let me guide her to sit on my mattress and her hands were immediately on my belt.

Again, I pushed her eager fingers away.

I deserved a gold medal for self-restraint.

“I’ll keep your mouth busy in a bit,” I promised and sank down in front of her. “Give me five minutes.”

“I’m not going to be quiet if you eat me out,” she replied at full volume. “Impossible, sorry.”

“Will you please be quiet for just a second?”

She let out an annoyed groan but let me pull the baggy jeans off her hips and the boots off her feet. Her perfectly curved, smooth legs tried to wrap around my shoulders, and I pushed them down with a chuckle. I loved how much she unabashedly wanted me, but she was too tipsy for me to act on it. Instead, I methodically unlatched the Velcro on her knee brace, wiggling it to the right first, so I could take it off without the scratchy bits irritating the scars.

“Oh, that’s nice,” she sighed and dropped back on the bed.

“Just you wait until I get to the ankles.”

“That’s some next-level dirty talk, mister.”

I’d helped her with the braces a couple of times. She wore the ankle braces for every show, but the knee brace only came out when she was dealing with some pain and needed the extra stability. Mondays seemed to be bad, after the double shows on weekends, but the other day it had been enough for her to try and turn in the middle of walking up the stairs, twisting her knee in the process.

“How’s that?” I asked after freeing her ankles too. I crawled on to the mattress next to her, brushing my hand through her hair. Her eyes had already fallen shut but she smiled and leaned into my touch.

“You make me feel good,” she mumbled.

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