Hooked on You: An Annapolis Harbor Series Prequel, Lea Coll [love letters to the dead .txt] 📗

“My name is Gabe,” I said softly, and she sucked in a breath at my words. I couldn’t take my eyes away from her lips. “You can work tonight.”

I forced myself to focus on her eyes, which were unsure.

Should I push her away? Keep this to one night like I’d planned? “But I doubt you can handle it.”

“I’m a hard worker. I’ll pick it up.” Her voice was steady, but I heard the vulnerability in it.

I was sure when it came to book smarts she was confident, but everything about being here had thrown her off her axis—or at least I hoped it had. I wanted to shake things up for her—even if I had no idea why. “Come on. I’ll have Anna train you.”

I moved to step around her, but the office was tight and I couldn’t avoid brushing against her.

I watched her swallow in response to my proximity.

She felt the same attraction I did.

“Are you coming?” I called over my shoulder as I walked up the hall to the bar.

I introduced her to Anna before stepping behind the bar.

“What the fuck was that?” Isaac asked leaning against the back counter.

I tensed. I’d never taken any of the employees back to the office. “What?”

“Why did you drag Taylor back to the office? You better not be fucking employees in my office.”

I laughed bitterly. I’d never even thought of doing something like that until I’d met Taylor. “Uh no. I’m the last thing she wants.” Or deserves. She needed a lawyer, a doctor, a judge. Someone educated and privileged like her. If I fucked her, that’s all it would be. Nice girls didn’t want more with a tattooed convict.

“Then what was up with the caveman act?”

The truth was I had no idea. I’d seen her leaning on the bar, comfortable, and laughing like she did this every day and it set me off. I couldn’t explain it. I didn’t want her to fit in here. I shook my head because the crowd was picking up. We got back to work for a few hours with no time to talk or check on Taylor.

When it died down a little, Isaac nodded his head in Taylor’s direction. “She’s doing a good job—picking it up quickly.”

My eyes sought out her red tank in the crowd. She walked with a tray held high with drinks, a flirty smile on her face, as she served a group of college kids in the corner. She was laughing and joking with them. How had I thought she was gorgeous when she was angry? She was even more beautiful when she smiled. Was it stupid to want her to smile at me like that?

“You got it bad.” Isaac’s voice was tinged with amusement.

I snapped my eyes away from Taylor. “Definitely not. She’s not my type.”

“Hot young women aren’t your type?” he asked, moving to place clean glasses in their rack above the bar.

“High maintenance prissy women aren’t my type.”

Isaac winced, looking over my shoulder.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. “She’s standing behind me, isn’t she?”

“Yup. You sure know how to stick your foot in it,” he said quietly before turning to help a customer.

I turned to find Taylor’s face flushed and she avoided my eyes as she handed me her drink orders and walked away. She’d heard me. For the first time in a long while, I felt regret. Regret that I was an asshole—that I was an ex-convict and the only thing I had to show for my life was a tiny cheap apartment I rented in a bad neighborhood and this job.

“You going to fix that?” Isaac asked, a few minutes later while he was pouring beers.

“Fuck, no.” That was exactly what needed to happen because she was not my type. I didn’t want her to like me. I ignored the feelings of regret. After tonight, she’d be gone anyway.

“I want you to introduce her to Omar. He’s the one having most of the issues with theft and the police department.”

He had to be kidding. He knew how I felt about Taylor and he was requiring me to spend more time with her. I glared at him but I couldn’t say no. He was my boss. “Fine.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to apologize for what you said either.”

I shook my head. Apologies were not my style. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

Chapter Three

TAYLOR

I don’t like prissy high maintenance women. His words ran on an endless loop in my head the rest of the night while I tried to remember everything Anna taught me. Before I’d overheard Gabe, I’d enjoyed talking and smiling with the customers and I hadn’t dropped anything. I was right—the best way to get to know the people and this city was to immerse myself in its people, the culture.

But my hands shook every time I thought about Gabe complaining to Isaac about me. I’d never been described like that. My law school boyfriend complained that Caleb took up all my time and attention before he ended our relationship. And growing up in a small town, I knew what people said behind my back: it was a shame how Caleb would be a burden on me the rest of my life. I was the furthest thing from high maintenance. The first truly selfish thing I’d done was move here.

If Gabe found out I’d moved across the country to get away from my brother who needed me, his opinion wouldn’t improve. The more I thought about it the more I wondered what I was doing here. It was obvious he didn’t want me here. I’d finish working tonight and never see him again. That decided, I was able to relax and finish out my night. He hadn’t said what time I’d be working but at eleven I approached Isaac.

“I’m not sure what time I’m supposed to be done but I have to be at work at eight A.M. tomorrow. Is it okay if I take off now?” I didn’t want to