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Shaw"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"Red Queen Publications"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/-\/Teasers?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/search\/label\/Teasers"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Dorothy F. Shaw"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/12581206718960392761"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"26","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-A7aXc7BfRGQ\/T9LpM_0vzbI\/AAAAAAAAALE\/f7dTCiOuqYk\/s220\/0929101202.jpg"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"4"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"blogger$adultContent":{"$t":"true"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774072982696016739.post-1019797257414912237"},"published":{"$t":"2016-09-18T09:04:00.001-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-09-18T09:15:37.130-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Teasers"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Shattered Heart Excerpt "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-5l6zZ27PwdA\/V969na3kerI\/AAAAAAAADj0\/ZTsipYB69mMCofmg2OWi0MK4OzJbNWM1wCLcB\/s1600\/sh.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-5l6zZ27PwdA\/V969na3kerI\/AAAAAAAADj0\/ZTsipYB69mMCofmg2OWi0MK4OzJbNWM1wCLcB\/s640\/sh.jpg\" width=\"425\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt took everything he had in him, but he jerked his eyes away from her mouth. \"Cyn, you keep licking those fine lips of yours and I'm going to end up kissing you.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe arches a brow and grinned, a devious glint in her pretty brown eyes. Yep, screwed. Fuck!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ECyn's body tingled from head to toe as Shane danced her, slow and easy, around the dance floor. He wanted to kiss her. Which was bad-very bad, because she desperately wanted to be kissed. With his big body pressed against hers, she let herself pretend, if only for a few minute while the music played, that there was no Carlo, no horrible track record because of her broken picker, and for fuck's sake, no self-imposed moratorium.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBefore she'd run into him-literally-she'd been half-drunk. Maybe whole-drunk was more accurate. But now she felt stone-cold sober. Sober enough she was unable to deny that the man, who smelled better than chocolate ice cream, had been her unattainable dream. The one forever in the \"what if\" category. The very one she swore, if she ever for the chance-the freaking opportunity, she'd take it. In a hot second. And now he wanted to kiss her.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat the hell was she thinking? This was Shane-fucking-Conlon! She was taking her goddamn chance; it was likely the only one she'd get. Cyn licked her lips again and she drowned. A thrill raced through her and lust pooled in her stomach. \"What if I want you to kiss me?\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"I'd say you've been drinking.\" He turned them.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"So have you.\" She ran a fingertip down the side of his neck.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"You're playing with fire.\" He gazed down at her with his lips pressed tight together, and the muscles in his jaw twitched.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"Nobody has to know. More specifically, Joey doesn't have to know.\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003EHe sighed\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003Ethrough\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;his nose and his hand on her lower back slipped around her waist and gripped her tight \"Killing me.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003E\"I'd rather be kissing you.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHe steered them off the dance floor, and walked Cyn to a far corner of the bar, turned her and backed her against a wall. \"You think that'd be enough?\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe cool panel of the wall against Cyn's back sent a chill racing over her skin. Shane dropped her hand and\u0026nbsp;framed her waist in his big palms. He was so much taller than her, and built like a truck-towering over Cyn, blocking out everything around her. Cyn gazed up at him was she ran her hands up his muscled chest and over his broad shoulders. With a slight grin arching one corner of her lips, she tiptoed up and circled the back of his neck with her palms, tickling the edge of his close-cut hair with her fingertips.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ETheir lips were only a breath away, their bodies pressed tight together. He was hard; she felt the line of his cock against her stomach like a brand on her skin. \"Do it, Shane. Kiss me.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"It's not going to be enough.\" He grazed his lips over hers.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt was a bare whisper of a touch, nothing more, but filled with so much heat Cyn's entire body ached for him-for more. \"Do it.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\"Cyn-\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EScrew it. Cyn gripped the back of his neck and jerked him to her lips. His mouth came down over hers and his warm tongue swept inside, and-oh,sweet baby Jesus-he was right. Cyn arched against him and Shane's grip tightened on her hips, pulling her tighter to his hard body.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShane\u0026nbsp;depended the kiss and knew this one taste wasn't going to be near enough.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/feeds\/1019797257414912237\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/09\/shattered-heart-excerpt.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/1019797257414912237"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/1019797257414912237"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/09\/shattered-heart-excerpt.html","title":"Shattered Heart Excerpt "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Samantha"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/04144654338181548330"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-5l6zZ27PwdA\/V969na3kerI\/AAAAAAAADj0\/ZTsipYB69mMCofmg2OWi0MK4OzJbNWM1wCLcB\/s72-c\/sh.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774072982696016739.post-2809613068751689559"},"published":{"$t":"2016-09-14T18:33:00.002-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-09-14T18:37:42.294-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Teasers"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Defensive Heart Excerpt "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-N0jdSoaPHR8\/V9n6oDDURlI\/AAAAAAAADjY\/745zFiopkOU1Qkq9FmdCh8D1iaPGJ7wSwCLcB\/s1600\/dh.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-N0jdSoaPHR8\/V9n6oDDURlI\/AAAAAAAADjY\/745zFiopkOU1Qkq9FmdCh8D1iaPGJ7wSwCLcB\/s640\/dh.jpg\" width=\"425\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Hello, James.” Her sweet voice through the phone line was\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ebalm to the anxiety knotting his stomach in fear she wouldn’t answer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EJimmy blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“How’s your Saturday been?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Overall it’s been okay. You?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ESlouching down on the couch, Jimmy propped his feet up on\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ehis coffee table, crossing them at the ankle. “After waking up in\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ean empty bed, which kinda sucked I have to say, it got better.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHung out with my best friend for most of the day.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.24px;\"\u003ESurely you didn’t really expect to wake up next to me. I would\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.24px;\"\u003Ethink you’d prefer to wake alone. After all, isn’t that how things\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.24px;\"\u003Ework when you’re single?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EJimmy closed his eyes. She didn’t get it. “Yeah, I guess,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eexcept…”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Except what?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EScrew it, he may as well hit her with it straight. “Except I would\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Erather have woken up with you there, that’s all.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“I can say your answer both surprises, and confuses, me.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHe chuckled then let out a loud sigh. Nope, Sonja-the-lawyer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Edid not get it. “And I can say your reaction, sadly, does not\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Esurprise me.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“I’m not sure what to do with you.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EJimmy dropped his feet to the floor and sat up, rubbing the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Espot between his brows. “No need to be sure; I have plenty of\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.24px;\"\u003Eideas.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe let out a soft laugh. “Oh yeah, like what?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EMemories of the prior night with her played through his mind.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EVivid images of her naked body. Her voice echoing in his ears…\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBliss. It’d been fucking bliss. But really, could you call\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Esomething you hadn’t stopped thinking about since it\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ehappened a memory? It was more like a steady stream of\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eawareness of an event he for sure wanted a repeat of. He\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Elowered his voice. “Liiiiike… what you did with me last night.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThat’s a fine place to start.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Hmm… So your desire is to have more than a one-night fling\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ewith me?” Her tone was matter of fact, almost threaded with\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Edisbelief, nowhere near inquisitive.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Desire? No, Sonja. I intend to have much more than a one-\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Enight fling with you.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“You sound quite sure of yourself.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“I am.” He stood and walked to the loft’s big windows. “I know\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Elast night was more than a fling for you too, so don’t try and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Edeny it. That kind of chemistry and being in sync with another\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eperson is rare and it will happen again.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ESilence stretched over the cellular waves between them. Her\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Esoft breaths in his ear the only indication she was still on the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eline, until finally she spoke. “I can’t deny there was chemistry\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ebetween us, but I’m not sure it’s wise to continue.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Wise?” He laughed. “Of course it’s wise. It’d be the smartest\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ething you’ve ever done. Trust me on that.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“You love to annoy me. You love to pick fights with me. Why\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eon earth should I trust you, James?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Tell you what, come have a drink with me tonight and I’ll\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eexplain all the many reasons why you should trust me.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“No.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“No? That’s it? Just… no?” Jimmy pinched the bridge of his\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Enose and paced in front of the windows. Jesus she was\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Estubborn.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“No is a complete sentence, James.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Yeah, I guess it is, but how does that count. I mean your\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Efavorite word to say to me is no. But last night you said yes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EFinally. And you have to admit you’re grateful you did. The\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Emany orgasms we shared is proof of that.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“I can admit I’m very grateful for the experience of last night.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Come have a drink with me, Sonja.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“No. But if you must know, I have other commitments tonight\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EI have to attend to.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Okay fine, you win. Tomorrow.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Sunday has it’s own set of commitments.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EDefeat, and disappointment warred for first place in Jimmy’s heart. Resuming his spot on the couch, he let his head fall back\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eon the cushions and closed his eyes again. He thought for sure\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eafter last night, they’d be past the constant problem of her\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Epushing him off. But, no. “No” was still her favorite answer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ewhen it came to him. And that fucking sucked. “You’re not\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Egoing to make this easy, even a little bit, are you?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EJimmy blew out an exasperated breath. “Oh, I think you do,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ebut I’ll let it go for now.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Look, I had a very nice time last night.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Sonja, don’t. I’m not going anywhere, so you can tell me no all\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eyou want. I’m not giving up. So, although I’ll concede defeat\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Etonight, be ready for me to call tomorrow.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Fine. Have a good evening, James.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“You, too.” Jimmy tossed his phone on the couch beside him.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt was clear Sonja intended to keep him at a distance. And that\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ewasn’t going to work for him. He could be patient though. He\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ewould show her, at every turn, he was serious. He’d found\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Esomething in her that lit his world on fire… he knew it lit hers\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Eup just the same.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; display: inline; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; display: inline; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThere was no way in hell he was going to let her rob either of\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; display: inline; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003Ethem of that.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; display: inline; letter-spacing: -0.24px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-top: 6px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/feeds\/2809613068751689559\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/09\/defensive-heart-excerpt.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/2809613068751689559"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/2809613068751689559"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/09\/defensive-heart-excerpt.html","title":"Defensive Heart Excerpt "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Samantha"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/04144654338181548330"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-N0jdSoaPHR8\/V9n6oDDURlI\/AAAAAAAADjY\/745zFiopkOU1Qkq9FmdCh8D1iaPGJ7wSwCLcB\/s72-c\/dh.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774072982696016739.post-8741783655916013102"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-04T09:27:00.000-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-08-04T09:27:43.935-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Teasers"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Stripped Bounty Chapter Two Excerpt "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3tmNnwSm1I0\/V6NsT_1bfyI\/AAAAAAAADXk\/I3DTxLp2zsAwUZ6u_qQ42jwbtwtZVIJgwCLcB\/s1600\/IMG_4990.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3tmNnwSm1I0\/V6NsT_1bfyI\/AAAAAAAADXk\/I3DTxLp2zsAwUZ6u_qQ42jwbtwtZVIJgwCLcB\/s400\/IMG_4990.png\" width=\"268\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Merriweather, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Merriweather, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EComing: 8\/9\/2016\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Stripped-Bounty-Dorothy-F-Shaw-ebook\/dp\/B01J26O6NE\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1469678449\u0026amp;sr=8-1\u0026amp;keywords=stripped+bounty#nav-subnav\" style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAmazon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;|\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003EBarnes and Noble\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;|\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/book\/stripped-bounty\/id1137853216?mt=11\" style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EiBooks\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;|\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.kobobooks.com\/en-us\/ebook\/stripped-bounty\" style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKobo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Merriweather, serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ELater that night Badger pulled his Harley-Davidson Dyna into the back lot of Deuce’s Cabaret and parked in his usual spot near the back door. He pulled the bandana off his forehead and tucked it in his back pocket and did the same with his shades. It was nearing the end of summer and the late nights had finally started dipping just below the triple-digit mark, but seeing as it was just after seven thirty at night, the air temp was still pushing a solid one-oh-four.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger strode to the back door. “Evening, Jayson.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Evening, boss.” The bouncer nodded and held the door open for Badger to enter.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Thanks.” Badger stepped into the cool air of the back hall and made a hard right directly into the office. Deuce was at the desk, shuffling through some paperwork and stroking his long beard as Evie lounged on the couch to the right, book in her hands. “Evening, kids.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Hey, Badger. You get the bad guy?” Evie smiled and Badger moved to her and gave her a peck on the cheek.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Not yet.” He turned to Deuce. “Thought I told you not to wait up?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EDeuce snorted. “I got lonely.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Awww.” Badger clapped his boss on the shoulder and shot a wink to Evie. “Girls all present and accounted for?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe gave him another million-dollar smile as she giggled. “Of course. Hey, how’s your grandmother doing?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“She’s good. Saw her tonight before heading in.” He removed his Glock 9mm and holster and locked it in the top drawer of the filing cabinet.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“You’re such a good grandson. She’s lucky to have you.” Evie’s eyes softened along with her smile.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Thanks. More like the other way around, though.” He looked back to Deuce. “You need anything, I’ll be up front.” With that he left them to their business and made his way down the hall to the bar.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EEvie and Deuce Stevens had been together damn near thirty years, maybe longer. His boss was in his midfifties, but the miles the old biker had weathered when he wore his now-retired MC patch on his back made him appear a lot older. Evie had been with him through all of it. The miles had weathered her, too, but she was still a damn pretty lady.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger strolled past the dressing room. The noise from all the girls getting ready for the night was loud enough to penetrate the closed door as well as the dull echo of the music coming from the DJ in the bar. Damn, crazy ass, loud strippers. He shook his head and kept on his way.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe strobe and black lights were in full effect inside the main area of the bar as Tesla’s “Love Me” played on the sound system. Two strippers had the main stage and a few were scattered among the small crowd, working table dances.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ETwo of his security team flanked the open area on each side. He nodded to them both and then ambled past the bar and waved to Sadie, the night bartender. As he took a mental accounting of the lingering happy hour patrons, Badger took a seat on his perch between the front door and the bar.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt was Thursday night, so they’d draw a decent crowd over the next four or so hours and maintain it until closing time, though Friday and Saturday nights were always better.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWithin two hours the crowd was in full swing. As Halestorm’s “Unapologetic” began on the sound system, the deejay announced a new dancer, Arianna, on the center stage. New song, new dancer. No biggie. But a tingle at the back of Badger’s neck had him glancing to the stage as he took a swig of his coffee…and almost choked on the lukewarm liquid. He cleared his throat and blinked. Twice.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt was her.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe goddamn brunette from earlier in the day.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger set the cup down. \u003Ci\u003EFuck me. \u003C\/i\u003EThe very brunette he hadn’t completely stopped thinking about all afternoon. He watched as she strutted down the stage in a black fitted skirt that came just above her knees, topped by a white button-up dress shirt. All that pretty long hair of hers was pulled up and she had on a pair of sexy-ass glasses.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe woman looked like a librarian or schoolteacher—a fucking sexy-as-hell one.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EEvery hot-blooded male’s wet dream. Blowing out a breath, Badger ran his palm along his jaw and kept his eyes on her. As if they’d be going anywhere else.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EArianna—not likely her real name—rounded the pole at stage left, turned, and with the bar against her back, arched her body so her petite, upside-down heart of a rear-end was pressed against the shiny steel. She ran her hands down the front of the white shirt, giving definition to the small but pert breasts beneath it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThree beats of the song later, she ran a hand back up her chest, to her cheek—her glossy red lips set in a pout—and pushed off the pole, strutting until she reached the other end. Arianna—or whoever she was—gripped the steel in one hand, hooked a leg around it and, lifting herself off the ground, spun a few times before dropping into a low squat, the post pressed between her parted thighs to her core. After stroking up and down, riding the pole a couple of times, she thrust her hips backward with a snap that had the audience cheering.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EMen and women in the crowd began to rise from their seats and approach the stage. With the pole gripped tight in two hands, she bent forward before straightening—slow and sultry, unbelievably sexy. The curve of her ass in the tight skirt was enough to make Badger grind his back molars.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EJesus.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHoly shit.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EGoddamn.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EFuck!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger crossed his arms and leaned his back against the wall. Tracking her movements like a hawk, he watched as she moved center stage, gliding on those long legs like the devil herself, pulling the skirt higher with each step. In an effort to save himself, he glanced away. He had to.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EA few beats later, the crowd cheered again, and without giving himself permission, Badger whipped his head back around. She was just too fucking hot not to watch. Badger’s mouth went dry as she turned her back to the crowd and made a show of tugging down the zipper of the skirt before sliding the fabric down her long legs and stepping out of it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe hem of the white dress shirt hung past her ass, and as she strutted upstage to the back wall and, more importantly, the pole and mirrors, Badger knew this was only the beginning.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThis woman was putting on a show, and by the time she was topless, Badger had a feeling it might be the best show the customers of Deuce’s Cabaret had seen in a long-ass time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EFor sure, it was already the best show Badger had ever seen.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px; text-align: center; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E*\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie pressed her hands to the mirror upstage and rolled her hips around. She’d been beyond nervous since she’d gotten hired that morning. Evie, the house mom, and apparently also the owner’s wife, had been so sweet to her while she’d auditioned earlier in the day and again, just now while getting ready. Rosie could’ve hugged her. She’d even brought Rosie a double shot of Jack Daniels from the bar. Thank God. It was enough to take the edge off, but not enough to get her drunk—just what Rosie had needed.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe song ended, and just as she’d directed, the deejay queued up Karise Eden’s cover of “It’s A Man’s World.” If she had to get back on the stage, may as well do it with a bang. Rosie turned and slid down the mirror slightly, tugging on the ends of the shirttails, as she rolled her hips, using her legs to propel her movements.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ETwo steps downstage, and she stopped, raised her fingers to the arm of the prop glasses she wore, pinched it between two fingers, and peered over the top of the frames to the customers. As she scanned the crowd, her eyes landed right on him—the bartender from that morning. Rosie couldn’t make out the expression on his face but his eyes were on her. She felt them.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EFor the whole day, and especially when she’d reported in for her shift, Rosie had been plagued with the feeling that she’d somehow disappointed him. It was stupid. Not like she knew the man—he sure as hell didn’t know her. He had no right to judge her, and she had no reason to care. But really, why work in a strip club if he didn’t like strippers?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWith a wink in his direction, simply to bust his balls, she pulled off the glasses and tossed them aside. Raising her hands to her hair, she yanked the two strategically placed pins free and let the mass of dark thickness fall down around her shoulders. Fine. He didn’t like strippers. Well, Rosie wasn’t the average stripper, and she intended to show him that.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWithout hesitation, Rosie reached for the pole, swung around and pulled herself up, scissoring her legs into the air before curling herself around the cool steel as if she’d just done this deal yesterday. Technically, she had…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie may’ve hung up her G-strings and stripper heels two years ago, but she’d continued pole dancing at a local fitness studio in Connecticut. It was strictly to keep her body in shape, as well as release the constant flow of energy that’d always plagued her. Good thing she’d kept at it, or her comeback to the scene might not have been so easy. All things considered, it wasn’t going too bad.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBut “easy” was a subjective term, really. None of what Rosie was doing was easy. Not emotionally anyway.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe patrons went a little nuts as she spread her legs wide while suspended upside down. Rosie gazed out over the crowd before righting herself and sliding to the ground. Making a dramatic show of every movement, she cocked her head to the side and tugged open one button of the shirt. Then another. Rosie teased, popping her shoulders and revealing a bit of her cleavage before she let go of the blouse and moved her hands to her hair, shaking out the long length. It felt good, casting her spell on the crowd, the energy from them filling her insides, fueling her to take it another notch higher.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShifting, she changed the position of the split and arched backward. In that position, she undid the rest of the buttons on the shirt and peeled the two halves open. With her top discarded, she bent forward, rolled over and up to her feet.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe’d had just enough cash left to go and buy a black, strappy bikini-style top and matching G-string. The skirt and dress shirt, she’d already had.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe’d worn them to her husband’s funeral.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHow apropos she now wear them to make a living—a living Joey had never had a problem with. He’d liked the money too much. \u003Ci\u003ESelfish\u003C\/i\u003E \u003Ci\u003Ebastard! \u003C\/i\u003ENot like he had a say anymore. Years ago, he was the reason she’d quit. She’d done it to spite him. Now he was the reason she was back on the pole.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie shoved the thought aside and strutted, slow and easy, down stage and right to a group of men waiting, dollar bills in their hands. Her ass might be hanging out but she hadn’t removed her bra-top yet. And already she was making money. Relief washed over her as she turned and squatted down in front of the small group and let them tuck the money they held in the side straps of her G-string. “Thank you.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERising, she smiled over her shoulder and shot them a wink before stepping away to the other pole. She gripped the steel in both palms, swung her body and flipped herself upside down. As she rotated, Rosie hooked a knee around the bar and let the momentum of the movement spin her.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EKeeping her arms out to accentuate the motion of her body, she completed a few more revolutions before rising and righting herself once more.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EGodsmack’s “Keep Away” began and as Rosie allowed her body to slow in its revolutions, she extended out of her position until once again she was on the floor. She pushed up off the ground and moved center stage. Rosie scanned the crowd, searching for him again. And found him. He hadn’t moved, and he was still watching. Good.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIn the next moment, she unhooked the back clasp on her bra as she scooped up the skirt she’d discarded earlier with her free hand. In one seamless motion, she slipped off the strappy top and slid the black skirt in front of her bare breasts.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie teased the crowd. As she’d always done. As dancers were meant to do.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThat was the whole point of a striptease, wasn’t it? Maybe she’d shown him that. She sure as hell did the crowd. Whistles sounded from the club floor and more patrons lined the sides of the stage—dollar bills at the ready.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EStill on her knees, she spun away, giving them her back, but then arched backward to lie on the stage. With one hand tangled in her hair, the other still holding the black fabric to her chest, Rosie undulated her hips, her long legs extended in the air.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EAfter twining them together at the knee and then apart a few times, she slammed the soles of her feet down on the ground, raised her hips high in the air and tossed the skirt aside. Rosie rolled backward, her legs coming over her body as she pushed herself over and up to her feet.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EAdrenaline pulsed through her, and her body hummed from the energy in the crowd. With her hair hanging over one eye, she turned and faced the crowd, finally giving them what they wanted: her bare body. Bare except for the strappy, black G-string.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie walked forward, stopping to roll her head, swinging her long hair around. She’d missed this. The show. The response from the crowd. The high that came from gaining their attention. \u003Ci\u003EAll\u003C\/i\u003E of their attention. The feeling was unexpected but no less true. With a bounce and pop of her hips, she swayed in time with the hard beat of the song before moving to each customer lining the stage. As the song played out, she let the searing sound of the guitar and the deep tone of the singer’s voice roll through her as each man at the edge of the stage tucked dollar bills in the straps on her hips.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhen the song ended and the deejay announced the next dancer, the crowd clapped and whistled right over the top of him. They clapped, for God’s sake! Loudly and with vigor. Yeah, she’d missed this. Unable to stifle the pride that automatically rose in her belly, Rosie gave herself a mental pat on the back and gathered the additional dollar bills that’d been tossed onto the stage for her performance.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe next dancer mounted the stage and just as Rosie was about to step down, she glanced over her shoulder.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHis eyes were still locked on her.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBut now she could clearly see, he wore that same hardened stare she’d been subjected to that morning. And just like earlier, she felt it like a physical touch. The tingle she’d experienced came right back, too, skittering down her spine. Titillating. The same as it’d done that morning.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd Rosie didn’t like it. Not at all.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"color: #404040; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/feeds\/8741783655916013102\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/08\/stripped-bounty-chapter-two-excerpt.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/8741783655916013102"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/8741783655916013102"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/08\/stripped-bounty-chapter-two-excerpt.html","title":"Stripped Bounty Chapter Two Excerpt "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Samantha"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/04144654338181548330"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3tmNnwSm1I0\/V6NsT_1bfyI\/AAAAAAAADXk\/I3DTxLp2zsAwUZ6u_qQ42jwbtwtZVIJgwCLcB\/s72-c\/IMG_4990.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774072982696016739.post-6506941694075383144"},"published":{"$t":"2016-08-02T08:22:00.003-07:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2016-09-11T19:00:52.331-07:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Teasers"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Stripped Bounty Chapter One Excerpt "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/--7Juzk7h-eM\/V6GL22ULTQI\/AAAAAAAAAuI\/49Z035zMVCkxAcQdh83Pt3sEf-yF-7HZACLcB\/s1600\/StrippedBountyNOFLIP-200x300.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/--7Juzk7h-eM\/V6GL22ULTQI\/AAAAAAAAAuI\/49Z035zMVCkxAcQdh83Pt3sEf-yF-7HZACLcB\/s640\/StrippedBountyNOFLIP-200x300.jpg\" width=\"425\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Stripped-Bounty-Dorothy-F-Shaw-ebook\/dp\/B01J26O6NE\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1469678449\u0026amp;sr=8-1\u0026amp;keywords=stripped+bounty#nav-subnav\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAmazon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;|\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/stripped-bounty-dorothy-f-shaw\/1124296861?ean=9780997831009\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EBarnes and Noble\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;|\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/book\/stripped-bounty\/id1137853216?mt=11\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EiBooks\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;|\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.kobobooks.com\/en-us\/ebook\/stripped-bounty\" style=\"font-family: times;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKobo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;\"\u003EThree months later…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“No Colors or Weapons Allowed.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie Santini read the sign mounted on the brick exterior wall of the establishment. Shaking her head, she opened the solid wood front door and stepped out of the Phoenix hundred-and-four degree heat and into the dimly lit, air-conditioned strip club.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBack in the day “colors” meant a biker’s patches—as in motorcycle club patches. Commonly found on the back of a leather or denim vest. Considering there was a pack of Harleys parked on the sidewalk out front, Rosie figured in Arizona that’s exactly what the sign referred to. Plus, as she’d learned pretty quickly after arriving in town, barring having a criminal record, people could carry a gun in AZ right out in the open for all to see.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe took a moment as her eyes adjusted, no longer sure if this was such a good idea, and looked around. Type O Negative’s “Christian Woman” blared from the speakers as Rosie walked forward on the old green and white—or gray, rather—linoleum-tiled floor. A small birdcage-style stage sat empty off to her left. To her right, the mahogany bar, with its large mirrored backsplash and various bottles of booze, stretched along the whole wall. In the center of the large space sat a collection of small round tables, a tealight candle atop each one, with two pleather chairs arced around them. Doing a quick count, around twenty or so customers occupied the bar. Not uncommon for the middle of the day in a strip club.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EAhead of the tables was the main stage in the shape of an upside-down T. Mirrors lined the back wall with red curtains draped theatre style at their edges. White rope lights ran along the edges of the narrow stage leading down to the wide part, which held a pole on each end. There was also a spinning wheel mounted on the ceiling near center stage; she hadn’t seen one of those in years. And finally another pole, near the mirrors along the back wall.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ETwo girls had the big stage, clad only in their G-strings and stripper heels. One circling a pole, the other on her hands and knees as a patron stood behind her, dollar bill at the ready. Rosie shook her head. Dancers these days barely danced—hardly did anything to put on an actual show or striptease. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? At least back in her heyday it was.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe drew in a deep breath and blew it out. Deuce’s Cabaret wasn’t seedy…necessarily. But it wasn’t plush, either. More that it needed a face-lift. Desperately. Not her first or even fourth choice for employment. But it’d do. At least the music was good.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie circled in place, scanning the corners of the club, looking for cameras. And there wasn’t a single one to be found. Anywhere. Hopefully they had good bouncers. She’d spotted at least two of those throughout the space.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHiking her big pocketbook a little higher on her shoulder, Rosie blew out a breath and stepped to the bartender. “Hi there.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe big man, clad in a black T-shirt, turned from the cash register and faced her. Rosie lost her breath when she caught sight of his face but managed to get a grip on herself as he walked toward her. He dipped his chin, cocking his head to the side, as he wiped the bar top directly in front of her with a white bar rag. “You lost?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERosie swallowed past the layer of glue that’d suddenly appeared on her tongue. Jesus, he was breathtaking…speech-taking, too. Perfect nose, full lips, the bottom one a tad fuller. Incredible bone structure. Freaking guy could be a model. He was huge, too—muscular and at least six one, maybe taller. She blinked a few rapid blinks and glanced away from his piercing light-brown gaze.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIn an attempt to gain some control of her thoughts, Rosie plopped her pocketbook down on the closest barstool and, after a breath, looked back to him. “No. Not lost. Are you by chance hiring?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHe crossed his muscled arms, his biceps bulging, testing the limits of his T-shirt sleeves. “Bar or stage?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Bar.” She managed a smile.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Nope.” His stare didn’t waver and Rosie took in the small lines around his eyes, but also his strong jaw, partly hidden by a goatee and way-more-than-five o’clock shadow. Yeah, definitely a good-looking man.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“What about waitress?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Nope.” He dropped his arms and turned his back.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWow! Had he really just dismissed her like that? \u003Ci\u003EWhat the hell.\u003C\/i\u003E Rosie faced the stage, and the dancers again. The Pretty Reckless’s “Make Me Wanna Die” played now. She hadn’t been onstage in about two years, and it was the last place she wanted to be again. But she was broke. Getting across the country from Connecticut to Arizona had cost Rosie more than she’d thought. She hadn’t anticipated the freaking car dying. Twice. She hadn’t anticipated her husband dying, either. \u003Ci\u003EJerk. \u003C\/i\u003ERosie would never forgive him for putting her in this position.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBiting the edge of her barely existent thumbnail, she turned back around and faced the bartender. Desperate times called for desperate measures. “Okay fine. Stage?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWith his back still to her, he glanced up from the bottle he was wiping down and caught her gaze through the reflection in the mirror. “You sure about that?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EWas she sure? Rosie’d already been to six other bars that day, and three the day before. No, she wasn’t fucking sure, but she needed a goddamn job. “Absolutely.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHe turned, stepped to the bar top and rested both his hands on the edge. Did a muscle in his jaw just tick? Again he dipped his chin and cocked his head to the side—almost as if he was sizing her up and judging her abilities right there on the spot.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EA beat of nervous energy rolled through her. Talk about feeling like a bug under a microscope. Jesus, she was uncomfortable. Rosie crossed her arms and jutted out her chin. The guy might be hotter than hell but the last thing Rosie needed was bullshit from some stranger right now.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“What?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHe pursed his lips, his firm gaze steady on her for another few moments before rubbing his palm along the side of his whiskered jaw and letting out a sigh. “Far side of the stage. Follow the hall to the back. Evie’ll help you out.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Okay then.” Rosie shouldered her bag, feeling a bit like she’d disappointed him. Which was pretty weird considering she didn’t even know him. “Thanks.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ETurning on her heel, she stepped away from the bar. He was still staring at her. She knew it. Rosie could feel his gaze like a physical touch, skittering down her spine and over her skin as she made her way across the club in the direction he’d sent her. The screwed-up thing was, rather than creepy, the feel of his eyes on her was titillating.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EConsidering she’d only lost her husband three months ago, her body’s reaction made her feel even more uncomfortable than she’d felt standing in front of him. Shrugging all of it off, Rosie walked through the narrow doorway in the far corner of the bar and down the empty, almost sterile hall.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EAnd back into a world, she hadn’t wanted to ever visit again.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E*\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger shook his head as he watched the tall, slender brunette with the sad, dark-brown eyes walk toward the back hall. “Shame.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“What’s that, Badge?” Deuce came up to the bar.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger glanced over to him. “Fresh meat.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe owner took a seat in his spot at the end of the bar. “Fresh meat’s always good in my book. Nothing shameful about that.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger grunted and reached for a fresh glass. “You want something?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Eh, just a seltzer water. Evie’s been nagging me about soda.” Deuce clasped his hands together on the bar top and looked toward the stage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger filled the glass with the clear carbonated fluid. “Hate to break it to you, boss. But this is soda.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Like hell it is. It’s water with bubbles in it. Smart ass. Now, grab me a lemon.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger chuckled and placed a lemon wedge on the edge of the glass. “We’re fresh out of umbrellas.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Kiss my ass.” Deuce chuckled and sipped the drink.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Maybe later.” Badger grabbed the clipboard from the side of the register and went back to taking inventory.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EDidn’t matter what the boss said, pretty girl like that one ending up being another stripper was a damn fucking shame. No two ways about it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EFor a minute, since she’d asked about tending bar or waitressing, Badger thought, or maybe hoped, she might not be another pole jockey. So much for that. She had to have been on stage before. Sadly, you could take the girl out of the strip club, but eventually they came back. Especially if they still had some looks and a body. This one had both…in spades. Her eyes had gotten to him, though.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger looked up from the beer cooler to see her walking back across the bar toward the exit. She glanced over at him but quickly looked away before stepping out into the bright Arizona sun. Yeah, eyes were always a weakness or a warning for him. Hers were sad, like she’d seen some hurt in her days. But they were skittish, too. The skittish smacked of more than hurt in her past.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ERegardless, he didn’t mess with the strippers anymore. Those days were long gone. But even if she hadn’t turned out to be a dancer, Badger would’ve steered clear anyway. There was enough “more” behind those sad and skittish eyes of hers for Badger to keep his distance. He didn’t need the drama or the headache that came along with that amount of luggage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe front door opened again and the weekday bartender, Wendy, walked in. “Hey, Badger.” She waved as she passed by him on her way to the office, as if she wasn’t over thirty minutes late for her shift.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“You’re late and I got shit to do besides cover your ass behind the bar.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EShe spun around, facing him, and shrugged, arms out at her sides. “Sorry. I had a flat.” She continued walking backward before turning again and disappearing down the hall.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EBadger grunted before staring down at the clipboard in his hands again. Damn bar staff were just as bad as the dancers. It wouldn’t matter so much if he wasn’t always the one on point to cover until they brought their asses in. He was supposed to just run security, not the bar staff, too, but the lines tended to blur.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EMostly because Badger had a tendency to blur them.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003ENot that he’d admit that to Deuce if his life depended on it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“You got some bounty hunter work to attend to?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHe glanced over at Deuce and nodded. “Yeah. Got a lead this morning on a skip I’ve been tracking.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EHis boss looked at his watch. “Good luck. See you back here ’round eight?”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“’Course.” He set the clipboard down and jerked his chin at Deuce as he stepped out from behind the bar. “Earlier if I can. Order’s ready to go. Don’t wait up, honey.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“But, darling, we haven’t had any quality time together.”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E“Yeah, yeah.” With a wave over his shoulder, Badger chuckled and headed for the same hall he’d sent the brunette down. As he passed the dressing room, he gave a nod to Evie, Deuce’s old lady. After a quick stop in the office to grab his gun, he stepped out into the daylight, lit a cigarette, and made his way to his pickup.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal; text-indent: 28.8px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EIt was time to give his other career a little attention.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/feeds\/6506941694075383144\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/08\/stripped-bounty-chapter-one.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/6506941694075383144"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/2774072982696016739\/posts\/default\/6506941694075383144"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.dorothyfshaw.com\/2016\/08\/stripped-bounty-chapter-one.html","title":"Stripped Bounty Chapter One Excerpt "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Samantha"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/04144654338181548330"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/--7Juzk7h-eM\/V6GL22ULTQI\/AAAAAAAAAuI\/49Z035zMVCkxAcQdh83Pt3sEf-yF-7HZACLcB\/s72-c\/StrippedBountyNOFLIP-200x300.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});