Through The Weeds (Nightshade MC Book 2) by Shannon Flagg Read Free Book Online Page A

jacket, I left it on my chair. I'll be right back.” Buster enjoyed the view as she walked over to the table. A very tempting strip of her abdomen was revealed when she pulled it on, and she noticed him watching. She looked nervous for a second, but then she smiled and took money out of her jeans pocket and laid it on the table.
    “Did you not trust me to tip?” he asked when she came back over.
    “Of course not, I just happen to know that people who live on tips always need more tips. I hope I didn't offend your manliness because trust me, I find you quite manly.”
    “Good to know.” Unable and unwilling to resist, Buster leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. She tasted like mint and strawberries. He kept the kiss light, waited for her to pull away, but she didn't. Instead she moved a step closer to him, opened her mouth to him but pulled back when he deepened the kiss.
    “People are watching,” she whispered.
    Buster shifted to press his lips to her forehead. “Sorry. I guess I got carried away.”
    “Don't apologize. I almost forgot about the people myself.” She reached out, entwined her fingers with his. “Do you think we can take the long way back to my place?”
    “I think that can be arranged.”
     
     

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Caroline deleted yet another automated message thanking her for her interest in an already filled position. Job searching was a special sort of torture. She'd already lowered her standards, applied for retail jobs and several waitress positions, but so far, no one wanted her. Well, that wasn't strictly true. Buster wanted her. She knew it and the thought of it was enough to lift her spirits. She wanted him, too. She wanted him bad. It had been entirely too long since she'd had sex, or wanted to have sex, for that matter.
    She tossed her phone aside, got off of the bed and walked out into the living room. Jillian was home, but she was in her bedroom. Caroline heard the sound of gunfire. It seemed her roommate was relieving some stress by blowing zombies or enemy soldiers to bits. She walked back into her room, quickly changed into the clothes she liked to run in and headed out the door.
    Caroline had no destination in mind when she started out, but she soon realized that she was taking a longer route. It was her subconscious letting her know that she had something to work out. She'd been avoiding thinking too deeply about Buster, focusing more on the way he made her warm and fuzzy. But she'd felt warm and fuzzy before, and that had ended badly.
    It had been bad enough for her to think that she was broken. She'd felt broken. It was hard to say when she'd stopped feeling that way, but she'd realized it one morning at Baked. She had just taken a batch of carrot cake muffins out of the oven, and it had hit her, she was living life again. And she was happy. Her life hadn't been much, but it was enough for her.
    Now she'd lost her job. Every day that passed, her savings account dwindled down a little more. There could be no more eating out or impulse movie purchases. Just the basics. Just for now. Caroline knew that if she asked, her parents would send her some money, but it would come at a price. They'd start the pressure again, wanting her to move closer to them. She didn't want that. She wanted her own life, even if she knew why they worried.
    Three years ago, when she'd first been broken, she hadn't been able to get out of bed. Showering had been too much effort. Eating had been too much effort. It had taken months before she was better, and by then she'd had an eviction notice on her door and no job. She'd been forced to move back in with them. They'd worried ever since. It was why she hadn't told them about Baked. Instead she'd told them that she was still working hard and had even been able to move into a nicer place. Caroline had even told her mother about Buster, just to prove that things were great.
    And she'd just wanted to talk about Buster to someone who would listen