Read Throwaway for Free Online Page B

about you because you’re so handsome’,” he informed her.
    “You think so, huh?” she grinned, happy he’d
been distracted from his concern.
    “Absolutely,” he mimicked her.
    “Grrr.”
    “Did you just growl at me?” he cocked his
head as if deciding whether he’d heard correctly.
    “I don’t know… maybe.”
    “So, are you going to tell me what upset you
earlier?”
    “You’re like a freaking bulldog, you know
that?”
    “I prefer to think Rottweiler. German
Shepherd, maybe. Something manly.”
    “It’s not like I called you a
Yorkie-poo.”
    “Yes, it could always be worse… so… what was
wrong with you?”
    “You know, if you’re going to spend the next
two innings driving me crazy, we can leave now and beat the
traffic.”
    “Not a bad idea… come on. Let’s blow this
popsicle stand.”
    “Really? You’re having fun. We don’t have to
go.”
    “You’re not having fun?” he looked
wounded.
    “I am. I had a wonderful time,” she assured
him, before relenting. “I just ran into someone who might have
recognized me. I’m starting to worry it’ll get back to Spence.”
    “I can take care of that for you,” he did
growl, and it wasn’t the playful sound Jessie had made, either.
    “No. I’m not going to tell you again—stop
trying to kill people.”
    “Why are you protecting him?”
    “Who says I’m protecting him?”
    “I don’t need protecting.”
    “Ha!” she practically snorted. “You
definitely need to be protected from yourself.”
    “Hey Pot, my name’s Kettle.”
    “I hate you. Have I mentioned that?”
    “I love it when you talk dirty to me,” he
tapped her nose playfully.
    “It’s a good thing you’re cute,” she made a
face at him.
    “Are you going to sit there and yak at me or
are we getting out of here?”
    “You really don’t mind?”
    “Nah. I was hoping we’d have time to make out
in the car before curfew anyway.”
    Suddenly, Jessie didn’t mind leaving early.
In fact, it seemed like a grand idea to her. They walked hand in
hand back to the car, stopping for Jessie to run to the restroom
while Gabe stood lookout and again to give a five to the saxophone
player outside the stadium.
    Jessie frowned when she realized they were
nearing her neighborhood. He must have been teasing about the
making out thing.
    “At least you’ll be able to get some real
work done tomorrow. I won’t be able to get away,” she didn’t like
the idea of not seeing him.
    “Do you have to work?” he tried to sound
calm, but Jessie could tell he wasn’t happy.
    “No, actually, it’s my nights off when I have
trouble getting away. I have two nights on and one night off. The
on nights Spence doesn’t keep track of me—so long as he gets his
share the next morning. The off nights, I’m on a pretty short
leash.”
    The cloud that fell over Gabe’s eyes spoke
louder than any words could. Jessie shrank back in her seat with
the distinct feeling she was somehow tainted in his eyes now. She
mentally cursed herself for reminding him who she really was.
    “So,” he began after a long pause. “What are
we doing the next night?”
    “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” Hope
fluttered inside her.
    “I know a great little corner bar over near
Dogtown. Want to grab a bite there?”
    “Yeah, sure. Sounds great,” Jessie nodded,
relief washing over her.
    He might have been teasing about making out
in the car, but the goodnight kiss he gave sent flames shooting
through her. It was fascinating to be so completely and totally
overtaken by the need to be touched by another human being—by this
human being.
    She expected the next day to crawl by. She
now firmly held the belief that nothing of interest could happen in
between date nights. She was wrong.
    The morning passed pretty much the same as
any other. After their morning workout, she and Harmony went
clothes shopping at Retro 101. She found a cute mini dress and some
cowboy boots to wear on her next date with