Without wasting another second, I picked up the burger and groaned when the first taste hit my tongue. “You sure as heck weren’t lyin’,” I said while still chewing. “This is the best burger I’ve ever had in my life.”
Colt took a deep pull from his beer, and I watched his throat muscles work as he swallowed. Lord, he even made drinking a beer look sexy.
He lowered the bottle and cradled it in his hands. “What’d your parents have to say about you coming all the way to Nashville on your own?”
I munched on a fry and thought about my answer. How much did I want to give away about myself? I could tell him the truth: that I’d dropped out of community college and was someplace where my dad and his fists couldn’t find me. Not that my dad cared one way or another where I was. Or I could lie and tell him a load of crap.
I went with the crap option.
“They’re fine with it.”
He gave me a questioning glance. “You’re trying to tell me your parents were fine with their nineteen-year-old daughter coming all the way down here with just her guitar and a pocket full of dreams.”
“Mmm-hmmm.”
“Now isn’t that something,” he said after a long moment.
He hadn’t believed a word I’d said.
Chapter Two
Colt
At the end of her shift, Nat hadn’t fucked up too much. A few broken plates and several smashed glasses, but for her first night when we were packed to the rafters, she’d held her own.
All evening, I’d kept a close eye on her. A few times, I’d had to stop myself from jumping over the bar and pummeling the shit out of some guys who’d gotten too handsy, but Nat didn’t need my help. She’d put every single leech in their place using some sass and class.
The way her breasts jiggled in her tight, red Strangled Cat T-shirt made me thankful I was standing behind the bar most of the night and not in front of it. A semi-hard dick in jeans wasn’t all that comfortable.
What was her story? I didn’t for one second buy that her parents were fine with her move here.
She was too uneasy when she spoke about it and wouldn’t look me in the eye. Plus, the slight tremble in her lower lip gave away her nerves. No matter. We all had secrets too painful to share with the rest of the world. Her story was hers to tell and not mine to take just because I was curious.
I didn’t miss how she’d eyed the stage. Every emotion she felt showed on her face. She wanted to be up there performing.
It wouldn’t be fair to give her a spot just because I fantasized about fucking her senseless. Like everyone else in Nashville, she would have to put in the hours and earn the respect of her peers. Nothing worthwhile was easy.
After the rest of the staff clocked out for the night, Nat grabbed her things from the staff room and strode toward the front door. I wanted her to hang around so we could talk, plus I guessed she didn’t have a place to sleep. No way could she afford somewhere to stay around here if she couldn’t afford a burger and fries.
With her guitar slung over her shoulder, she glanced back at me. “Thanks for the job, Colt. I appreciate it more than you can imagine.”
I grinned. “The customers loved you. Everyone treat you okay?”
“The servers were super sweet and shared their tips even though they didn’t have to.”
I grabbed the dish rag thrown over my shoulder and wiped the already gleaming bar top. “We’re a family here, Nattie. We take care of each other.”
She gave me a tired smile. “What time should I be here tomorrow?”
“Five till closing work for you?”
“Sure. See ya later.” Giving me a quick wave, she put her hand on the door and pushed it open.
“Where you staying tonight?”
She had one foot out the door and one foot in the bar. “A place up the street. Not too far from here.”
“What’s the place called?”
She pursed her lips, and I could see her mind working to come up with an answer. “I can’t remember. Night.”
I sauntered around the bar and made my way toward her. Even though I’d spent the majority of the evening picturing her pretty pink lips around my cock, I wanted her to stay because I wanted to make sure she was safe and wasn’t sleeping beneath a park bench and for no other reason than that. “Hold up. I’ll walk with you. The streets aren’t safe this time of the morning.”
“There’s no need. Honestly. If anyone comes near me, I’ll bash them over the head with my guitar.”
“Darlin’, that six-string of yours will fall apart if you strum it too hard, never mind hit someone over the head with it.”
The air seemed to chill, and the irritated look on her face was surprising. Obviously, I’d hit a sore spot. There was a whole lot this girl wasn’t sharing with me.
“This was my mom’s guitar. Saved every penny she made to buy it. It’s over thirty years old and will last thirty more. One day, my little girl will write her own songs picking these strings. Goodnight, Colt.”
“I was just teasing. It’s a beautiful instrument, but it won’t last another three days, never mind thirty years in this town without a case. You should get one.”
“My case was stolen last night when I was busking.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. You haven’t had an easy time since you
