My Number One: Kasha & Knox Read Online Free PDF Page B

hell out of me.
    “I’ll get this round, Knox,” Bash alerted, gripping the newbie and redirecting him several feet away from the main bar. This was one of the reasons I appreciated my bros, even when they were capable of pissing me off for all sorts of nonsense.
    Most of the guys had been hitting the bottle before we’d arrived at the bar. With each new glass, they became more pitiful. It was a good thing they had cabs on alert. Bash, Russell, Boris and Wayne clinked glasses, spilling expensive liquor on the already slick floor. Not to mention Rory and another guy by the name of Rhys. I’d noticed how Rory only spoke privately with this one. Their exchanges seemed intense, but I never once asked. I felt suspicious of the stranger because unlike the other men, this one wasn’t a worker.
    “Dude, drink?” Bash reiterated when I hadn’t answered.
    “Oh . . . umm. Doesn’t make a difference to me, buddy,” I replied as I placed another empty glass on the counter. I’d gotten the first two rounds. But since money wasn’t a concern, it didn’t matter one way or another.
    “Shit, I ain’t counting so keep ‘em coming!” another guy slurred.
    All things considered, most of us didn’t have a care in the world. One or two of the guys had kids, but none of them were married. Perhaps some might have had girlfriends or something. Actually, I took the cautious route whenever possible.
    “You need to relax,” Rory threw out as his right hand slammed down onto the countertop. He bumped Bash and the next one out of the way. With his left, he signaled for the bartender who hustled right over. Before long, glasses of various drinks lined the counter. Pretty much every one of the guys reappeared to partake. And at the center of the commotion, Rory spoke the loudest, acted the wildest, and drew the attention of damn near every single female throughout.
    I picked up two drinks and excused myself from the crew. A couple just happened to give up their seats in the far right corner.
    After about another hour, the liquor finally started taking a toll. I passed my fingers through a heap of chopped black hair. I was feeling hornier than drunk, and in a mood of sorts. Our rigorous work schedule didn’t allow much time for play, but on the few occasions when I was fortunate enough to make that exception, I made the most of downtime. I had a few hobbies that consisted of reading; a worthy habit I’d picked up from my younger years. I loved women, not just for sex, simply because I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the opposite sex. Women could’ve actually been a habit, if I’d just let go of all the bullshit stored up inside. At this stage in life, however, Kasha had become my biggest habit. In a way, she was my salvation, while the other . . . the others would be issues. I only needed to live life in the way that I was meant to, instead of waiting to get over the past, or even waiting for the future to happen. I’d forgotten that the present was not meant to be dwelt in, but rather simply the conduit between the past and my future.
    The more the guys drank, the louder they became. Honestly, I didn’t mind the excitement, but started winding down after several rounds. Moreover, unlike me, they sure as hell couldn’t manage shots the same way. I wasn’t the type of guy that needed this rowdy attention. I’d be perfectly fine at home, reading a Patterson or Sheldon book to pass time. Or even re-reading Coelho’s The Alchemist in contemplation of the steps life had taken. Not to mention the time spent with Kasha, just watching a movie or shooting pool.
    At the mere thought of her, I couldn’t hold back the tingling of my lips. I inhaled, then leaned back my head as an image of her perky lips flashed before me. She was everything a man could possibly want in a woman, when the time came for her to settle down. She was just too damn set on avoiding relationships.
    When I lowered my head back down, I glanced around the bar.