Sawyer (BAR 28) Read online

  © JJ Harper 2020

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places or incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are used factiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons living or dead, events or locals are entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ Use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Jay Aheer @Simply Defined Art

  Edited by Tanja Ongkiehong

  Proofread by Mildred Jordan

  Formatted by Brenda Wright, Formatting Done Wright

  Note: This book is based in the UK and is written in British English.

  Take one bartender.

  Add an unwelcome engagement party

  With a dash of hot, sexy stranger

  For a spicy and sweet new beginning.

  Sawyer can’t believe his cheating ex has chosen Bar 28 to hold his engagement party. The grin on his smug face proves he has done it on purpose.

  Devon wanted a night at home after a long week working in his bike garage, not going to his silly, spoilt little brother’s engagement party.

  But when he sees the tall, hot bartender, with his long dark blond hair tied back and sexy stubble, Devon is captivated.

  And Devon, even taller than him, with thick dark brown hair and full beard, ticks all Sawyer’s boxes.

  After swapping numbers, Sawyer finds himself on a date with a man who can give him what he’s craved, a man he can submit to, a man who lets him be the boy he needs to be.

  Devon discovers in Sawyer everything he’s ever wanted—a boy to call his own.

  Chapters

  Prologue

  Chapter One Sawyer

  Chapter Two Devon

  Chapter Three Sawyer

  Chapter Four Devon

  Chapter Five Sawyer

  Chapter Six Devon

  Chapter Seven Sawyer

  Chapter Eight Devon

  Chapter Nine Sawyer

  Chapter Ten Devon

  Chapter Eleven Sawyer

  Chapter Twelve Devon

  Chapter Thirteen Sawyer

  Chapter Fourteen Devon

  Chapter Fifteen Sawyer

  Chapter Sixteen Devon

  Chapter Seventeen Sawyer

  Chapter Eighteen Devon

  Chapter Nineteen Sawyer

  Chapter Twenty Devon

  Chapter Twenty-one Sawyer

  Chapter Twenty- two Devon

  Chapter Twenty-three Sawyer

  Chapter Twenty-four Sawyer

  Chapter Twenty- Five Devon

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  More from JJ Harper

  I believe that everything happens for a reason, and what seems bad at first might in fact be something of a blessing.

  Robert Greene

  Twelve months ago

  I knock on the door. I haven’t seen or heard from Danny for a couple of days. Nothing, no phone calls, no emails, not even a text message. This is odd, even for Danny. He isn’t the most conscientious texter at the best of times—I always text him, not the other way around—but four days without hearing from him is long. And that’s why I stand here in front of his door at eight o’clock in the morning.

  Footsteps come near, and the door opens. It’s not Danny who answers but a short, slim guy, a twink with a cute heart-shaped face and blond, almost white hair cut short but styled with gel. Wearing only boxers. At eight in the morning. At my boyfriend’s place.

  “Hi.” The polite greeting is ingrained in me. He stares at me with a bewildered look on his face. I stare right back. Who’s that guy? What’s he doing here?

  “Hi.”

  Silence.

  “Um, yeah, hi. Is Danny here?” I peek over his shoulder.

  “Yes, he’s here. Are you a friend of his?” A frown creases his forehead, and I’m still standing on the doorstep.

  “You can say that. “I’m Sawyer, his boyfriend.”

  “Who’s that, babe?” Danny calls out.

  Babe? What the fuck? I stand there like a twat while my heart freezes in my chest. Is this some sort of joke? We’re having a staring contest, the twink inside, looking at me as if he sees an apparition, me outside, glaring at him, a million thoughts swirling in my mind.

  “Can I come in?” Before I can take a step forward, Danny comes out of his living room and strides down to the door. When he sees me, his step falters.

  “Sawyer? What are you doing here?” His face turns bright red, and he narrows his eyes. “Jake, babe, go back inside. Let me talk to Sawyer. Then I’ll be back in.”

  “Danny, why is he saying he’s your boyfriend? You said you finished with him months ago.” Jake—the twink now has a name—whines.

  “I did, babe, but he doesn’t stop pestering me.” He crosses his arms over his chest, not a trace of shame on his face. “You need to leave, Sawyer.”

  Speechless, I dart my eyes between the two of them. “You’re kidding me? Two years, Danny. We’ve been together for two fucking years.”

  “I’m sorry, Sawyer, but I love Jake.” He’s sorry? Yeah, right. Danny doesn’t sound the least apologetic.

  “Just like that, is it? You think you can just shove me aside, and I had to find out because you didn’t think it necessary to answer my texts. You didn’t have the decency to tell me to my face.” I clench my fists. Oh, it would be so easy to wallop the smirk off his face, but I won’t give him that satisfaction. I’m better than that, better than him.

  “You know what? Forget it. Fuck you, you wanker. And you, Jake, is it? You can fucking have him.” I stomp away, but not before I catch Jake giving me a long look, not one of smugness but shame. Not enough to dump Danny, though.

  Just as I walk into the bar, Gus pulls away from Max and gives him a wink. “Hey, pack it in, you two. No one wants to see how disgustingly happy you are.”

  “You’re just jealous,” Max says as he yanks Gus back in for another kiss.

  “Of course, I’m jealous, you knob. You got the hottest guy in town.” I smile at Gus. “When you’ve come to your senses, come find me, babe.”

  “Oh, I will. He’s lucky he saw me before I met you.” Gus grins and tickles Max’s ribs.

  “Hey, I’m a catch.” He fakes indignancy, batting Gus’s hands away.

  “Of course, you are, honey. I’m so lucky.”

  “I heard about Danny. Maybe we should start a book on how long it will last.” Max looks at me apologetically.

  “Yeah, maybe. You know the saying ‘once a cheater, always a cheater’ and all that crap.” I shrug.

  “He’s a dick. I almost feel sorry for the guy who said yes.” Gus joins in the commiserations on the news my ex is getting married.

  “That’s true.” It took me some time, but I’m over that double-crossing tosser, and I can finally laugh about it.

  “We need to find you a new man.” Gus looks a little too pleased with himself.

  “Er, no, we don’t. I’m happy as I am for now.” I don’t need a new boyfriend, a hook-up perhaps. Some guiltless fucking can go a long way to mending a broken heart and damaged ego.

  “Spoilsport.” He sulks.

  I step behind the bar, pick up the short black apron, and tie it neatly around my waist. Then I grab the hair elastic from around my wrist and twist my hair up in a
bun. It’ll probably keep sliding out, but it’s good enough for now.

  “Are we expecting anything exciting tonight?” I ask this every Friday, and as always Max rolls his eyes at me and laughs.

  “For once I can say yes. Jonas got a call this afternoon for a private party. They paid a lot of cash because of the short notice, so we’ve closed the garden. They expect about fifteen to twenty people, but you know what that usually means, more like twenty plus.” Max shrugs. “They’ll be here at about eight. I want Gus, Leo, and you doing the drinks for that. Beck will man the bar with Niall, and I’ll switch between the bar and the garden. I expect it’s going to be a long, loud night. Just keep thinking of the tips.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see.”

  I check I’ve got everything set up the way I like, then sign on to the cash register. I wait for the servers to come back from greeting the customers in their area and giving them their orders. In minutes, we’re all busy. The music is on but not too loud yet. It’s too early. I enjoy taking care of the steady stream of orders from soft drinks to beer to more exotic cocktails, and it’s eight o’clock before I know it. Then I almost drop my glass under the tap of Guinness. Shit. That voice. I so never wanted to hear that again. Danny.

  I glance up. Gus is giving him a look that should have him running for the hills, but the smug arsehole is grinning, his arm wrapped around the shoulder of Jake, the twink, or fiancé as I guess he’s now. Why are they here? And dressed like that? I didn’t know he owned a three-piece suit. Then it clicks. He’s chosen to have his engagement party here. Why the fuck would he do that? Does he hate me that much?

  Gus shuffles over to me. “You want me to get Max to ask them to leave?”

  “No, it’s okay. They’ve paid a lot to have the party here. I can’t be the reason Jonas and Max lose business.” I can do this. I’m better than him.

  “He’s such a fucking arsehole. I want to punch his fucking face in,” Gus snarls as Danny steps up in front of me.

  “Hey, Sawyer. Fancy you working here tonight.” Danny smirks, his eyes flashing to Gus. He never liked him. Gus is too flamboyant for Danny’s tastes. He likes to be the best-looking person in the room but more understated. Tonight he looks pathetic as he attempts to make me jealous.

  “What can I get you?” I don’t bother to comment on his snark.

  “What would you like to drink, baby?” He kisses the man he has in a one-armed hug, the man he cheated on me with.

  “Why are we having the party here, Danny? I didn’t know Sawyer works here.” Jake looks angry and embarrassed at the same time.

  “It’s the best bar, babe. Why shouldn’t we have it here.” Danny’s eyes bore into Jake’s, daring him to make a scene.

  “Because Sawyer is your ex. He’ll probably slip something in my drink.”

  “Hey!” Both Gus and I cry out.

  Max moves up behind Danny and claps his hand down hard on his shoulder, making him wince. “I explained the servers will be getting all your drinks. You two can go back outside with your friends, without having to bother the guys here.” He squeezes Danny’s shoulder as he turns them back to the door.

  “I can’t believe you did this, Danny. You’re ruining my night. I don’t want to be reminded of him on our special night.” The fiancé whines.

  “Baby, you’re so much better than him, and he knows it. I’ll make it up to you later, I promise,” Danny says, but he’s looking at me the whole time.

  “You’d better.” Jake pouts but seems mollified.

  Max manoeuvres them back out into the garden, then turns on his heels and storms back to the bar. “Sawyer, I’m so sorry. Jonas took the call, and he was given the names Daniel and Jake. He didn’t know.”

  “It’s okay, Max. Thank you for getting them outside again. I really can live without seeing that train wreck. There’s no way Danny will stay faithful to that poor guy.” I shake my head and get to work with the drinks order.

  “Men like that will never be faithful.” The soft words come from a man sitting at the bar to the left. “Sorry, that was rude of me.” He blushes.

  Wow. Why hadn’t I paid more attention when he first took his seat. He’s gorgeous. “But honest.” I hold up a glass. “What can I get you?”

  “Out of here would be nice,” he says without a glimmer of humour.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I guess I need to say sorry again. I’m here with that party, but it’s the last place I want to be.” He shrugs and taps his fingers on the counter.

  “Then why don’t you go home?” This guy interests me. He looks tall, considering how high up his body is from the stool. He has a full, rich brown beard and incredibly blue eyes with gorgeous laughter lines around them. Then he smiles and wow! It’s one that’ll stop traffic.

  “Because the idiot fool he’s engaged to is my brother, half-brother. I’m persona non grata with his mother most of the time as it is. Leaving the golden boy’s party wouldn’t go down well.”

  “So hiding in here is almost as good as leaving?” I lean my hip against the polished wood of the bartop.

  “Yup! I’ll go outside in half an hour or so, do the rounds, then come back in here if that’s okay with you?”

  “I think I can manage that.” I wink. He’s good company. “What would you like to drink?”

  “A Peroni would be great.” He gives me an eye-crinkling grin, and my stomach does a strange sort of swoop.

  “Coming right up.” I head over to the fridges that run under the back bar. Leo bumps me as I bend and open the door.

  “That gorgeous hunk of a man is so staring at your bum. You lucky bastard,” he whispers, then snags a bottle of Bud and, with a chuckle, steps away.

  I don’t know what to think about Leo’s comment. Yes, the guy is hot as fuck, but he’s also related to the scumbag that was happy to shag my boyfriend. He looks a lot older than his brother; he looks older than me, and I’m twenty-seven. But who cares? He really is a delicious specimen of a man. I pop the cap of the bottle and place his beer in front of him. He smiles at me, and damn if I don’t feel like swooning.

  “Would you like a glass?”

  “Nah, I’m good. How much?” When he grasps the bottle, his fingertip touches mine. Whoa, hot tingles spread through my hand and up my arm.

  “Nothing, I’ll put it on the party’s tab.” I ring it up on the till. Then Caitlin, one of the servers, gives me an order for six different cocktails. I make them up and place them on a tray. She thanks me with a sad smile, then hurries back outside. Damn, everyone is feeling sorry for me tonight.

  When I turn around, the sexy guy’s seat is empty. Where did he go? I look out the open French doors to the garden. He stands next to an elegantly dressed woman with a face like a well-smacked arse, and a pinched mouth like nothing is ever good enough for her. A man approaches them, quite a few years older than her. He looks too much like Sexy Man not to be his father. Is he her husband? Probably, judging by the way she turns her cheek as if expecting a kiss, which he promptly gives. As if they can sense me looking at them, they all turn to me. I spin around but not before Sexy Man winks at me. I need to find out his name. I can’t keep thinking of him as Sexy Man.

  The night keeps getting busier. The warm summer evening has brought people out of their homes and into town and to our bar. We’re large enough to have not only the asshole’s engagement party but also to have room for our regular guests. I don’t see him again all evening.

  “What time do you close here?” He startles me. His voice is deep and smooth like hot, melted chocolate, the kind of voice I could happily listen to all night long.

  “Not until two,” I answer ruefully.

  “And are you here until then?”

  “Yep. Well, much later than that. By the time we’ve cleared up and cashed our tills, I doubt I’ll be home much before three.”

  “Is it okay to ask for your number? I’d like to see you again, Sawyer.”

  God, the way he says my name
is like dirty sex. Heat flushes to my cheeks. But how does he know my name? “Yeah…” I clear my throat. “Yeah, I’d like that too.” He pulls his phone from his back pocket and swipes it open, then hands it to me. I bring up Contacts, add my name and number, and give it back.

  He taps out something, then pockets it again. My phone vibrates in my pocket. “I can’t open it here. It’s not allowed.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll see you soon, Sawyer.”

  “Um, you haven’t told me your name.”

  “It’s Devon.” He gives me another hot smile, then leaves the bar.

  “You got his number, you lucky bastard.” Gus nudges me with his shoulder. “He’s been watching you all night.”

  “I doubt that, but yeah, I got his number.” I’m itching to see what he’s texted me, but I don’t. I don’t want anyone looking over my shoulder.

  The night eventually ends, and the garden and bar are emptying. Danny supports a very drunk-looking fiancé and shoots me a smug look. I’m not sure why, though. His man is going to be barfing all night long. The next through are the parents, or rather his father and his wife. She still looks like she smells something nasty, but her husband approaches me.

  “Sawyer, isn’t it?” His voice has the same deep timbre as his son’s.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You behaved very graciously this evening. I wasn’t aware of the connection between you and Danny. I’m sorry if we upset you. Had I known, I would’ve chosen a different location.” He digs some folded notes out of his front pocket. “This is for you as a thank you. You worked hard tonight.”

  They’re all twenties. “Thank you. I’ll share it with the others.”

  “There’s no need for that. I’ve already settled the bill and included a service charge. You take that, son.” He gives me a nod and walks out behind his wife.

  I look down at the notes, not sure what I should do. As if sensing my predicament, Max walks up to me. “You did a great job, Sawyer. Put the money in your pocket. He told us what he wanted to do, and you deserve it. And please tell me you got that hunk’s phone number.”

  I can only manage a nod before Max hugs me. “Get off me, you great oaf. Go and maul your boyfriend. He seems to like it.”