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She doesn’t even knohat she’s doing to me

I turn and sweep the desk clear with frustration, sending paperwork and erabthe list of girls’ nuht now and be in their bed in twenty et Carina and her blue eyes, I’ll sateinstead

But I can’t

I slowly drop h

I don’t want another girl, a brief release of all my desire and frustrations I want Carina, just her, and don’t I know if that doesn’t spell a whole heap of trouble

It wasn’t just the kiss that changed it all forwe shared there on the dock When I swore to take care of her, I loss and sniping, down to her bruised, beautiful soul She showed herself to h to look me in the eye and reveal all her darkest secrets and insecurities, and God, if her bravery didn’t take my breath away

I’ve never e of her past and is trying to rebuild her life, brick by brick, and I can’t explain it, it’s not even rational, but I know I’ll do anything to keep her safe froed No matter how much I pretend on the outside we’re no different from before, under the surface, it’s a whole other story It’s like I suddenly developed a radar for her presence, tracking her , just to know if she’s close If she’s s at all to chase the shadows fros

I made a promise to her that I would protect her from the pain, and I meant it Which means I can’t betray her withI have to be good, for her She’s had enough selfish assles, ht I won’t be one of those ht of them sickens me

I can’t have her, but I don’t want anyone else

Which gets ain

I take another breath and get up, heading back out to the bar It’s still e out by the bar and a couple of locals testing out my breakfast menu Except they split an order of waffles and haven’t ordered anything new in an hour

I grab a notebook and settle in to think up a Hail Mary for this place My personal life may be screwed up beyond redeo up in flaests, later in the day Business still hasn’t picked up, and I’m stumped for ideas about how to turn this around "You could install a couple of big-screens, do wings and beer People go crazy for that kind of thing"

"If I had a couple of grand to spare," I point out "And there’s a sports bar over in Lawrenceville I can’t compete"