Flawed Beauty Read Online Free Page A

fallen over her features. Do it? On a
pool table? What kind of girl did he think she was? Then he’d told her
exactly what type of girl he’d thought she was.
    “Come on, Tate. I know you put out.
I just want what everyone else has had – only different and better,” he’d
grinned.
    She’d wiped a hand across her
trembling lips. “I… don’t do… that,” she’d stammered, embarrassed.
    “Come on, I’ve seen the video.”
    The blood had roared in her ears so
loudly she’d barely been able to hear herself think. She’d stared unbelievingly
into his young, fevered eyes. As she’d struggled to stop her stomach from
heaving, she’d run out the door and never allowed herself to be placed in a
position of unawareness again.
    She’d learned from her earlier
mistake that she was a really bad judge of character – so she trusted no one.
But maybe Dr. Jace Staton was different? No, she just couldn’t risk it again. Bad things happened when
you put yourself out there. Disappointment swelled within her as she turned and
shuffled wearily up the wooden stairs.
     
    She’d only been asleep a couple of
hours when the nightmares began – again. They were never about the same thing,
or about any one thing. It was more a collection of horrific things all rolled
into a bad, very bad dream, a kaleidoscope of quick images, emotions, and
feelings. She felt the pressure of hands on her shoulders, pressing her down –
keeping her in her place. The place she belonged. She forced herself to the
surface, and with her heart pounding, gasped as she opened her eyes. As much as
she didn’t want to, she knew she needed to go back to see Dr. Barclay. She’d
been seeing shrinks for almost half her life. She thought by now she’d be
cured. And while a visit to them did usually lessen the nightmares, they didn’t
extinguish them.
    Tate rose, turned on the light in
the adjoining bathroom, and left the door open a crack so the light would eek
into the bedroom. She shook her head, disappointed in herself. She was almost
twenty-two years old and still needed a nightlight. How pathetic.
     
    §§§
     
    The lack of sleep was really
beginning to take its toll on Tate. Too many late nights, followed by the
nightmares which plagued her, then having to be up early for school had her
really dragging by Wednesday. While she could always use the money, she was
happy Zeal’s wasn’t very busy. By nine o’clock, her head was pounding and so
she reached up and yanked the elastic tie out of her riotous blonde curls.
Stopping by the bar, she begged a glass of water from Rocko .
After popping a couple of ibuprofens, she headed back to her tables. She’d just
returned from the bar with an order when she saw Jace sitting in her section. She tensed and halted at the sight of him. Due to her
nightmares and lack of sleep, she was feeling a little raw and vulnerable. She
was not in a frame of mind to deal with him tonight.
    He looked a little different from
the rocker she’d seen the previous weekend. Gone was the five o’clock shadow
and his hair no longer drifted across his forehead. But he was still gorgeous.
Tate felt the familiar tingle at the sight of him. She almost turned away. She
didn’t want to be his challenge. What had Thor been thinking?
    She took a deep breath and headed to
his table. He was busy texting when she got to him. “Hey, Jace . Can I get you something from the bar?”
    Without glancing up from his phone,
he said, “I’d like a tonic water with lime, please.”
    Feeling very much dismissed, and
oddly hurt by it, Tate spun around and headed to the bar and got his drink.
Returning to him, wordlessly she placed the drink in front of him and turned to
go.
    “Hey, wait. Sorry about that, life
as an intern means never really being away from the hospital.”
    “No problem. Let me know if you need
anything else,” she said as she turned away once more.
    “Wait, Tate. Hold on. Come back,
please.”
    “Yes?” she said, brushing