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“I don’t take kindly to being threatened. I think you need to pay attention to who you point that finger at. Next time, you might have it cut off.”
“Fuck. Fuck,” he wailed, his face turning beet red.
“Hey!” Jess barked. “You heard what I said. That goes for you too, Roy. I’m not redecorating again. Do you both hear me?”
I lifted my eyebrows, waiting for him to answer first, bending another couple of centimeters until I was at the perfect angle to snap his wrist bones.
“Okay. Okay. Got it.”
“Yeah, you better. I’ve had enough trouble this week and I’m in no mood to deal with arrogant assholes.” She shifted her venomous gaze toward all the other men in the bar, lifting a single adorable eyebrow.
I had to admit, the girl was formidable, rebellious in a way that could provoke any man. For me, it had the effect of full arousal. There was nothing better in my mind than a woman who could handle not only a shotgun but a bat, wielding both as if she’d come out of the womb kicking and fighting. Plus, she was absolutely beautiful in an entirely unassuming way that kept my mouth watering.
Perhaps I’d spent too much time around women who’d been born and bred to find a rich husband, learning the tips and tricks from their mothers. Sent to the right boarding schools. Taught lessons in etiquette, music, dance, and managing a wardrobe and jewelry collection worth millions.
And refusing to heed the no fur rule given they were special and deserved the best in all things. Of course, they were beautiful, the perfect arm candy. That’s what plastic surgeons were for. No one who knew me would ever have considered calling me jaded before. That’s because I’d dated some of the most beautiful women in the world.
Yet now I knew why I’d remained single for all these years.
I’d been bored to death. I enjoyed a challenge in all aspects of my life. It had taken a return to a midsize town for me to realize what I’d been missing. I kind of liked the girl, even if the hate she felt was evident.
After taking a deep breath, I let him go, waiting until he backed off before sauntering toward the bar. At least my quick reaction had every man backing away from the stool, allowing me a little breath of fresh air.
With a drink in hand, I did nothing more than sit back and watch her work. In the span of ten minutes, she’d served over two dozen people, flying from one side of the bar to another with more flair than any bartender I’d ever seen before. I did wonder why the hell she was wasting her talent working in a shithole like this.
Not that there were that many fine establishments in town, at least that I’d been able to find. Still, I hated when beautiful women were forced to do menial labor. I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of my thought. Who the hell was I kidding? I’d never paid much attention before, and I’d thought of the household staff as part of the family.
At least she could be fascinating eye candy while I checked my emails, finishing up some business I’d left behind.
As the night shifted from thirty minutes to almost two hours, I was fascinated by the fact I’d stayed behind. It didn’t mean I was any less exhausted or jetlagged. It just meant I was enjoying myself in a way I hadn’t in a hell of a long time.
Jess barely paid me any attention, saying nothing when I’d asked for another drink by lifting my glass. However, she’d darted glances in my way, her nose wrinkling every time, which had accentuated the freckles dancing across the bridge to her luscious cheeks.
I dragged my tongue around the rim of my glass just as she shifted her heated gaze in my direction for the fiftieth time. All the while I was thinking about how she would taste.
Her full lips.
Her delicate skin.
Her sweet pussy.
I was such an arrogant ass, but that didn’t bother me in the least. I went after and took what I wanted. Few women ever turned me down. Perhaps a little fling would do my heart and body some good. Especially after the rough entrance to the town.
As I continued to wait, nursing my third drink, she became more agitated. The clock was ticking, the regulars starting to filter out. She remained antsy, her glances in my direction becoming more irritated. That was easy to see by the hard furrow of her brow. When there were only two customers left, she grabbed a bar towel, furiously wiping the surface, slowly making her way in my direction.
After tossing the rag over her shoulder, she planted her hands on the bar top in front of me, cocking her pretty little head.
“What are you waiting for, city slicker? Some fabulous beauty to walk through that door so you can have a night out on the town?”
I leaned forward, which seemed to surprise her. Now we were only inches apart, my large torso easily taking up most of the surface space. Even though her eyes opened wide, to her credit, she didn’t budge, yet a smirk crossed her face.
“First of all, a beauty already walked across that threshold much earlier in the day and she remains. Second, I don’t think there’s enough of this town to have a good time exploring it.”
She laughed, and for the first time I detected a hint of nerves along with her hefty helping of arrogance. The girl was bold, daring to plant her elbows on the bar, leaning close, close enough our lips were only inches apart.
That allowed me to gather a whiff of the most seductive perfume I’d ever inhaled. It was fresh, night-blooming jasmine with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. The scent alone enforced my need to devour her inch by inch.
“Tell me something, slick. Is that what it takes for a city boy like yourself to get a girl? You ply her with Crackerjack box compliments?”
