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“I don’t want to play around.” She hurried by the storekeeper. “I’ll stop back by later, Mr. Sellers.” Tossing the halters aside, she hit the full glass door with both hands and ran to her car. A second later, she fumbled with her keys, trying desperately to calm down so she could pull it together before one of the Jackson brothers caught up to her.
She flung her car door open and sat down. Reaching for the interior handle, she realized right away that she hadn’t been quick enough. Jax grabbed hold and held the top of the door firmly. “You’re not driving off upset.”
“Let go, Jax.”
“Get out, Brianna,” he demanded.
“Who do you think you are?”
“I’m a friend who can see you’re too upset to drive.”
“I’m fine.” Her gaze flicked to the store entrance. Tyler was walking toward them, traipsing beside another customer and making small talk. She could clearly hear their conversation. It was a beautiful spring day. They’d had a hell of a winter. It had been hard on the farmers. Cattle market had suffered.
Small town folks rarely met a stranger, which was probably why predators liked an area like Erwin. Bad things rarely happened there.
Rarely was a small word with a big meaning at the moment. Dragging her attention away from Tyler and the farmer, she whispered, “Really, Jax. I’m fine.”
“The hell you are.” Jax dug his hand in his jeans, retrieved a single key and tossed it at Tyler as he passed them. “Meet me there.”
Apparently they’d already discussed the ‘there’ in question. The whole thing appeared staged, right down to Tyler catching the truck key without ever breaking his stride.
“I don’t need—” Brianna stopped midsentence and gasped, noting a navy blue SUV parked behind her at the gas pump. She jolted forward, narrowed her gaze on her side mirror, and then adjusted her rearview mirror. Temporarily unaware that she’d stopped talking, she frantically searched the parking lot. The vehicle was familiar. From the chrome wheels to the blinding front plates, the SUV was one she recognized.
It had been at the mountainside bar the night she’d been assaulted. Her heart pounded faster. Her throat constricted. She felt as if she were suffocating and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Haphazardly, she stuffed her key in the ignition. At the same time, she tried to shut her door again. When Jax didn’t budge, she screamed, “I have to go!” Her gaze flitted to the mirror again.
By this time, Flint had walked out of the store with the halters she’d intended to buy. Tyler pulled up beside them in one of the Jackson dually trucks.
“Check out that vehicle,” Jax said, nodding at the pumps.
“What?” She instantly snapped out of her stupor and shook her head vehemently. “No. It’s not what you think.”
“What do I think exactly?” Jax asked, his dark blue gaze never averting. “I just happen to like the dude’s ride.”
“Please don’t do this,” she whispered, gripping the steering wheel and staring straight ahead.
Flint opened the passenger door and toss
ed the new horse tack on the floorboard. “Where to, gorgeous?”
“Get out of my car,” she said, though there wasn’t a lot of conviction in her request.
“It’s not happening.” Flint buckled his seatbelt as if to drive home his point. “And you’re welcome for the halters. It was my pleasure.”
She would’ve thanked him, but for some reason she had a strange feeling he’d take her note of gratitude as an invitation. “I have errands to do.” Her angst was seconds away from getting the best of her.
To further complicate her morning, Tyler drove away and waited by the pumps, revving his engine. One way or another, they planned to have a confrontation with the owner of the blue SUV.
Jax kept those muscular, tan arms draped over the top of her car door. “You have two choices. You either let me drive you back home or Flint will accompany you. I’d prefer to drive you because you’re not in any shape to be behind the wheel.”
“He’s jealous. He’s afraid I’ll end up with the first kiss.”
“If you so much as even try it, you won’t kiss anyone for the better part of a year.” Her bitter rage surfaced and was tightly strewn through every syllable.
“Easy tigress,” Flint said, settling his back against her seat. “I was just trying to make big brother jealous.”
“Do it on your own time.”
“All right. I’ve heard enough.” Jax reached around the door, grabbed her by the wrist, and yanked her out of the car. Then, he sat down in the driver’s seat and glanced at his brother. “Get out, Flint.”
