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“You’re on your own, buddy!” Reason patted the bar in front of him, aware of someone seated there but still looking Katherine’s way. “What can I get for you?” He grabbed a bar napkin and placed it in front of his customer before he actually looked up. “Wow.”
“Hi, Reason.” Jade blushed. She glanced down at the end of the bar where Katherine was seated. Seemingly nervous, she said, “Is it okay if I sit here or—”
“Are you old enough to be in here?” Reason asked, purposefully using a singsong voice. Thanks to instant recall, he remembered Nory telling him about Jade’s upcoming twenty-first birthday. He also remembered another pertinent fact, too.
The gal was interested in him and Kellan had earned her attention, too. Amazing how quickly a woman could fall for a man when he tongued her into submission.
“I’m twenty-one now.”
“So I hear,” he said, checking her out. Thanks to Madden staying with his mole theory, he’d tracked down how Cartwell’s trip had leaked—the local PD. Someone on Hank’s payroll had reported Cartwell’s travel plans when he’d let the locals know how and where to reach him in the case of an emergency.
Madden had apologized to Kellan and redirected his mole efforts. He’d become somewhat of a fixture down at the police station.
Best of all, Jade was back on the market and free game as far as Reason and Kellan were concerned.
Wearing a barely-there white-hot club number with thin straps over and under the shoulders, Jade looked classy, if not sophisticated, in the halter-style dress with its open back. When she rested her elbow on the bar, Reason damn near panted at the side view of her tan skin and full breasts. She was too damned innocent and too damned pretty to be dressed like that on a Saturday night at Clink.
Swallowing then, he took a second to regroup and even turned away long enough to catch his breath. Kellan, apparently wise to the problem at hand, worked his way between Reason and the bar. “I had a feeling we’d see you tonight.” He looked at her with too much familiarity. “Where’d you ditch the tail?” He leaned over the bar and kissed her cheek.
Aware of the Killian brothers watching the action, Reason leaned against the bar, blocking their view. Jade smiled sweetly, shifting her focus from one bartender to the other. “He’s outside. As you can probably guess, he has orders from Kane.”
“Oh, Kellan!” Katherine had apparently marked her target.
Jade stiffened but she didn’t look Katherine’s way. “Looks like Reason will be waiting on me tonight.”
“I just bet he will,” Kellan said, slapping Reason’s back and grabbing a few beer bottles for regular customers now sitting on either side of Katherine.
Gaining his bearings, Reason asked, “How about a virgin daiquiri?”
“How about the real deal?” Jade swirled around on the stool and took a deep breath before she crossed those long slender legs, a fact he was sure she had plotted and planned, just so he’d watch the act and notice the sexy side slit exposing her hip. “I like something with a little kick to it.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, unable to stop grinning. “I’ve got your kick coming right up.” For a little bit of nothing, he’d set a Screw Me Sideways in front of her and call out the drink name like a proper invitation.
Mixing up her daiquiri with only a tad of alcohol, Reason noticed Katherine glaring at Jade. Stirring her Bloody Mary with a slow and calculated circular motion, the cougar behaved as if she were contemplating her next show-stopping move.
Before he served Jade her first drink, Katherine called out, “Reason, honey, are you free later tonight?” She fluttered her eyelashes and puckered her lips. “I’m bored and need something thick and meaty to keep me entertained.”
About that time the music died down and Reason could’ve sworn Jade groaned. He swung his gaze at the daring young woman, placed her drink in front of her, and said, “That’s on me. Happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” she replied, accepting her drink and sliding away from her barstool.
“Jade?”
“Yes?” Jade looked hopeful, like she expected a dance or a compliment or maybe a request for her phone number.
“Reason!” Katherine crooked her finger back and forth before tapping the rim of her glass. “I need a refill down here.”
Son-of-a-sorry-bitch! Kellan had just served her a drink. Hadn’t he?
Reason tossed the bar towel over his shoulder. “You look real nice tonight, Miss Summers.”
“Thank you, Reason.”
A minute later, the crowd devoured her whole. Now Reason needed to figure out how to lose Katherine in that throng of club goers. Then the night would hold real promise.
Chapter Eight
Jade wasn’t much of a drinker but the daiquiri was cold and wet, enough to dampen her thirst but not enough to sate her hunger. She sauntered away from the bar, wondering where Kellan might have gone.
