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Prologue
Inotice her the moment I walk in. She’s quite hard to miss with that sexy-as-fuck, curvy-in-all-the-right-places body of hers. I imagine clutching those long golden locks in my fists as I tip her head back and look into her sweet blue eyes. Her bright smile, her beautiful girl next-door appearance causes everyone to stop and take notice, but it’s her kindness that draws me to her. I’ve known her for a long time, and not once have I seen her judge or be mean to another person.
An infectious smile brightens her face as she throws her head back to laugh at something one of her girlfriends just whispered in her ear. That smile could bring any strong man to his knees. I pause in the doorway, not to scout out the place, but because I need a moment to catch my breath at the sight of her. She’s a perfect fantasy—wrapped up in a package that screams “badass” from her tight blue skinny jeans hugging her body in all the right places, down to the genuine snakeskin cowboy boots. Her full round breasts—the ones I fantasize about every night, are barely contained in the tight little black V-neck T-shirt she’s wearing. Her natural beauty doesn’t require makeup, but she usually wears just a little.
I’m mesmerized as her soft blonde locks fall around her face when she throws back a shot of some fiery liquid. She slams the empty glass on the bar and places the back of her hand over her scrunched up mouth—letting out the cutest giggle. I can’t hear it from where I stand, but I know exactly what it sounds like. What I wouldn’t give to be able to hear that sound every day for the rest of my life.
Her blue eyes sparkle when she lifts her head up and glances across the bar, catching me gawking. She breaks into a slow, sexy grin and waves me over, but my feet feel like they’re cemented to the sawdust-covered floor. My chest tightens, and all the oxygen is sucked from the room when she smiles at me.
Reality smacks me like a slap in the face when someone sidles up behind her, wraps his arms around her tiny waist, and nuzzles his face into her neck. The delusional part of my brain wants to grab the guy and pummel his face into the edge of the bar, but the rational part knows that it wouldn’t be right to do that to my brother, or his girlfriend of three years.
The girl who is off limits to me.
The girl I just spent an inappropriate amount of time drooling over.
I greet a few people as I make my way over to the corner of the bar where Ben and Sarah mingle. Ben slaps me on the back and hands me a shot of whiskey.
“What’s up, baby brother?” he slurs, clearly already three sheets to the wind.
The atmosphere is buzzing, and the whiskey is flowing at The Bar tonight. Yes, that’s the actual name of this establishment here in Jackson, Texas—population:1,819— where I reside.
Not for much longer!
I guess it’s meant to be some ode to Billy Joel, considering all his music memorabilia plastered all over the wood-paneled walls. You’d think it would have a cowboy theme, but the owner, Hank, is originally from New York, so I guess it makes sense to him.
The Bar is the only place in this tiny town to hide away and drown your sorrows on a Friday night. It’s usually what you’d find me doing. Tonight, however, everyone is here to celebrate, and to say goodbye to the Harris brothers.
Ben, my kid brother by two years, is leaving Monday for his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, and I’m beginning the next phase of my education at Stanford School of Medicine.
“You know I’m yourolderbrother, right?” I deadpan.
Considering he has three inches on me and almost twice the body mass, I can see where he’d get confused. He could probably bench press me on a bad day.Man, I need to work outmore.
Sarah pulls me in for a hug, her body softening against mine, and I can’t help inhaling her sweet, honey scent.God, I need to get out of this town.
“Hi, Luke,” Sarah greets me with breathy words. “Now that you’re both here, we can get this party started.”
I hold her in the hug a little too long, her body melting into mine. She quickly releases a slow breath, backing away. It takes all my restraint to keep my arms from pulling her back.
“Hey, Sarah,” is about all I can muster, before I throw my shot back, letting the burn distract me.
“Your brother’s already a few drinks in,” she whispers in my ear, and I can hear the disappointment as much as I can see the frown on her face.
The day my brother brought Sarah home was the day I fell in love with her. Ben was a senior in high school, Sarah a junior, and I was already in college. I hated seeing them together from the beginning, and it’s beyond me why she stays with the douchebag.
Ben’s always been nothing but trouble, running around town drunk just like dear old Dad, fucking anything with a pair of tits. Their relationship has had plenty of ups and downs over the past three years, but my brother swears he’s in love with Sarah—insists she’s the woman who’s going to make him change his asshole ways.
She deserves better than him.
“Get us another round of shots, Kelly!” my inebriated brother shouts across the bar to the bartender, a catty girl I graduated high school with. I clench my fists, feeling the urge to punch him when his eyes remain on Kelly’s ass a little too long. I glance over at Sarah, who seems oblivious to his ogling.
Two months ago, Sarah caught Ben kissing another woman, but somehow, gave him another chance. It pissed me off, and Ben and I had a massive fight, but he swears nothing happened. Says he’s a changed man, and totally committed to Sarah.
Ben insists the military is going to make him into the man Sarah needs. I’m not so sure. I doubt every word that spews from his mouth.
If she were mine, I’d treat her like a queen.
Kelly deposits the shots in front of us, and Sarah reaches for her drink. That’s when I notice the tiny lackluster diamond on her left hand. Ben sees my shock and turns to me, the corners of his mouth curving up into a devious grin. I take a deep breath and feel all the blood rush from my face.
