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“I would let me go. I’m tipsy.” Okay, drunk-ish. “But not interested in kissing you. Or doing anything with you for that matter. Well, aside from kicking you in the nuts if you don’t unhand me.”
And poor Ken had no idea there was a man capable of damaging his face with a few punches heading his way.
“You always such a bitch?” the asshole asked me.
I tossed a hand to my chest and eyed Cali-Ken. He did not belong at our school. “Bless your heart. Seriously. You won’t survive the South if you—”
“Let. Go. Of. Her.” The roar choked out all the surrounding sounds once it escaped Jesse’s lips.
My stomach muscles banded tight as I set eyes on him. It’d been too long since I’d last seen him. Christmas. Mistletoe neither of us took advantage of . . .
“You her babysitter? Big brother?” Ken let go of me and faced Jesse.
Did the jerk not see Jesse’s corded forearms? Because, well, damn, I did. I noticed.
Did he not witness the lock of his bladed jawline? The angry stare? The bunch of his hands ready to throw down at the slightest provocation?
And Jesse was one hell of a fighter. I was pretty sure growing up I’d witnessed him block a bully on more than one occasion from going after someone weaker.
“She’s like my sister, so you need to step off,” Jesse hissed the command that was a knife to my heart.
My stomach protested the ridiculous word. I have four older brothers. I was NOT looking for a fifth.
Sister? No freaking way. I want you to bang me. Every day. All day.
“He was just going,” I finally spoke up. “He’s not worth it.” I stepped forward and wrapped a hand around Jesse’s arm, and my palm skated up along the ridge of muscle in a soothing motion.
Wow, his arms really had grown since becoming a Ranger.
Cali-Ken split.
Good idea.
“Hi,” I whispered. “You’re here.”
His blue eyes fell to my hand still on his arm, and I’d swear the muscle in his jaw jumped more now than it did when he wanted to rip Cali-Ken apart.
“I just got back from . . .”
“Iraq,” I finished for him when I realized he had no intention of finishing his sentence. Did you get that one letter I sent? The photo? Hmm. I should probably let go of you.
He took a step back and cocked his head to the side, his eyes taking a slow journey over my body.
For the frat party, I had on a simple jean skirt and white tank top. Cowgirl boots, too, of course.
Before I could digest the odd look he was giving me, I found myself slammed straight into the rock-hard wall that was his chest when someone careened into me.
“Watch it,” Jesse growled out, and I didn’t bother to look back to see who’d bumped into me, because Jesse’s hands were on my arms, and my breasts were smashed against his chest.
“You okay?” he asked, his tone sounding a bit battle-hardened. Husky and deep. Or was that . . . desire?
“I’m fi-fine,” I stammered, still not ready to unglue myself from his embrace. “Which, um, brother of mine are you here with tonight?” A.J. was somewhere overseas, so he wasn’t there with him.
“Shep, but he ditched me about five seconds after we got here for a petite brunette.” He dropped his focus to my face, a smile playing across his lips for a moment as his thumbs made small circles on my arms. Did he realize he was doing that? Did he know we were still locked together as if we’d been destined to be that way? “Where’s my sister?”
“Ah, she ditched me for a tall, dark-haired broody guy.”
He cocked his head as if wondering whether he needed to go fuck someone else up since he missed his chance with Cali-Ken.
