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“Thanks for the insight,” Jensen said. “And you have my word that Marquetta will come to no harm.”
Before her brother could say more, Jensen crossed the room. He moved up behind Marquetta and stared at the man flirting with her. “Get lost, buddy,” Jensen said in a low, menacing tone. “The lady’s with me.”
The idiot with the too-perfect good looks stepped backward. “Uh, sure,” he muttered, then turned and walked off.
“Did you and my brother have a nice chat?” Marquetta’s sarcastic tone had the effect of water on a lit match. That quickly, his anger evaporated.
Jensen placed his hand on her shoulder, covering the spot where the stranger had touched. “He cares about you a great deal,” he answered. “If I had a sister, I’d be the same way.”
Marquetta frowned and peered down at her drink. “He and Gavin tend to forget that I’m a big girl now.”
“Gavin?” Jensen asked, more curious about her with each passing minute.
“My other brother.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s worse than Axel, really.”
He remembered the other guy from the shop, with the steely eyes and the linebacker build. Oh joy. “Wants to put you on a shelf and keep you safe from all the big, bad wolves, huh?”
Marquetta laughed. “Something like that.” Then she leaned closer and asked, “Are you a big, bad wolf, Jensen?”
One side of his mouth kicked upward. “Well, I ha
ve been known to howl at the moon a time or two.”
She shook her head as if trying to gather her thoughts. “I’m pretty sure my mother warned me about guys like you.”
“And did you always listen to your mom?”
“No, I didn’t always listen.”
“Sometimes it’s good to be a little naughty.”
“Sometimes,” she admitted. “So, what do you do for a living, Jensen?”
Jensen had been distracted by the gorgeous sight of her breasts straining against the silky material of the dress, but her words caught his full attention. “Do you really want to know?”
“Of course. I barely know anything about you. Except for the fact that you can’t text and walk at the same time.”
He sat, then propped his chin on a fist. “I’m not normally so distracted.”
Marquetta twirled her index finger around the lip of the bottle. “I’m just glad I was there to keep you from walking out in front of that truck.”
“You and me both,” he said. A movement on the other side of Marquetta caught Jensen’s attention, momentarily distracting him from the conversation. When he caught a man staring at Marquetta, he had to grit his teeth against the need to shield her from view. “Can we go somewhere a little less hazardous to my hearing?” It was true that the deafening music was getting to him, but, more than that, Jensen wanted to get her alone. He was still very much aware of Marquetta’s brother across the room. He could feel the man’s watchful eyes. Besides, it wouldn’t be long before another horny jackass asked her to dance, and then he’d forget all his intentions of being a good boy and start kicking some ass.
She stiffened and stuck her nose higher in the air. “I like it here just fine.”
His smile was devoid of all humor as he bent toward her and said, “Yeah, well, I don’t, and if you want answers to your questions, then you’ll have to come with me.”
Her lips thinned in anger. “Fine.” Before he could take her hand, she evaded him and added, “But I’m not going home with you.”
He only stood and held out his hand to help her off the stool. She ignored it, of course, but he took her elbow anyway, needing the contact with her. “I promise not to ravish you,” he whispered into her ear. Then he looked around, noticing all the male attention she drew. “I’m just tired of the local yokels staring at your delectable ass…ets.”
Her eyes widened, as if she was genuinely surprised by the news. Hadn’t she noticed the attention? There was something very innocent about Marquetta, even though she appeared every inch the siren in the sexy dress and pumps. When she mentioned going for coffee instead, Jensen’s hope of taking her back to his place disintegrated.
“You don’t want dinner?” Jensen asked, not really caring about food. He just wanted to spend time with her.
“I’m not particularly hungry, to be honest. And the coffee shop is just down the street a little ways,” she said, her voice hopeful. “On the corner.”
Not quite what he had in mind, but it was better than the loud bar. “You’re sure it’s coffee you want?”
