Page 24 of Find Me

Shit. “I mean, I’ve heard about you, but just your name.” I try to recover “—I don’t know anything about you, except your name I mean, and that you kind of own the place…” I trail off as I look at him, and he seems to find my discomfort amusing as I stumble over my words, but there’s still no hint of the danger Red warned me about. I take a breath and try to steady my heartrate, which has climbed since I tried to make small talk with a supposedly dangerous man, doing exactly what Red warned against.

We stare at each other for a moment longer, and I might be imagining things, but I swear the electricity between us is making the air buzz.

“Have a drink with me sometime,” he says, leaning forward.

My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest, and I can’t help the smile that spreads to my eyes.

“I…” I start, an image of Rhett flashing through my mind. All excitement fades as quickly as it appears. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m kind of in a… I have a… I’m with someone…” I stammer, not sure how to really explain what Rhett and I are, especially to someone I don’t even know.

“If you’re seeing someone else, then that’s truly a shame,” Jax muses, amusement sparkling behind his eyes. “You might change your mind though; I can be very persuasive.” He winks.

“Probably not persuasive enough.” I shoot back at him lightly.

“Fair enough,” he lilts.

I take a deep breath. Trying to steady my breathing before turning around to keep counting stock, not sure of what else to say.

Surprise flutters through me as Jax keeps talking.

“So, how long have you worked here?” he asks innocently enough.

“Shouldn’t you know if you own the place?” I ask jokingly, unable to help myself.

His laugh sounds like a melody and I can’t help but grin at him, enjoying the lightness of our conversation, a distraction from my thoughts.

“You’re not what I thought you’d be like,” he mutters, shaking his head.

“And what’s that?” I press, grabbing my glass of water and taking a sip.

“That, love, is a conversation for another time.”

I laugh, rolling my eyes at him as I put my glass down on the bar. The perspiration leaves a ring of water on the wooden surface once again.

“I started working here at the start of spring.” I look at him playfully. “Now, do you want a drink, or are you just here to distract your employees from getting any work done?”

His laughter sounds again. “I’ll take a whiskey—neat—please.”

I feel his eyes on me while I make his drink, carefully measuring the whiskey as it pours into a glass. I slide the glass towards him on the bar, jumping slightly as his tattooed hand grabs a hold of mine before I can let go of the glass, his touch gentle but firm.

I suck in a breath at his touch, looking at him, the playfulness in his face replaced by concern.

“Are you okay, love?”

I think I detect worry in his voice.

“I’m fine, Jax,” I respond, keeping my voice steady, trying hard to ignore his touch.

“You know,” he continues, “I’m never one to judge, but that fire within you has changed since the first time I saw you.”

The fire within me? I don’t know what he means by that, and I have no idea how something about me could change so drastically since he saw me in the parking lot.

“Umm, okay?” I respond, not sure of what else to say.

“You seemed free, you know?” he muses. “Like you were dancing for no one but yourself, and you weren’t afraid to live. But last night, last night you danced as if you had just been let out of a cage and you were trying to impress those who were trying to keep you tied down, practically begging for them to give you more freedom.”

I freeze. Trying to connect the dots, the words feel as though they are on the tip of my tongue. Memories flash through my brain at the speed of lightning.

He saw me last night dancing at Heat, and not for the first time.

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