Page 46 of Shades of Mercy
He’d lost his mind.
His buddy was being too friendly toward Mercy.
What right did Jag have to feel this anger? Bones was being himself, thinking that Mercy was Jag’s cousin. And Mercy didn’t seem to mind all the attention. She tangled her fingers in her hair, and Jag remembered the night they had sex. He’d buried his hands in her hair and held on as he rode her wildly. She’d cried for more.
Maybe Jag had made a mistake by inviting her to Crazy Shades. He believed she was safe here, surrounded by the crew and in public, but was Jag safe from his spiraling emotions? Since her comment that she could find her “person” here in Shades Cove, or rather at the ranch, he’d been as tense as a new bowstring.
Bones was a great dude. Shouldn’t Jag feel happy that he and Mercy seemed to connect? It wasn’t as if Jag wanted her.
He swallowed hard.
He wanted her. Badly.
Hedidn’twant a relationship. He didn’t like the responsibility of making someone happy when he was still working on himself and adjusting to civilian life.
Was it possible, though, that he was using those reasons as an excuse and avoiding anything difficult? Maybe he’d become too used to being a man who kept himself guarded. The fear might not be in having a relationship, but taking a chance of falling hard. He could fall for Mercy if he allowed himself to.
He downed the last few drops of his beer and ordered another. That one wouldn’t last long either. He’d never been a big drinker, but tonight he felt off-kilter.
When Bones leaned in and whispered something in Mercy’s ear, Jag thought he might break the glass in his tight fist.
Rather than remaining passive and feeling sorry for himself, Jag realized he ought to get up and intervene. But what could he say? How could he rationalize standing as a barrier between Bones and Mercy? Sure, he could feign acting as her protective cousin, but one misstep and their cover would be exposed.
It would be better for him to stay at the table with the rest of the crew and ignore the shenanigans at the bar.
“Bones sure seems infatuated,” Bear said to Jag.
“It appears he is.” Jag tried to keep his tone even, but he failed.
“They make a nice-looking couple if you ask me.”
There went half of Jag’s beer down his tight throat. “You think?”
“You don’t?” Bear narrowed his gaze.
“I haven’t thought much about it.”
“If you want something to think about, what about her?” Bear jutted his chin toward the jukebox. “She’s been staring at you all night.”
Jag had no clue who the tall blonde was, and he didn’t remember seeing her before. She was watching him and didn’t bother hiding it. “Not interested.”
“Damn, man. Are you okay? Maybe there’s some pill you can take for that bullshit.”
“I don’t need anything, especially a one-night stand.” Jag had one of those, and the consequences still lingered like a steel claw trap.
“She’s gorgeous,” Bear said.
“I guess you and Bones have something in common.” Jag set his stein down with aclank.
“Although Mercyisbeautiful, I wasn’t referring to her. I was talking about the blonde at the jukebox.” “The blonde” bent over to drop quarters into the slot.
Jag barely noticed her. “She’s your type. Maybe you should introduce yourself.”
“Hell, she ain’t looking at me,” Bear groaned.
His attention automatically settled on Mercy, pretty much where his eyes had been glued since she’d walked out wearing a sundress that made him want to go down in flames.
Bones and Mercy walked toward the dance floor. He took Mercy into his arms and planted his hands on the small of her back. It was respectable enough for anyone, but not for Jag.
