Page 6 of The Last Second Chance
“Not this way, Ace.” Joey stomped on his foot and shoved away from him. She thought about running back to the party, but that would only result in two broken ankles from the ice picks on her feet. At least they served her well on Jax’s foot. She settled for a steamed stomp toward the tent. But it wasn’t fast enough. She heard him coming and barely had time to brace for the impact. He was on her like a freight train, manhandling her over his shoulder. She landed hard enough to knock the wind out of her, if not the fight.
She got in a half-assed punch to his kidney and a weak kick to his stomach before he slapped her on the ass hard. Handprint hard.
Joey gasped in shock. Her dress had ridden up scandalously high, showing off her very small underwear. Jax’s hand settled over her ass and she froze, not willing to move a millimeter in case it would make his palm press even harder against the part of her that, a minute ago, had been a rainforest of lust.
“Where are you—”
“I’m taking you home.”
“I’m not ready to go home.” She was pouting. She was hanging over a man’s shoulder and pouting. Maybe she had had a little too much to drink. Joey Greer didn’t pout. She punched.
Jax set her on her feet next to his car. “Get in.”
“No!”
He yanked the passenger door open so hard she thought he might rip it from the frame. “Get in the fucking car, Joey.”
She took a page from Summer’s book and primly slid onto the seat, refusing to look at him as he slammed the door shut. It wasn’t the first time she’d been in Jax’s car. The Nova was a sweet ride. He’d even let her drive it once after Summer had stupidly broken up with Carter and they all convened at his house to cheer Carter up with greasy food and zombie TV.
Jax certainly wasn’t going to let her take the wheel this time. He slid into the driver’s seat and slammed his door. The tic in his jaw was pulsing.
“You know, it’s rude to leave without saying good-bye to the bride and groom,” she said icily.
Jax didn’t bother sparing her a glance.
“Shut up, Joey.”
2
She wokeup the next morning with a mouth dryer than the sawdust floor of the stable’s riding ring and a marching band of a headache. Goddamn that Jax. She hated when he was right. She’d had too much to drink and humiliated herself with the one man she was determined to never let see her vulnerable again.
And that asshole turned her down.
How dare he? Joey started to stomp downstairs until she realized her head was about to snap off her neck. Carefully, she made her way into the airy kitchen that was way too bright. She intended to keep her head on straight enough to start the coffee. Only the coffee had already been started. Next to the machine sat a horse-covered mug that she’d tucked away in the back of her cabinet out of stupid sentimentality. It was the mug Jax had bought for her at their first date at Overly Caffeinated. There was a bottle of aspirin next to the mug.
Jax.
Last night, she’d busted through her front door the second his car came to a halt out front. He must have come inside after she stormed upstairs.
She had offered him a night of no-strings-attached fun and he had the audacity to lecture her on alcohol consumption. What she wouldn’t give to throw this horse mug at his head right now.
She settled for putting her head in her hands to block out the annoying light of dawn that was beginning to invade the front windows of her house. She had work to do, plus it was launch day for Summer’s online magazine. She had to slap on a not hung over supportive face for her friend.
Her groaning must have drowned out the purr of the engine, because she jumped when she heard the knock at the front door.
“Go away if you value your life,” she said in a half-yell, half-moan that had her head splitting open again.
She lowered her forehead to the cool granite of the island.
The door opened.Damn it. She was going to have to start locking up.
The smell of warm, deep-fried goodness had her peeking over an arm. Jax stood just inside her door grinning and holding a grease-stained paper bag.
“Get out,” she rasped.
“Not feeling so friendly this morning, huh?” Jax smirked.
She hurled the coffee mug at him showing off her Little League arm. She would have nailed him too if he hadn’t ducked. The ceramic shattered against the doorframe, sending red splinters everywhere. Unfazed, Jax crossed to her.
