Page 49 of The Devil in Blue Jeans
“That cowboy charm is in full force tonight,” she replied with a smirk, “I need to get a new bottle of whiskey. I’ll be back.” She spun around but was stopped by his strong arms wrapping around her waist.
“We’ll finish this later,” he whispered huskily into her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine.
She reluctantly peeled herself off him and went to grab the new bottle of whiskey, hot everywhere that craved his touch most.
After she grabbed the bottle from the back room, she pushed the door open, smiling to herself.
One look at the bar, and her smile immediately dropped.
Jaxon sat on his stool with a beautiful brunette draped over him, making Charly feel underdressed and inadequate, a feeling that was hauntingly familiar. Her gaze followed the woman’s finger as it traced along Jaxon’s bicep while he did nothing to stop her advances.
All the warnings of Jaxon’s red flags came rushing back, mixed with awareness that once again she hadn’t been enough for a man, taunting her for being so foolish.
Charly sucked in a breath and did the only thing she could think to do.
She ran.
Thirteen
The warmth wrapping around Jaxon from behind was the exact type of warmth he used to crave—purely physical. But now his emotions were involved, making the touch mean so much more. He turned his head, expecting to find Charly, and instantly jerked away when he realized it wasn’t her nuzzling into him. In fact, she was a woman he’d taken to his bed a couple times in the past—Samantha.
Worse, he connected with Charly’s eyes as she glared his way. He caught her hurt expression as she fled to the back room.
With his anger growing, he rose, putting distance between him and Samantha, and growled at her, “What are you doing?”
“Making this easy for you,” she said with a sultry smirk. “Let’s get out of here.”
Eli coughed awkwardly, while Gunner snickered.
“Do not touch me again,” Jaxon said as he watched her take a step back in shock.
He heard Eli explain to Samantha that he was taken, but he wasn’t even sure if that was true. All he knew was he was walking a thin line already to impress Charly, and he’d just burned that line up.
Shoving aside his hesitation to step into the back room considering he didn’t own the place anymore, he rushed off to find Charly. The swinging door flapped behind him as he peered into the kitchen and then the office, but finding nothing, until he spotted her through the window of the back door, looking toward the road.
He hurried out the door, entering the empty alleyway, which was illuminated by the soft glow of distant streetlights. A sense of calm crept over him as he stepped into the narrow passage between the old brick buildings. The warm night air enveloped him, and it felt like a world away from the bar. He stopped a few feet away from her, facing her palpable anger.
“Charly,” was all he could manage when he reached her.
She breathed heavily and spat out, “I’m so damn sick of men thinking they can just trample over me.”
He softened his tone as he implored, “Charly, look at me.”
But she wouldn’t have it, striding away from him, heading toward the road. The thought of her getting away sent a shot of fear through him which spurred him on to reach out and grab her wrist. “It’s not what you think,” he pleaded.
She whirled around and glared at him, her voice scathing. “Let me guess, she grabbed you, and you felt nothing for her?”
“Not quite.” He stepped closer to her, taking a firm hold of her waist as he did so, ensuring she wouldn’t leave him. “It’s unfortunate that you came out the same time she was coming close to me, but I assumed it was you. When I realized it wasn’t, I dealt with it.”
Charly’s nostrils flared in anger. “And yet she was touching you.”
He shrugged, not wanting to let go of her waist. He understood her anger. Someone had betrayed her. Those feelings lingered. “If you had stayed, you would have seen that it didn’t last long.”
Her eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter...you’re...you are...” She inhaled sharply then growled, “You’re the devil. From day one, you’ve always been the devil in blue jeans.”
He held her gaze for a moment before erupting into laughter at her expression of fury.
“I’m going to hurt you,” she declared.
