by Codi Gary
“Thanks for trying to be a hero, but I can handle myself.”
To her confusion, Red sighed. “Ah, hell.”
Before she could protest, he thrust her behind him. She turned back around just in time to see him catch Shorty the Cowboy’s raised fist, crushing it in his bearlike hand.
“Didn’t your mama tell you not to hit a woman?”
Then all hell broke loose.
* * *
Why the hell did you have to get involved?
Red didn’t have an answer as he pushed the short cowboy away and got a hard right to his jaw. Five to one weren’t exactly his favorite odds, but he’d been through worse.
He caught one cowboy in a headlock and kicked out at another, catching him in the gut. The guy fell back into a table of women, knocking their pitcher of beer all over, and the screams exploded. He felt something at his back and turned just in time to watch Jessie bring a stool down hard on one of the cowboys’ shoulders, knocking him out. Jessie held the chair out in front of her like a shield, glaring at Shorty as he eyed her and the chair.
Red couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. Who knew Miss California would be good in a bar fight.
“Look out!” she yelled, and he spun around, pushing the cowboy in the headlock away in time to prevent his arm getting sliced by a broken bottle.
“That is enough!” a thunderous voice boomed, and Red realized the entire bar, including the band, had frozen. Red looked over his shoulder at Wyatt Mitchell holding a shotgun and looking pissed.
“Next fucker that moves gets buried beneath the floorboards.”
Nobody moved, and Wyatt pointed at Red. “Get the fuck out of my bar. And take her with you.”
“But you told us not to move,” Jessie said.
Red wanted to slap a piece of duct tape over her smart mouth.
Wyatt’s ugly face twisted into a monstrous scowl. “I am going to give you five seconds before I—”
Red downed the beer he’d just ordered and, after setting it back on the bar, put his hand on the small of Jessie’s back to propel her forward. “Easy, Wyatt, we’re going. Come on, California.”
“But—”
“Just hush up until we get outside. I’ve already got a sore jaw because of you. You want to get me shot too?”
Jessie snorted. “He wouldn’t really shoot us.”
“You’d be surprised what men would do to protect their interests, and I, for one, do not want to test your theory.”
Chapter Three
When they reached the parking lot, Jessie felt like she could run back to her hotel and never tire, that was how much adrenaline was coursing through her body. It had been too long since she’d been anything but angry, so when she turned around to face Red, there was a definite skip in her step as she walked backward.
“So what’s next? Should we go all Bonnie and Clyde? Ride across the country like Thelma and Louise?”
She smirked as he scowled at her. “Thelma and Louise? Do I look like a chick to you?”
Ah, to bait or not to bait…that was the question.
She decided to bait him. “Well, with the red hair, you could probably pass for a very butch Susan Sarandon.”
In the streetlight, she actually saw his lips moving like he was counting, his eyes closed, and her gaze was glued to his mouth. He did have nice, full lips, and he was definitely hot. And with his muscles and height, he could probably pull off some fantastic positions and…
What are you even thinking about? After yesterday and the way he went psycho over bar renovations, you really want to invite him into your bed? Have you not learned your lesson yet?
Will had been handsome too, but he had also tried to control her without her realizing it, from her friends to the way they had sex. Looking back, she wished she had realized what he was doing. A fight with her best friend, K.C., a fight that had led to them not speaking for two years, had all started with something Will said to her.
Don’t you ever get tired of her taking advantage of you?
The seed had been planted, and she’d run with it, nearly ruining their friendship. She’d found out later when they had made up that Will had hit on her afterward, and she’d told him to fuck off. K.C. had wanted to tell her but didn’t think she would believe her.
Jessie wasn’t going to be used or manipulated ever again. She was going to control her own life and her own orgasms. Which she could achieve without a six-and-a-half-foot redneck with linebacker shoulders and a grumpy disposition.
Apparently her body didn’t know that, though, because when he opened his eyes and stared down at her with irritation, she couldn’t stop thinking about sex; good old-fashioned angry sex.
“Look, California, you’re used to the type of men who get pedicures and highlights, but around here, if you insult a guy’s manhood, dollars to doughnuts he’s not gonna back down. You might want to remember that the next time you get smart with a strange man.”
Of all the narrow-minded, bullshit assumptions. “Okay, first of all, have you ever actually been to California?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “I have never met a man who has had a pedicure.”
“I notice that you didn’t say you’d never seen a man with highlights,” Red countered.
Drat, she had seen men with highlights. “Just because a man has highlights doesn’t make him weak,” she snapped, before adding, “Besides, what do you know about highlights and pedicures?”
“I have four sisters.” She thought she caught a smile on his face. “What don’t I know?”
“And yet, you get all snarky about men taking care of themselves—”
“Girls can do that kind of thing, but men—”
“My God, you are not only rude and overbearing, but you’re also a sexist bast—”
“Careful, darlin’.” Sarcasm oozed from him as he crowded her. “Down here, ladies don’t talk like drunken sailors.”
“Good thing I’m not from here, then.” She gave him a little poke in his chest. “Have you ever been to a California biker bar or even better, the ghetto? I once saw a girl get stabbed in a bar bathroom, and let me tell you, women can be more dangerous than men when they are pissed off. If you think that I don’t know how to handle myself, you’re wrong.”
“And if I hadn’t been there and you’d pulled that kung fu shit, those boys might have targeted you, and not in a slash-your-tires kind of way. You never know how any man is going to react, especially if you come at him in front of his boys. I would never hurt a woman, but not all guys are like me, and if you come at them disrespectfully, you’re just asking for trouble.”
His meaning washed over her, and she pushed him with both hands, gritting her teeth when he didn’t move. “Are you saying that a woman who defends herself deserves to be attacked?”
She was no longer getting the warm fuzzies when she looked at him. He was a Neanderthal, a blockhead, a sexist piece of—
He grabbed her hands, and heat raced up her arms as he pulled her against him, his mouth several inches from hers. “No, I’m saying don’t call a man short and dickless unless you want to start a brawl in a bar.”
She tried not to breathe, because every time she did, her chest rubbed against him, and her nipples were painful little nubs. Plus, he smelled damn good, like leather and spice, and she didn’t like that she’d noticed. Her voice was soft, and she hated the smoky tone, his “asking for it” line ringing in her head. “I didn’t call him dickless.”
“I heard everything you said to him, and you might as well have,” he said, his voice rough. She noticed his mouth was getting closer and had to stop this. If he moved another inch, he was going to be kissing her, and she did not want that.
Really? ’Cause the way you are leaning into him might be taken another way.
Needing some distance, she pushed against his chest. “Fine. Next time a man comes on to me like that, I’ll bat my lashes and say no, thank you, like the meek little thing you expect me to
be.”
His grin flashed, making his eyes crinkle up, and her heart skipped a beat. She’d only seen the smile once yesterday, but she hadn’t imagined it. He was one fine-looking man.
“No one would ever call you a meek little thing, California.”
* * *
The woman was trouble, yet Red couldn’t help admiring her gumption. Not many women would have pulled a stunt like that unless they had backup, but Jessie didn’t seem to care who she pissed off.
Including him. Actually, if he didn’t know any better, he could have sworn she enjoyed provoking him.
Her smile was bright and did things to his body that should not be happening. Not with her. He’d been resisting the urge to kiss her since she’d put her hands on his chest, because kissing her would be crazy. She was crazy. Besides the fact that she was probably a left-wing nut, she was also destroying his favorite place to unwind.
He scowled just thinking about it and let her hands go. “You still ripping apart the Watering Hole?”
Her smile disappeared, and sarcasm dripped from her voice. “And for a minute there, I thought we might just become friends.”
“What made you think that? ’Cause I took your part and got into a bar fight?” He saw something pass through her eyes that looked like hurt and tried to ignore the little voice telling him to stop being an asshole.
“Or it could just be that you seem like a good friend to have.”
He thought he caught a suggestive tone in her voice, but decided he was crazy.
“Maybe for you, but I’m afraid if I keep hanging around you, someone might disfigure my moneymaker. It’s not like I can rely on just my personality to meet women.”
She snorted. “That’s for damn sure.” A few seconds ticked by before she asked, “So why did you jump in if you can’t stand me?”
Because you’ve got nerves of steel and won’t take my crap? “I have four sisters. If some asshole grabbed one of them like that, I’d have torn them apart.”
“So you just go around trying to save random women because they remind you of your sisters?” she asked, touching the end of his nose with her finger. “What a sweetheart.”
“No, I—” He realized she was teasing him by the sparkle in her eyes and chuckled. “You really are a pain in the ass.”
“Trust me, you aren’t the first man who’s said so.”
He felt the change between them. A few minutes ago, he had been ready to hog-tie and gag her, and now their banter had him thinking about other things. Like the fact that he’d had her so close, he could have checked “kiss a sassy California girl” off his bucket list.
Red shook his head, trying to castaway that dangerous train of thought. “Where are you parked? I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I walked.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You walked? From where?”
“I’m staying at the hotel on Main Street. I haven’t quite found a place yet, but I’m looking.”
The Loco Inn had been remodeled and updated on the inside, but they had kept the outside almost exactly the same as when it was built, besides a fresh coat of paint. It was a pretty nice place to stay, but still, it was a mile down the road, and at night…
He looked at her dark sweater and blue jeans and knew what he had to do.
“That’s a long walk, and no one is going to see you in that black sweater. I’ll give you a lift.”
“It’s okay, I think I can make it,” she said
“I’m trying to be a good guy here. Can’t you let me be nice to you?” he asked. “Don’t worry, it probably won’t last.”
She turned away from him, but not before he caught her smile. “Fine. Where’s your car?”
He led her to his Dodge Charger and opened the door for her. Once she was settled, he walked to the other side, shaking his head.
He was just being a good guy. It didn’t mean he was interested in a sass mouth from California.
So you say.
He climbed in next to her and caught her smirk.
“What?”
“I didn’t think you’d fit in this car.” She sounded as if she was about to burst out laughing and he realized he was discovering quite a bit about Jessie Dale.
For one thing, she was a smart-ass who found amusement in every situation. And especially at his expense. It didn’t seem like she was being mean; it was more like she looked at life as one big joke.
Which had him wondering for the hundredth time why he was so damn interested in her. “Some people would call you a bully.”
“Some people shouldn’t take themselves so seriously.”
Which just confirmed his suspicion that she looked at life as if it was one big joke, and for once he wanted her to talk about something real. Something she couldn’t just wave away with snark and a smile.
“So, why Loco, Texas?”
For the first time, she was quiet. He started the car and backed up, waiting. As he pulled out of the parking lot, he was just about to ask if she’d forgotten why, when she finally answered. “I just needed a fresh start and started looking for bars that had proven profits, but the owner just wanted out. I liked the building, and when I got here, I liked the town.”
“Yeah, but it’s strange. Most people try to get out of Loco, not in.”
“So, how come you stayed, then, if this place is such a pit?” she asked sharply.
“I never said this place was a pit.” Red didn’t know why she could rile him so bad, but he found himself almost spitting mad. “I blew my knee out playing college ball. With no scholarship and no money, I moved home. I got a loan that paid for a mechanic’s program and worked at Jose’s shop until I got a degree, but had no idea what I wanted to do.”
“Did you ever figure it out?” she asked.
He glanced her way, but she was looking out the window.
“Yeah, I guess I did.” He wasn’t going to elaborate, though. The last thing he was going to tell her was he made his living writing romance novels. She’d get a kick out of that, and it wasn’t like it was common knowledge. The only people who knew were his best friends, Jake and Rand, his parents, and his sisters. Lord knew, if the men in town found out, he would be the butt of every joke.
“And what did you figure out? What do you do?”
“Why don’t you answer my question first? Since you want to be friends and all.”
“I told you why. I needed a fresh start.”
“Why would a young woman just up and move halfway across the country?” He saw her shift in the seat. He looked into her angry face and figured he’d pushed too far.
“Are you always this pushy with people you can’t stand?”
“Hey, isn’t this what getting to know each other is? Sharing is caring.”
“I made a mistake. Men and women can’t be friends. Statistically impossible. One of the friends is always a little in love with the other or at least sexually attracted to them, and sex ruins friendships.”
Red gave her a teasing leer. “Are you saying you want to have sex with me?”
“Of course not. Look at your cuticles.” The playful amusement was back.
Again she had avoided his questions, but he let it go.
Maybe she’s running from something?
Could be. She had all the earmarks of a woman who wasn’t afraid of trouble and found it easily.
The next few moments were quiet as they entered the small stretch of shops that made up Loco, Texas. The old buildings had the same structure they’d sported for over a hundred years, except for the fresh paint and structural upgrades the town had pitched in to do. It kept an old-time charm with modern conveniences, and the town council had hoped it would start bringing tourists in, but so far it remained pretty much locals and a few lost out-of-towners.
Jessie finally broke the silence. “I love this town. Reminds me of where I grew up.”
He glanced her way, but she had her head leaned back against the headrest, looking out the w
indow again.
Well, if she wasn’t going to volunteer information, then he was going to ask questions. “Where was that? I thought California was all vineyards and beaches?”
She turned, and her look clearly said, you are an idiot.
“Actually, I grew up in a tiny town in the foothills, which is set up a lot like this. It used to be part of the gold country and it’s famous for hanging people.”
Red pulled in front of the old hotel, parallel parking with ease since there weren’t any other cars on the street.
“Well, that’s definitely a point of interest,” Red said drily.
“Yep. The old hotel even has a dummy hanging outside against the front of the building.”
“So, instead of guns, the men walk around with nooses on their belts?”
“Actually, we have guns too. Northern California is pretty rural, especially on the stretch along Highway 50.”
“Is that where your family is?” He knew he wasn’t going to get anything else from her when she reached for her seat belt and unsnapped it.
“Thanks for the ride and the help back there.”
She pulled her door lever to open her side, but he covered her hand with his. The motion brought his face inches from hers, and her wide eyes met his.
He had no idea why he’d done it or what he’d wanted to say. All he could think about was that she smelled like coconut and her lips were parted, inviting, and, man, he wanted to…
Before he could stop himself, he closed the distance and gave her a quick, hard kiss. The warmth of her mouth, the sweet taste of her lip gloss… It was all he could do not to slip his tongue inside and explore. He pulled away just as her lips softened, and lied, “You say we can’t be friends because of sexual complications, but I didn’t feel a thing.”
He saw something flash in her eyes, and his wishful thinking felt it might have been disappointment. “Okay. So you kiss me and we’re friends now?”
“Yep.”
“Got it. Makes total sense,” she said.
