Lone Star Burn_Love On Tap

by Judy Kentrus

  He returned her salute and smile. “I never had a Ken doll growing up, but my sister did. Just to put your mind at ease, I am courteous to all drivers, including women.”

  He sounded sincere, and Jennie decided he was telling the truth. “I believe you. Consider yourself removed from the Men Are Assholes Club.”

  They both looked up when Brenda set their drinks and a basket of freshly baked corn bread on the table. A server followed with a large platter of sizzling-hot food. It took up half the table.

  The delicious smells seduced her taste buds. “This looks great. What should I eat first?”

  “Try the ribs, then the pulled pork and barbecue brisket. I save the chicken for last. In between, I munch on the beans and coleslaw, and eat the corn on the cob.”

  Jennie placed the large cloth napkin across her lap. “You eat like this every night?”

  “No, I limit myself to once a week, and single portions only. We serve barbecue four nights a week. Our cook spends the other days smoking and prepping the meat. The other three nights we offer burgers, fries, and the standard menu.”

  Jennie took her first bite of a rib and moaned. “Viva for the four nights you offer these ribs. They’re fantastic!”

  Neither said a word, and did justice to the wonderful meal.

  The more she ate, the better she felt. Jen wiped her mouth with a napkin and leaned back against the chair. “That is one of the best barbecue meals I’ve ever eaten.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Wait, you missed a spot and have barbecue sauce on your cheek.” Gray ripped open a packet of wet wipes and leaned in close to Jennie’s face, a lot closer than necessary, and gently brushed the reddish-brown sauce from her pink cheek. He liked touching her and didn’t want to stop. His fingers had a mind of their own, and moved lower to touch the corner of her perfectly shaped lips with the damp wipe. When the pad of his finger smoothed across the surface of her full bottom lip, he suddenly realized where they were.

  Jennie couldn’t move the moment he touched her cheek. The flame from the candle in the center of the table was reflected in his beautiful gray eyes, and their stormy depths drew her in. The finger that moved across her lip was soft, like a butterfly kiss, and her heart thudded wildly in her chest. It was too personal, too intimate. She immediately backed away.

  “Thank you for inviting me to have dinner with you,” she blurted. “Can you point me in the direction of the ladies’ room?”

  “Walk toward the front door and make a right.” Gray appreciated her need to put some distance between them. He forced himself to keep his hands in plain sight on the table. “Can I order you coffee or tea? We have great homemade blueberry pie.”

  Jennie put a hand to her already full stomach. “I’d love pie, but I’m about to burst.” I need to get away from you so I can breathe normally. “Coffee, please. When I come back, maybe you can tell me where I can find the closest place to stay the night.”

  Gray really enjoyed her company and was disappointed she’d be leaving so soon. She treated him like an ordinary man and not one with a hefty bank account, backed by a name that appeared almost daily in financial columns. He’d been trying to step away his entire life, but no matter how far he traveled, he’d been drawn into the fold. At least things were on his terms.

  He also couldn’t remember the last time he’d been turned on so quickly. The situation between them had heated up too fast, a goddamn first for him, and he didn’t do one-night stands. He’d learned his lesson long ago, plus he had too much going on to get involved with a blond-haired bimbo. Causing a scandal at this point in his life was the last thing he needed or could afford. He was so close to achieving his personal goal, and no woman was going to mess it up.

  He couldn’t just brush her off, and remembered his manners. He’d walk her to her vehicle and point her in the direction of the motel down the road.

  Jennie made her way into the ladies’ room and was grateful to be alone. Never in her entire life had she made such an ass of herself. She spread her fingers over her breasts, trying to ease the throbbing discomfort. Her panties felt damp, and she crossed her legs to ease the tingling that hadn’t been there for a very long time. Her gray wolf was pure sex—number six on her list.

  She looked in the mirror over the three sinks and winced. The alcohol buzz had worn off and she realized how terrible she behaved. “Nice going, Jennifer! You’re a professional, not a blond dingbat! You don’t go to bars to pick up men and you hardly ever drink! He’s met six of your ten man requirements and you managed to insult and physically assault that gorgeous, perfect guy! Barbie wouldn’t be caught dead looking like you.”

  Her hair resembled a rat’s nest and listed to one side. The small amount of makeup she’d applied that morning was long gone. She pressed a warm, wet hand towel to her cheeks and removed the clip from her hair, forgetting she’d left her purse at the table.

  “God gave us fingers before combs,” she muttered. She wet her fingers and threaded them through the tangled knots to release some of the natural waves.

  “Good enough,” she said with a heavy, disappointed sigh. “Leave it to you to find a guy in the middle of the Lone Star State, but it’s time to bid farewell to your gray wolf.”

  It was when she headed back to the table that all hell broke loose.

  Chapter 2

  The waitress had just delivered the coffee to Gray’s table when Larry, his other assistant manager and bouncer, approached the table. The thirty-year-old was a local boy and took his job seriously. His light cocoa skin reflected an African-American heritage. He played football for Texas A&M. An injury to his knee had prevented him from pursuing a career in the sport, but he graduated with a degree in business management.

  “Gray, we have a situation in the front entrance. Burt and Malibu Barbie are going at it like two combatants at high noon. They’re starting to draw a crowd.”

  He wasn’t surprised, remembering his errant bartender rode a motorcycle and probably held the number one position in Jennie’s Men Are Assholes club.

  “Thanks, Larry.” Gray stood up and away from the table. “I’ll take care of the situation. Keep everyone back. Tell the DJ to play ‘Don’t Rock the Jukebox’ by Alan Jackson.”

  Gray hurriedly made his way to the front entrance and paused. The combatants had squared off face to face, with about three feet between them. Barbie had a good ten inches on his bartender, but he was a good hundred pounds heavier. Burt was a former wrestler, but had let his muscles go to flab. His application listed his age as thirty-nine, and he was divorced.

  Personally, Gray would put his money on Jennie. She didn’t appear to be the least bit intimidated, and wasn’t afraid of a challenge. She’d jammed her hands on her curvy hips and thrust out those imposing breasts. All that luxurious blond hair flared about her back and shoulders. She was magnificent and turning him on, again, with her kick-ass attitude. He got warm all over imagining what else she could be doing with those never-ending legs while he cradled her girls in his hands.

  “You’re an asshole!”

  “You’re a bitch!”

  “You don’t know how to drive!”

  “You called the goddamn police!”

  “What else did you expect when you were weaving in and out of cars? You made me miss my exit!”

  “Women drivers have no sense of direction and should be banned from the road!”

  When Burt took a step closer and raised one of his tight fists in Jennie’s direction, Gray decided enough was enough. He tried a neutral approach. “What seems to be the problem?”

  “This blond bitch reported me to the police, and said I was driving erratically and was probably under the influence. The cops gave me a damn sobriety test!”

  Jennie took a step closer. “They should have locked you up just for being an asshole!”

  “You bitch!”

  “Enough! The showdown at the O.K. Corral is over.” Gray moved to stand beside Jennie. “Ms. Reynolds is my gu
est and I don’t appreciate you talking to her that way.”

  “You know her? Malibu Barbie,” Burt sneered.

  “If someone calls me that one more time, I’m going to belt them!”

  When Jennie inched closer to his furious bartender, Gray moved quickly and clamped an arm around her slender waist. She was a damn firecracker. “No one is going to get physical.”

  “You are taking her side over me?”

  “In this case, yes.”

  Burt ran his eyes insultingly up and down Jennie’s body, currently pressed against his boss. “I pictured a rich guy like you having a better taste in women. Never thought I’d see you get a boner for a fluff piece of ass.”

  Gray had made a concerted effort at keeping a rein on his temper. “That’s enough, and you’ve gone too far. Your services will no longer be needed at Wolff’s Roadhouse. Come back tomorrow and pick up your final check.”

  “You’re firing me because of some cheap floozy?! Keep your damn money.” Burt turned fury-filled eyes on Jennie. “I’m not done with you, bitch!” he said, and stormed out.

  Jennie reluctantly stepped away from her wolf and turned to face him. She thought of him as her own, for just a little while. “I’m sorry to cause so much trouble. As you already surmised, he was the one who cut me off. You didn’t have to fire him.”

  “Before this happened, I’d decided to end his employment for various reasons.” Gray reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. “Let’s go back to the table and I’ll have Brenda bring us fresh coffee.”

  “I wasted a lot of energy fighting with that jerk and can probably down a piece of blueberry pie.”

  “You’re on,” he said with an agreeable smile. “I like mine with vanilla ice cream.”

  “Make that two,” she said, and squeezed his hand.

  Numerous eyebrows were raised as they made their way back to the table, especially the way Gray held Malibu Barbie’s hand. Gray, as owner, kept clear of his female customers. Not that he was rude. He was a very private person, and drew the line when it came to invitations to take female companionship to the next level.

  They’d just finished their dessert and second cups of coffee when Jennie sensed something was going on. Gray’s customers kept glancing at their table and offered “I know something that you don’t know” smiles.

  Gray looked up when Larry approached his table. Laughter danced in his bouncer’s eyes and he was trying not to smile, especially at Jennie. Gray couldn’t imagine what the problem could be, since his feisty dinner companion hadn’t moved since they’d sat down to have dessert.

  “Sorry to bother you again, boss, but we have another incident.” He reached in the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a pair of sexy red panties, monogrammed with the letters ‘JR.’

  Jennie’s eyes widened in recognition and grabbed them out of his hand. She was too shocked to be embarrassed. “Those are mine! Where did you get them?”

  “In the parking lot. You’d better come outside and see for yourself.”

  “The parking lot?” Gray repeated. Their problems were usually in-house, but with Jennie, one never knew. He put a hand to the small of her back when they walked out. He intended to keep her close by.

  The night air was a dry sixty degrees when they stepped outside. Rows of cars and pickup trucks, along with a few motorcycles, lined the dirt-packed surface. Lights on the corner of the building and parking lot illuminated the large, open area.

  The slight breeze caused goose bumps to blossom on Jennie’s arms and legs, and she leaned into Grayson, not just for warmth, but for support. It appeared someone had used the trucks, sign poles, and handles of the motorcycles to dry their laundry. All of the items were hers!

  “Oh, my god!” Jennie stepped away from Grayson and moved to the older pickup truck closest to the building. Flying from the top of the old radio antenna was her black lace cheeky-cut panties. It appeared the person had specifically chosen old antennas and handlebars to hang her very expensive underwear.

  Gray didn’t know where to look first, and had never seen anything like it. He might have found the sight very funny, but the situation didn’t warrant any laughter.

  Larry stepped beside his boss. “Someone broke into the back of her truck and tossed all her clothes out. There are piles on the ground. I can’t imagine a woman needing that many clothes. They also doused them with motor oil and gasoline. There are small pieces of furniture and personal items in the truck, but they don’t appear to be damaged. That’s not all. All the tires on her truck are flat as pancakes. Should we call the police?”

  “We can call them, but this isn’t a priority. The police will be out here in a couple of hours to take a report. We already know who’s responsible, and he’ll be paying for the damages. Let’s collect her clothes.”

  “Are you okay?” Gray asked Jennie when he handed her four pairs of sexy underwear.

  “No, not really,” she replied, feeling sick at heart.

  “I hate to tell you, but the damage is a little more extensive,” Gray reluctantly informed her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Come on. Let’s check out your truck.”

  Jennie was further horrified when she saw what had been done to the rest of her clothes. Her upper-management position required a formal business suit, and she prided herself on a well-dressed appearance. She planned to continue dressing appropriately in her new position as the director of the community center.

  “He even destroyed my Jimmy Choos!” Jennie held up one of her brand-new sling-backs, and motor oil dripped from the pointed toe.

  Gray had expected to see a lot of beach wear, but was quite surprised at the business suits with high-end labels. Ordinary office workers didn’t wear Jimmy Choos. She had a lot of shoes.

  Her anguish was obvious, and he didn’t have second thoughts taking her in his arms to offer soothing comfort. He ignored the inner warning that said, Don’t touch her. He liked that she slid her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. He brushed his cheek back and forth, enjoying the silkiness of her hair against his skin.

  “Since this happened in my parking lot, I’ll replace all of your destroyed clothing. Give me an estimate and I’ll write you a check.”

  “A check!” Jennie shoved out of his arms and jammed her hands on her hips. “You had nothing to do with this. Call the police.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble, but this isn’t the big city. Fort Mavis has a small local force, and unless it’s a matter of life and death, they’ll get here as soon as they can, to take a report.”

  “I had planned to be long gone.”

  “That leaves me to the rest of the bad news. All of your tires are flat.”

  Jennie moved to stand beside one of the back wheels. “Can we inflate them?”

  “Can’t,” Larry said, and held out an armful of clothes. “He slashed them with a knife.”

  “I can’t believe he did all this. Thanks for collecting my clothes,” she said, and put them in one of the open suitcases in the back of the truck.

  “I am literally stranded, or maybe you can give me a ride to the nearest motel. I’ll contact the car rental company in the morning.”

  “Going to the motel down the road poses another problem,” Larry said. “The Board of Health just shut them down because they’re infested with beetles.”

  “I really do feel responsible.” Gray glanced down at her clothes and determined ax murderers didn’t wear expensive business suits and Jimmy Choos. “I can offer you a room at my house until we can get you a replacement truck. Is there anything in this pile worth saving?”

  “No, not really,” she replied with a great deal of regret, then remembered what he’d said about a room at his house. Stay with her gorgeous gray wolf? He could eat her alive and she wouldn’t care, but offered a practical, polite excuse. “You don’t have to do that, and I don’t want to put you out.”

  “You’ve said that numerous time
s tonight. It won’t be an imposition. I’ve got five bedrooms and only two are occupied.”

  “Tell me you’re not married and don’t have kids.”

  Gray heard the distrust in her voice, and smiled. “No, I’m not married, never have been. I wouldn’t get married if they hog-tied and dragged me down the aisle. My nephew lives with me.”

  “In that case, I’ll accept, but only till I can get a new rental truck. I’ll sort the clothes we just collected and order whatever else I need and get one-day shipping.” Jennie glanced once more at her ruined clothes and got sicker. “Everything on the ground can be tossed.”

  “How about I get a couple of guys to help me transfer your stuff to the warehouse in back of the bar?” Larry offered. “You don’t have to worry about theft because we lock it up every night. We’ll bag everything else and put it in the dumpster.”

  “Thank you, Larry, for your Texas hospitality.”

  “No, thank you. We don’t always have the pleasure of having Malibu Barbie visit Wolff’s Roadhouse.”

  “I vowed to punch the next guy who called me that, but you said it kindly.”

  It felt good to laugh after her hellish day and night, but then again, not all of it had been hell. Fate had dumped her on Grayson Wolff’s doorstep. No, make that lap. She liked that position better. Despite the slight nighttime breeze, heat swept her cheeks, conjuring what she could enjoy sitting on her wolf’s lap.

  “Tell the guys, whoever gives you a hand, dinner is on me,” Grayson added, and quickly turned to Jennie. “Don’t say, ‘You don’t really have to do that,’ because I want to show my appreciation.” He wondered what had caused the deepened flush to her cheeks.

  “Ah, thank you,” she blurted. It was a good thing he couldn’t read her lusty thoughts. She’d just thanked him for giving her the best orgasm she’d ever experienced bouncing on his lap. Get your mind out of the gutter, Jennifer.

  “I have to check a few things in my office and we can leave in about twenty minutes.” How the hell am I going to keep my hands off her?, he asked himself when they walked back to the Roadhouse. This time he didn’t take her hand. He couldn’t.