When I climbed out of the car, a couple of homeless punks paused in trying to jimmy a gate open and ran in the other direction.Before, I would have chased them down, and it was hard to suppress the urge.It wasn’t my job anymore, and I had more pressing businesstonight.
I strode down the uneven concrete sidewalk and swung into the open doorway of Molly’s.My first thought when I walked inside was pure instinct.I’m going to paddle her ass when I get her out of here.I couldn’t miss Ari, and neither could anyone else inthebar.
A black sweater hung at her elbows, revealing a tiny white tank top that barely covered her bra or the tits pushing up over the top of its cups.With the sweater on, she might have looked like a sexy librarian waiting to be unwrapped, and with it off, she could stop traffic.The red-and-white plaid skirt that completed her outfit was no doubt giving every man in the bar schoolgirlfantasies.
What the hell was she thinking?Her red hair spilled down her shoulders, and every eye in the bar followed as she bent over the pool table to takeashot.
Was that ...Oh, hell no.Please tell me Icould notsee the bottom curve of her ass when she leaned too farforward.
Three other men had their heads tilted to the side in a way that would have been comical if she weren’t my woman.Whether she knew she was mine wasn’t the important point in my mind.It wasinevitable.
I stalked across the room and slipped the pool cue from her hand before she could twitch her ass again or taketheshot.
“What the hell—” Ari straightened and spun at thesametime.
“What do you think you’redoing?”
Her eyes, already bright from liquor, narrowed on me.“Not that it’s any of your business, butwhatever the hell I want because I’m a singlewoman.”
When she flipped her hair over her shoulder for an extra punch of attitude, my dick stood up and took notice.So she’s officially single now.Goodtoknow.
“We already covered this.You’re my business.Alwayshavebeen.”
“Hey, the lady and I are playing agamehere.”
I twisted my head toward the guy leaning on a pool cue at the other side of the table.He looked pissed at the interruption.Toodamnbad.
“Game’sover.”
“Says who?”Ari narrowed her eyes on me.“Me and Jack were just getting to know eachother.”
“It’sJohn—”
“Thanks, John.I got this.”I swung my gaze from her pissed-off pool partner to her and said, “We’re going home,” loud enough so everyone in the barheardme.
“No, we arenot,” Ari snapped back, and my gaze stuck on the bright red slickingherlips.
Jesus, that would look amazing around my cock.As soon as the thought entered my head, I shut it down.That wasn’t why Iwashere.
“Look, Heath told me about the boyfriend shit.Glad you’re done with him, but trust me, this isn’t the way tohandleit.”
She dropped a hand to her hip.“Don’t tell me what to do.You’re not my father and you’re not my brother.You’ve only kissed me once, so that means you can go ahead and keep your opinion toyourself.”
I laid the pool cue on the table and grabbed her hand.“Let’sgo,Red.”
She tugged out of my grip and spun around to face John, who’d come around the table.“I’m not leaving without finishingmygame.”
I wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her back against me.“You want a game, Ari?Then you’ll be playing with me.Not some damnedstranger.”
She let out a grunt of anger and struggled againstmyhold.
“Hey—” John interrupted, but my fierce glare shuthimup.
Ari whipped back around, no doubt to rip me a new one, and I silenced her the best way Iknewhow.
Ikissedher.
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