Chapter 15
A swift, crippling rage swept through Reid like a downpour. Not jealously, not protectiveness—rage.
Seeing Eve laughing and carefree in his buddy’s arms was like pouring a gallon of salt on a gunshot wound. As much as he wanted Eve to let her hair down and have fun, he didn’t want her to choose Ben to have the fun with.
Damn it, it should have been him.
He’d mentioned her dancing. She’d shot down that idea before he could even ask. And then she asked Ben? Ben?
He’d never considered himself the jealous type, but he’d never had a reason to be.
All that had changed the second he saw Ben’s hand settle on Eve’s hip.
Screw being professional. Forget keeping her at a distance out of self-preservation and fear.
He wanted her, at least for the next five minutes, when he could hold her in his arms and no one would bat an eye.
When he could pretend all he wanted was to join in on the fun.
Ben gave a brief nod as he passed by and returned to his seat at the bar. He finished his drink then gave Reid a mock salute. “G’night.”
“You’re right,” Eve said. “Not much of a bite at all.”
She made a move to step past him, and he hooked his arm around her waist, locking her in place.
“He’s not the one you’ve got to worry about,” Reid said.
Her eyes flew wide, and her already flushed cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. “And who is?”
“Me if you don’t let me spin you around this dance floor.”
She swallowed hard, eyes locked on his, and slipped her hand into his.
All the air leaked from his lungs and his mouth went dry. The commotion around them disappeared, and Eve was the only thing in his world. “Is that a yes?”
“Can you make me look as good as Ben did?”
“Honey, you have no idea.”
She grinned and took a step closer, erasing the distance between them.
The music stopped. The crowd erupted into applause as the band bowed and wished everyone a good night.
Disappointment pressed down on his chest.
Eve stepped out of his hold and shrugged. “Maybe next time. I need to get back behind the bar. People with open tabs will start cashing out. It’ll get a little busy then we’ll need to close up.”
Deflated, he followed her and ignored the stab of pain that had nothing to do with his stitched-up side. Seeing Eve in the arms of another man had woken him up, and now he’d missed his chance.
He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
Figuring out his next move, he stalked back to where Eve stood at the register, quickly ringing out customers on the old-fashioned machine.
He lost himself in the rhythm of washing dishes and replacing bottles.
Wiping sticky residue from the scarred bar and refilling garnishes for the drinks he didn’t know how to make.
Tara approached, with Dax attached to her side. “Hey, big brother, when are you heading to your place?”
“Yeah, big brother. What’s the plan?” Dax tipped the brim of his hat and laughed. Mischief lit his blue eyes, and the dark stubble lining his jaw was longer than usual.
Reid glared at Madden’s younger brother. “The only plan you should be concerned with is the one that involves getting yourself home. Alone.”
Tara rolled her eyes and shoved a strand of hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Stop. Dax was nice enough to hang out with me while you were busy.”
“Yeah,” Dax said. “I’m just being a good guy.”
Madden approached and rested his palms on Dax’s shoulders. He squeezed, applying enough pressure to make Dax wince. “Good guy? You? Don’t think so, my man.”
Lily rested her hands on top of Madden’s and eased him away. “Leave him be.”
“Yeah, listen to Lil so I can continue my conversation with Reid about his sister.”
A growl rumbled deep in Reid’s chest, and he struggled to keep it trapped inside.
He wasn’t in the mood to deal with Dax’s smart-ass comments, and he didn’t have much experience looking out for Tara.
She was a grown woman who could make her own decisions, but he’d be damned if going home with Dax was one of them.
Tara gave Dax a playful slap upside his head. “I don’t need anyone to have a conversation with anyone about me.” She turned her attention to Reid. “I do need to know if we plan to head back to your apartment once you’re done helping Eve.”
He flicked a quick glance at Eve, still swiping credit cards. “I have to stay with Eve until this thing blows over.”
“Oh,” she said, drawing out the word into three syllables.
“It’s a good thing I stuck around to drive you to Reid’s place safely.” Dax puffed out his chest, his grin slippery as a wet dog.
“How about Lily and I take Tara to your place?” Madden asked. “No need for Dax to suffer rejection again.”
Dax threw up his palms, but his grin stayed in place. “Only trying to help.”
“My hero,” Tara said. “But I’ll ride with Madden and Lily.”
Relief loosened Reid’s muscles. He wasn’t used to watching Tara interact with men.
Hell, when he’d left town, she was just entering high school.
By the time he’d enlisted in the service, she was already with Richard—whom he’d hated.
Standing by and watching Dax drool over her was giving him a glimpse of himself he hadn’t known existed.
The protective side of himself that saw blood when Ben danced with Eve.
“Does that work?” Tara asked, breaking into his thoughts.
“Yeah. Everything you need should be there. The sheets on the guest bed are clean. Call if there’re any issues. Just…make sure to lock up.”
A small slice of guilt gnawed at his conscious. A dangerous man was on the loose. Maybe Tara shouldn’t be alone, but saying that out loud would only upset her and bait Dax into saying something else to piss him off.
As if reading his thoughts, Lily hooked her arm through Tara’s. “She’ll be fine. We’ll make sure she has everything she needs before we leave her for the night. She’ll be safe.”
“Thanks, Lily.” He leaned over the bar to give Tara a quick hug. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. You two have fun.” Tara’s laugh lingered behind her as she waved goodbye to Eve then walked with Lily and Madden out the door, Dax following.
The sound of the cash register continued to chime, and he returned to work. He wanted the place sparkling and Eve’s mind clear of any more chores. Then, when the bar was empty except him and Eve, he’d find a way to finally discover how Eve felt in his arms.
Exhaustion seeped into Eve’s muscles. Fatigue made her eyes heavy, but she finished poring over the revenue for the night.
Normally she’d sit in her small office after closing time and ready the deposit for the next day.
Tonight she opted to sit on a stool beside the register.
She didn’t want to be tucked away, out of sight of the staff bustling around the restaurant.
And hell, she wasn’t sure her feet would carry her that far.
Becca slid a plate in front of her. “Hungry?”
“God bless you. How did you get this?” A colorful salad topped with grilled chicken and a side of Italian dressing stared up at her. “The kitchen’s been closed for a while. I was mentally going through the contents of my refrigerator to figure out what I could make really quickly when I got home.”
“I made sure to set aside some chicken and threw together the salad.” She set down another plate.
“You joining me?”
“No.” Becca twirled her braid around her finger then wound it on top of her head, wrapping it in place with a hair tie to make a messy bun. “I’ve got a foot rub and a comfy bed waiting for me at home.”
“Suzy’s waiting up to give you a foot rub?” Eve stabbed a cherry tomato and popped it in her mouth.
“Ha-ha,” Becca said. “Her cute little butt better be fast asleep.”
“Who’s the extra salad for?” Eve asked. “Think I’m hungry enough to eat two?”
Becca flicked her wrist toward Reid, who was placing turned-up chairs on top of tables. “Figured he’d be hungry, too. He worked for his supper tonight.”
Reid grabbed a broom and tidied the floor, making her smile. “He sure did. Nellie already left. Why don’t you let him know he has food waiting then take off?”
“You sure? I can finish sweeping while you two eat. That’s the last of what needs done tonight.”
“I’ve got it. You’ve been here longer than you should have been tonight. I appreciate you.”
Becca wrapped her in a side hug. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Eve attacked her salad again, cutting into the grilled chicken. Notes of garlic and pepper exploded on her tongue. She closed her eyes to savor the taste and sent a silent prayer of gratitude for her best friend.
“Must be a damn good salad.”
Reid’s amused voice lifted her lips and opened her eyes. He stood next to her, one arm hooked behind the back of her stool while the other leaned against the bar.
“You have no idea.” She nudged his plate. “Becca made one for you, too. Take a seat. We’ll finish cleaning after we eat.”
“Everything’s done.”
“Floors are mopped?”
“Yep. I did that a little earlier, after Nellie swept. I just noticed a few crumbs and wanted to get them out of the way.” He sat next to her but kept his arm behind her. “How’d we do tonight?”
She beamed, liking the way we sounded a little too much. “Best night of the year, as always. The next two days will still be a little busy, but then we’ll slow down. Thanks for all your help.”
“I was here. Might as well be useful.” He speared his fork into the chicken and took a bite. “Holy hell. This is amazing. Make sure to tell Becca I said thanks.”
She took another few bites then asked, “Did Tara go to your place?”
“Yeah. Madden and Lily drove her. She had a ball tonight. It was nice to see her happy.” He took another couple of bites.
Setting down her fork, she considered her next words. He’d made it clear he didn’t want to talk about his family, but damn it, she wanted to know. She wanted him to open up to her. “Has she not been happy lately? Is that why she came?”
Reid stared down at his half-empty plate.
“Tara’s life hasn’t been easy. Especially with my living so far away.
A lot falls on her shoulders that shouldn’t, and she’s tired of carrying the burden.
I hope being here for a while will show her it’s time for her to live her own life. To pursue her own passions.”
“I’m sure she will. If she’s made the first steps toward that, you’ll help her make the second. She’s lucky to have you as a brother. I wish I would have had one like you growing up.”
Disgust pinched his features. “You wish I was your brother?”
Heat snaked up the back of her neck. “No. I didn’t mean it like that.
I just meant, you two are lucky to have each other.
My parents are great, but I always envied all my friends who had siblings.
Built-in partners in crime. It’d be nice to know someone is watching out for you, standing in the shadows to help things go your way. ”
“As far as Tara’s concerned, I’ve been in the shadows for too long. I plan to change that.” He set his fork down and pushed away his plate. Rising to his feet, he captured her hand in his. “And that’s not the only thing I need to change.”
He tugged her to her feet and led her to the corner of the room.
If her curiosity wasn’t so strong, she’d complain about how late it was or how much her feet hurt.
Instead, she followed along, curiosity growing when they stopped in front of the jukebox.
With the lights low, the neon signs and colors from the jukebox cast a rainbow glow around the room. “What are you doing?”
Snagging a quarter from the front pocket of his jeans, he fed it into the machine and pressed a button. A familiar song filled the air. The music was slow, and a woman’s voice belted out words of love and longing. He held out a hand. “Have time for that dance?”
A smile blossomed on her lips, and she stared down at his palm before returning her focus to his handsome face. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “I missed my chance earlier. I don’t want that to happen again. Just one dance then we can head home. I know you’re probably exhausted.”
With her mouth suddenly dry, she nestled her palm into his and electricity shot all the way down to her toes.
Her heart raced so loud she could barely make out the words to the song, but they didn’t matter.
All that mattered was Reid and his charming grin and the look in his eyes that told her she was in big trouble.
Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her close. “Here we go.”
A rush of excitement threatened to steal all coherent thoughts from her brain. A hint of his sweat mixed with the cedar and citrus cologne holding on strong, making her head swim. He spun her around the dance floor, never taking his eyes off her.
She moved her body impossibly closer to him and got lost in the moment. Lost in his arms. Lost in a fantasy that this wasn’t just one dance but a promise of wonderful things to come.
The music faded. The song ended. She stared up at him, her heart lodged in her throat. A sense of déjà vu struck her. They’d been in this moment once before. With her gaze fixed on his mouth and a need to know how he tasted consuming every inch of her being.
“Eve?”
The question may have been filled with a hundred words with all the meaning put into it.
She forced her dry throat to swallow her apprehension. “Yes?”
“A dance like that deserves one hell of a finale, don’t you think?”
Unable to speak, she nodded.
“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” His smirk melted away as he leaned down and placed his lips on hers.