WORKS
Once Bitten
Up in Flames
When Sparks Fly
Wild and Untamed – coming 2019
Wild and Untamed
Two years ago
Beth drummed her fingers on the table and glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. The bar was packed for a Tuesday night. The jukebox rattled the walls of the little dive bar, taking her back to the seventies. Of course, she hadn’t been alive then, but she liked the music. She wished she could appreciate it now, but the sounds of Creedence Clearwater Revival - a band she usually loved - did nothing except grate her nerves.
No new text messages, no missed calls. Of course. The crowd of people was pissing her off. Smiling, happy, laughing fools. They danced with each other, in their own world and oblivious to her sullen attitude. And her drink was empty. Again.
She picked up the glass and waved it at the bartender, the ice rattling. Kaleb was sexy, all six and a half feet of bulging muscle in a t-shirt that was two sizes too small. They weren’t friends, but she went to the Wolf’s Den enough to be on a first name basis with him and his brother, Gabriel. Kaleb had been a few years ahead of her in high school, but she never associated with him then either. Just another jock with fifteen girlfriends who didn’t need help knowing how ridiculously sexy he was.
He nodded, taking her refill request. She went back to staring at the door and drumming her fingers on the table.
It was either that or punch a hole in the wall.
She couldn’t believe Chester had stood her up. But that’s what she got for trying to date a man named Chester. He’d told her that he’d broken up with his girlfriend. She’d finally agreed to one date now that he was single. She’d refused to go out with him while he was in a committed – albeit unhappy – relationship.
Jerk, she thought to herself. She tried hard to keep her muttering internal instead of sitting at the table rambling to herself like some crazy person. He’d been on her for months, begging her to go out with him. Give him one chance, he’d pleaded. She’d told him no repeatedly, but then he’d worn her down enough that she’d finally said okay.
Beth should have continued to tell him no. Then she wouldn't be sitting in a bar on a Tuesday night being reminded of how utterly lonely she was. The one guy who’d acted interested in her over past two years had stood her up after nearly six months of him begging.
Ugh.
A full glass was set down in front of her and Beth looked up. Jeez, Kaleb was a sexy beast. Full of testosterone with a crooked smile that made her stomach flop. Brown, shaggy hair fell into bright green eyes, and his five o’clock shadow made her want to rub up against him like a cat in heat.
That pissed her off too.
Scowling, Beth didn’t say anything. Jerking the glass off the table, she took a big gulp of the Amaretto sour.
“You realize that getting shit-faced isn’t going to make the loser show, right?”
Beth would’ve responder quicker if Kaleb’s sudden observation hadn’t completely thrown her off-guard. Instead, he’d left her grappling for words after he’d hit the nail on the head.
“It’s probably in his best interest to not show up now if he knows what’s good for him.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you always seemed the type who’d remove a man’s testicles.”
She almost growled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kaleb put his hands in front of him. “No offense. You just seem like the kind of woman who won’t tolerate anyone’s bullshit. That’s something real men appreciate,” he said.
She hesitated for a split second before asking the question he’d insinuated. “Are you saying you’re a real man?”
Shrugging, he said, “I’m just saying you’re a woman who needs to be appreciated.”
Beth struggled to find a response, but no words came. She couldn’t remember a time in her past where that had ever happened before. He’d rendered her speechless.
When he turned from her and went back to the bar, she leaned back in her chair and appreciated his hind end. Round and firm, sitting on top of what she assumed were powerful thighs wrapped in denim.
Mmm…
She mentally slapped herself. Perhaps he was right, and she’d had too much to drink. Why else would she suddenly be fantasizing about all the naughty things she wanted to do with him? He would pull her hair, ravage her mouth, and she’d drop to her knees. She bet he smelled divine - like man sweat and cigars.
Gross. What was wrong with her?
Beth watched him in her periphery. She was no longer irritated with anyone except herself. Kaleb piqued her curiosity. Out of all the times she’d been to the Wolf’s Den, he’d never really spoken to her beyond the usual pleasantries. Maybe she’d just hang out for a little while longer and then go on her merry way, probably with wet panties and an ache she’d have to relieve with her vibrator.
“Hey, you here alone?” The voice startled her, and she snapped her neck in its direction.
A man stood there, eyes narrowed with interest. He couldn’t have much older than she was, but she couldn’t remember seeing him around before. She was tempted to shoo him away, but then she’d be back to staring at Kaleb’s fine ass while fuming over Chester. Maybe she needed a distraction. She’d welcome one if that meant getting her mind straight.
He wasn’t too bad to look at. Blond hair was cut close to his scalp, and he had the beginnings of a beard which appeared as if he’d spent a lot of time growing it with minimal results. He had large arms, but they seemed almost unnatural. Too many hours in the gym working the same isotonic exercises. He couldn’t hold a candle to the bartender who was currently winking at a buxom brunette.
Beth rolled her eyes internally at their exchange before throwing a wide smile at her new admirer.
“I’m not alone anymore,” she said pleasantly, moving her bag and setting it on the table. “Have a seat.”
He grinned at her, and she shuddered. Maybe he was nice. At least he wasn’t Chester.
“The name’s Pete,” he said, thrusting his hand out.
She took it and cringed when his sweat slid over her palm. “Beth.”
“Nice to meet you, Beth. Can I buy you a drink?”
She shrugged. “Sure. Amaretto sour.”
With a nod, he waved down Kaleb. He abandoned the brunette and made his way to their table. “Amaretto sour for the lady, Kaleb.”
Kaleb stood there for a second, not saying anything. He looked at her, his brow raised in question, before giving Pete a quick nod.
“So, what brings you in here tonight?” she asked Pete when Kaleb stepped away.
He smiled again. The way he smiled shouldn’t bother her as much as it did, she chastised herself. She tried to ignore it. “I got off work a few hours ago and just wanted to unwind, you know?”
“Where do you work?”
“Over at Clyde Towing.”
She nodded, familiar with the place. “Do you like it?”
“Love it. I’ve been there about a year now.” He was too enthusiastic.
“Oh. That’s good.”
“What do you do?”
Kaleb set the drink down in front of her. “Thank you,” she told him, meeting his gaze. He was studying her, eyes searching her face for an unknown reason. She took a sip when he stepped away. He’d forgotten most of the alcohol.
“I work in the lab over at the hospital. I’m a phlebotomist.”
“Phlebotomy? You take blood?”
Kaleb’s voice rang out through the bar. “Last call!”
She nodded, trying to be friendly even though the hair on the back of her neck was standing up. “Yes. Commonly referred to as the vampire who comes into your room to take blood in the middle of the night.”
“I don’t think I’d mind if you came into my room in the middle of the night. You could have all the blood - or anything else - you wanted.” He wiggled his brows.
Eww.
There was no point i
n continuing any conversation with Pete at that point. He’d officially gone from so-so to full-blown creep. Talking to him was just a distraction from Kaleb. And Chester. And men in general. It was a mistake to have him stay when she knew the encounter wasn’t going to end with what he was after. It was best to stop it now before his hopes got too high.
“Well, Pete, I hate to be a killjoy, and while I appreciate the drink, it’s probably best for you to know up front that nothing is going to come of this little encounter tonight.”
Frowning, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing.” She wasn’t about to tell him that he was carried the creep-vibe. He may stab her in the parking lot. “I’ve had a really long day, and I think it’s best if I just go home and get some rest.”
“A long day?” he asked, incredulous. He demeanor changed, and his light eyes went dark. “It wasn’t a long day when you told me to sit down or accepted a drink. You're just a bitch.”
She sat up straight, adrenaline flooding her system. “Excuse me? Who do you think you’re calling a bitch?”
“The cunt sitting in front of me,” he yelled, standing up abruptly, knocking the chair to the floor.
The few people left in the bar went quiet. Eyes were on her. Her cheeks burned, and she wasn’t sure if she was more angry or embarrassed. The sound of heavy footsteps thundered toward them.
“Pete, go home,” Kaleb warned, suddenly standing next to her. His voice wasn’t overtly threatening, but it didn’t need to be to get his point across.
“What the fuck? She wants to be a bitch, and you’re going to tell me to go home? Whatever, man,” he said, standing up from the table so quickly the chair clattered to the floor behind him. He spun away from them and stomped out the front door.
That’s what I get for not trusting my initial instinct, she chastised herself. Just like Chester.
Kaleb stood next to her as Pete left. When the door shut behind him, she took a deep breath, trying to calm down her racing heart. She hated getting into altercations. She preferred people just left her alone.
“Are you all right?” Kaleb asked her.
“Yeah I’m fine,” she said with a small nod. She knew she was but it was hard to truly feel that way. “I thought he was just creepy, but apparently he’s an asshole too.”
Kaleb chucked. “You can hang out for a little if that’ll make you more comfortable. Give Pete some time to leave.”
“Thanks,” she said, genuinely appreciating it. She wasn’t about to go to her car in the darkness of the parking lot with Pete still out there, pissed for being rejected and then getting booted.
Beth paid her tab. The few patrons that were left dispersed after a few minutes and she took herself to the bathroom while she waited to make sure Pete was gone. Throwing some water in her face, she tried to think straight.
It had been a rough few days for her. Her parents had just moved to Florida, leaving her alone in Maine with no family. Her parents move was easier to deal with than losing Ben. That was setting her over the edge. He was one of her closest friends and he was moving to Boston at the end of the month. Who knew when she’d see him again. Over the years she’d come to rely on his witty retorts and sage advice, but his career took him away from her.
Everyone was leaving her.
Struggling to pay rent, she’d started looking for a roommate to help with the bills. Her other friends were all either still living at home or comfortable in their own places. It was hard to find someone decent, and Beth felt the real threat of being homeless for the first time in her life. Her safety net was currently living in a retirement community outside of Miami, sipping Mai-Tais and playing Bingo every Thursday night.
With everything that was going on, Chester had crept in when she let her guard down, and now that bastard had stood her up. It was probably for the best anyway. He would turn into one more disappointment. He already had.
Pete had been the icing on the cake. The bastard had actually called her the c-word. She may use the word perhaps a bit too freely herself, but she’d be damned if she allowed a man to do it, especially in a derogatory fashion.
Her mind raced now with all the things she should have said to him then. Stuff she would’ve said if Kaleb hadn’t been there to show Pete the door once the initial shock had worn off.
Just the thought of Kaleb standing up for her had butterflies erupting in her stomach. Lord, that bartender was too attractive for his own good. She’d noticed him before, but now? Now it felt different. He’d said things to her that made her heartrate speed up and then acted as some big, muscly protector. She dried her face with a rough paper towel and stared in the mirror.
She wasn’t an unattractive woman. Sure, her curly hair turned into a mess of frizz when the humidity got too high, and her nose was a bit too pointed. Her lips were too full and not proportional to the rest of her face. Her boobs were too big. They caused constant lower back pain, and the only thing they were good for was a flotation device. And it probably wouldn’t hurt her to lose five pounds.
Okay, who was she kidding? She could lose at least ten to fifteen.
She was not the type of woman he’d be interested in. He’d probably prefer some petite little package instead of her Amazonian traits.
Sighing, she dropped the paper towel in the trash. She needed to go home and just put this night behind her.
“I thought you snuck out,” Kaleb said from behind the counter when she emerged from the bathroom.
She shook her head. “No, just using the bathroom. I’m going to head home now though. I appreciate you letting me hang out for a few.”
“Of course,” he said with a nod. “Are you okay to drive?”
She laughed. “I’m good, especially after that weak ass drink you gave me the last time.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I figured you’d notice, but I didn’t think you’d mind, especially since Pete was paying. I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to take advantage of you.”
It struck her how oddly sweet that was. Kaleb probably saw that too often in his line of work, and she honestly appreciated his attempt to help her keep her mental faculties.
“Do you do that with everyone?” she asked him, curious as she pulled her bag higher on her shoulder.
He shook his head. “I would, though, if it were called for. Pete was going to wait until you were inebriated and catch you with your guard down. You’d already had a few, and he’d been watching you since you came in just waiting for an opportunity.”
Her mouth dropped. “How—”
“How do I know?” he asked, setting down one of the glasses he’d been drying and coming around the bar. “I see the same people in here, day after day and I was raised with most of them. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.”
“Fair point,” she said.
“Here, let me let you out the door before you’re stuck here all night with me.”
That didn’t sound like a bad thing to her. He went to the door and unlocked it before pushing it open for her.
He followed her down the sidewalk to the side of the building where the parking lot was. A single light lit the gravel, and her car was the only one left. The blue Toyota Camry was on its last leg, but she wasn’t in the position to trade it in now.
“You don’t have to walk me to my car, too,” she told him when she noticed him following her outside.
He thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Do you mind?”
“No, not at all,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself.
When she’d gotten there earlier in the evening, the place had been packed. She’d had to park in the back of the lot, away from the light. She was grateful he walked with her now after the fiasco with Pete.
“Well, shit,” he said suddenly, and she jerked her head up to see what had caught his attention.
Kaleb was focused on her car, or more specifically, her tires. Her very flat tires.
“That mo
ther fucker!” she yelled before she could stop herself.
Storming around the car, she surveyed the damage. All four tires had been slashed. Beth dropped her bag onto the gravel and threw her hands up.
“We could call a tow—” Kaleb stopped, most likely thinking the same thing she was.
Beth shook her head. “It would be an option if the damn tow truck driver wasn’t the one who slashed the stupid things.”
“You’re having an awful day.”
She laughed then stopped, thinking she must sound deranged to him. “You think?”
Kaleb frowned. “I’m sorry about your tires.”
“You didn’t do it.”
He kicked the gravel. “I know but still. It sucks.”
She huffed, trying to calm down enough to think. Replacing all four tires would break the bank. She’d have to ask Angie if she could pull some overtime at the hospital to cover the loss. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to change them in the middle of the night. The tire place had closed hours ago.
“Let me give you a ride home.”
Beth nodded. “I’d appreciate that. Natalie is supposed to meet me in the morning for breakfast. I’m sure she won’t mind bringing me back up here.”
Cussing under her breath again, she snatched her bag from where she’d dropped it and headed back toward the bar with Kaleb.
“Pete’s a piece of work.”
“I don’t have the best of luck with men,” she commented, more to herself than him.
He opened the door for her. “I noticed. What’s the other guy’s name? The one who stood you up?”
“Chester.”
“Chester?” Kaleb snorted. “Chester, the molester.”
She laughed. “I can’t believe I was even going to give him the time of day. He did us both a favor by not showing up.”
“Didn’t call or anything?” Kaleb shut off the outside light once they were inside and locked the door.
“Nope. Not a word from him.”
“It’s his loss. Let me grab my keys and let Gabriel know what’s going on before we leave,” he told her, walking toward the door that read Employees Only. “Come on.”
When Sparks Fly (Netherworld Series Book 3) Page 25