by Chiah Wilder
“What’re you drinking?” a deep voice rumbled in her ear—warm breath caressing her neck.
Turning, she cocked her head and gazed up close into the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen; for a long second, it took her breath away. “I’m good, thanks,” she said.
The corners of his mouth curved up in a sexy grin as he leaned in closer. “You look like you need one.” He lifted up his hand and waved it.
“What’ll you have?” one of the bartenders asked.
“A Modelo and”—his eyes cut to hers and he pointed a finger at her—“whatever the lady’s drinking.”
“Vodka sour,” she said, then exhaled a long sigh.
The bartender scurried away, and the sexy stranger’s gaze drifted down her body with a stop at her breasts and then at her legs. The scent of freshly hewn pine, leather, and crisp Rocky Mountain air hit Ashley and curled around her, as she inhaled deeply. He even smells rugged. This guy’s dripping badass and raw sex. Dammit. Not liking the way her body was reacting to him, she scooted to the edge of the cushion.
Slinging his arm across the top of the stool back, he laughed, then leaned in. “I don’t bite,” he said in her ear, his warm breath tickling and caressing it.
His chest brushed against her arm and a tingle sprinted up her spine. Ashley gritted her teeth, perturbed that this man was having an effect on her. She shifted in place and said, “That’s what you say.”
Eyes widening in feigned innocence, he asked, “Has someone been talking about me?” A small smile tugged at his lips.
“Maybe the brunette.” Ashley glanced over at the woman, who stood at the end of the bar, glaring at her. The blonde stuck her tongue out, and Ashley stared in surprise. “She and her friend don’t seem too happy that you’ve abandoned them.”
He glanced over Ashley’s shoulder, and the fine lines on his forehead deepened a bit. “Chynna’s got no claim on me, and neither does Holly.” The man’s face softened when he looked back at Ashley. “You don’t need to worry about them.”
Talk about being arrogant. Ashley shook her head. “I’m not.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” He handed her the vodka sour. “I’ve never seen you in here before.”
She raised her glass, took a sip, then looked at him over the rim. “Do you know everyone here?”
There was another wide smile, and this time she noticed a slight gap between his front teeth. “Pretty much.” He squinted as he brought the dark amber bottle of beer to his full lips. “There’s no way I wouldn’t have remembered you. You’re a very attractive woman.” He took a long gulp and looked directly at her. “And you know it.”
His blunt comment startled her. She opened her mouth to deny it, but changed her mind and smiled instead. “Thanks for the half-assed compliment.”
“Anytime.” Once again, his gaze roamed over her body.
“You do know you’re ogling me, right? Is that your standard pickup move?”
He took another swig of beer and then set the bottle down on the bar. “I’m appreciating the view. What’s your name?”
“Marie.” She lied.
“I’m Smokey.”
“Did you get your nickname from smoking a lot?” she asked while running her index finger along the side of the tumbler.
Smokey laughed, a deep, warm sound that resonated through her. “Not exactly. What brought you to the club tonight?”
“The Raging Demons. They’re one of my favorite Denver bands.”
His eyes slid over her again. “Are you from the city?” He leaned in so close that she could smell his breath, a mixture of beer and mint.
Ashely scooted the stool over a bit. “Yes.”
Smokey countered her by nudging forward. “So you’re a tourist?”
“Uh-huh,” she mumbled. Ashley was acutely aware of him beside her. She could smell the woodsy scent of his cologne, feel the heat of his body burning through her. She glanced up at him, and her stomach fluttered beneath the intensity of his stare.
“Are you looking for some fun?” His lips were practically touching the skin on her neck.
I can’t do this. I’m sure he picks up women every weekend at the bar. She let out a deep breath and shook her head, hoping that would clear the sensual fog. “No, I’m not. I came to support the band.” She pointed to the stage. “Looks like they’re getting ready to rock.” Draining the rest of her vodka sour, she reached behind her and put the glass on the bar.
“Maybe we can grab a bite to eat after the show,” he said.
“Maybe.” All she wanted to do was get away from this beyond-sexy Casanova. She jumped off the stool, then stumbled over her feet. His strong arm curled around her waist and kept her from falling face down on the floor. The touch was annoyingly electric, and she pulled out of his grasp and muttered a “Thank you” before tugging down the hem of her skirt.
Suddenly, the accentuated drumbeats started to pound, and Ashley grabbed her clutch and rushed over to the dance floor. The loud music made her skin shiver as she let it pour over her. The guitarist shook out his long hair and sent beads of sweat flying past the stage lights. The frantic sound of a screaming guitar laid below the lead singer’s gravelly vocals. Ashley swayed to the music, forgetting where she was as her hips and shoulders moved with the rhythm. Intermittent laser lights flashed on the stage, and beneath it, dry-ice smoke swirled in an array of blues and acid greens.
A long-haired man decked out in full leather—pants, sleeveless vest, wrist cuffs, and boots—bumped into her as he drunkenly pushed his way to the front of the stage. The music absorbed Ashley’s cries as she lost her footing and fell back against something hard and warm. Strong arms circled around her, holding her tightly, and she arched her head back and met Smokey’s penetrating dark eyes. She should’ve pulled away after throwing him one of her pissed-off looks and moved to the other side of the dance floor, but she didn’t. Instead, Ashley leaned her head back against his firm chest, and they moved together to the rhythm of the music. And to make matters worse, she felt a current of excitement against the warmth of his body, his groin rubbing against her backside, his palms flattened against her stomach, holding her firmly to him. The way their bodies melded sent blood rushing quickly through her and heat pooling between her legs.
Smokey said something in her ear, but she couldn’t make out what it was over the din of the music and the crowd. She closed her eyes and let the songs fill her and take her away.
“Thanks to all of you for a fucking awesome show,” Axel said. The lead singer bowed to the crowd, then pointed at Ashley. “Never thought I’d see you in the crowd. Damn sweet.”
“You dance real good,” Smokey said, whispering the words hoarsely in her ear.
She untangled herself from his arms and twisted around, backing away slightly. “It was so crowded on the floor.”
“Is that your story?” The corner of his mouth turned up into a smirk, and he rocked back on the heels of his boots.
She cocked her head then shook it. “Don’t flatter yourself. I could barely move with all the people around.”
“Okay,” he said.
“It’s true. And you were standing practically on top of me.” She narrowed her eyes and chewed the inside of her bottom lip. He didn’t say anything, just stood there looking at her with that damn smirk on his face that was pissing her off. “Anyway”—she glanced at the stage—“I don’t need to explain myself.”
“I agree—so why are you?”
“I’m not … well, I was, but I’m not going to anymore.” She tapped her index finger against the base of her throat.
“Okay.”
I’d love to slap that fucking smugness off his face.
“What?” Smokey said, his brow rising a bit. “You look pissed off. I’m just not sure if it’s at me or yourself. You did seem to like being in my arms, and it felt real good for me.” Then he winked at her.
The warmth crept up her neck then spread across her face. Dammit! Ashley ha
ted that her skin flushed whenever she was tense or angry. For some reason, she was letting this half-assed Don Juan rattle her.
“Arrogance is one of your flaws, isn’t it? Why don’t you find another woman who’s willing to coo and fawn all over you? I’m not interested.”
“Those aren’t the signals you’ve been giving me.” He took a step toward her.
An exaggerated sigh slipped through her lips as she shook her head. “You’re unbelievable—and not in a good way.”
Ignoring his loud guffaws, she spun around and crossed the floor to the stage.
“Ash, what the hell are you doing here?” Axel asked.
“I’m temporarily here for work. I was thrilled to see you guys were playing tonight. Great set. The crowd loved it.”
“Yeah—it’s pretty cool.” Axel looked over her. “Who’s the dude you’re with?”
She glanced behind her and saw Smokey talking to a group of guys who looked like the type she wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. Smokey looked over and threw her a disarming smile.
Ashley turned away and gripped her purse. “I’m not with anyone. The floor was so crowded that everyone was meshed together. Are you heading back to Denver?”
The singer shook his head. “Grand Junction—we’re on tour.”
“That’s right,” she said, nodding. “You posted that on your band’s page.”
“We’re crashing at the motel, then leaving early tomorrow morning.”
“Axel, we need your help loading the car,” Jonas said as he put his guitar into a case.
“Okay.” The singer glanced at Ashley again. “We gotta get things packed so the next band can set up. You sticking around?”
“No, I’m going to take off.” She flicked her hand at the guitarist. “Go ahead and help out. Have a great tour.”
Ashley sauntered back to the bar and squeezed in between two women leaning against it. “Can I have a bottled water?” she asked Whitney.
“Sure. The band kicked ass.”
Smiling, Ashley nodded and casually scanned the room. She spotted Smokey standing at the back of the bar flirting with several women surrounding him. She watched the way the tattoos on his muscular arm moved when he brought the beer bottle to his lips.
“Here you go.”
The sound of Whitney’s voice coupled with the thud from the water bottle on the wooden
counter dragged Ashley’s attention away from him.
“Thanks,” Ashley said, as she pulled out her wallet from her handbag and took out three dollars. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Are you heading out?” Whitney asked.
“Yeah.”
The woman scribbled something on the back of a business card and handed it to Ashley. “Here’s my name and number. Maybe we can go out for lunch sometime.”
Ashley smiled. “I’d like that. I’ll give you a call when I’m settled in at work.”
Whitney gave her the thumbs up, then dashed over to a group of people at the other end of the bar. Ashley screwed off the top of the bottle and brought it to her lips. She glanced over at Smokey again and saw him saying something into a brunette’s ear. The woman tilted her head back and laughed while pressing her sizable chest against him. A small frown burrowed between his brows and he jerked back. The woman took a step away from him and brought a bottle of beer to her red-painted lips.
Smokey looked toward the bar, and when his eyes locked on Ashley’s, he flashed her a sexy smile. Her stomach suddenly fluttered, much to her dismay. She gulped down the rest of the water, picked up her clutch, and pushed away from the bar. This is my cue to go. Tossing her long hair over her shoulders, Ashley straightened her posture and walked out of the bar without even a sidelong glance in his direction.
The cold bite of the air immediately made her eyes water. She zipped up her jacket and hurried toward her car as thick snow flurries swirled all around.
“You heading out?”
Ashley jumped at the deep voice rumbling behind her. For a split second, she thought Jeffery had tracked her down.
Then a hand gripped her arm.
“No!” she screamed and kicked backward until her shoe made contact with something.
“What the fuck? I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Smokey. Ashley whirled around.
“Why in the hell were you sneaking up on me?” She shoved one hand into the front pocket of her leather jacket.
“I wasn’t sneaking up on you. I saw you go out and thought you were having a smoke.”
“I’m not. I’m trying to get to my car.”
“I thought we could talk for a bit.”
She shook her head and drops of water flew around. “I can’t. Goodnight.” Ashley pressed the button of her car’s key fob and the headlights lit up in the parking lot.
“I forgot where you said you were staying.”
“I didn’t.” Her breath was a visible puff of vapor, mingling with his.
“Then, where are you staying?”
She opened the car door, tossed her purse on the passenger seat, and then looked up at him. “Look”—she waved her hand between them—“this isn’t going to happen, so why don’t you go back in and attend to your fans?”
He quirked his lips. “Is this about those chicks who were flocking around me?”
“No, this is about me not being interested. I know it’s hard to comprehend, especially for a guy who’s used to getting all the women, but”—she dug her finger into the soft leather of her jacket—“this time, you’ve struck out.”
“You don’t know shit about me.”
“I know enough—cocky as hell, loves the attention women give him, and a player.” She shook her head. “Like I said—not interested.”
Ashley closed the car door, switched on the ignition, and turned on the windshield wipers; then she backed out of the space and drove away. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw Smokey, almost lost in the orangey glow of the streetlight above where he stood as snowflakes swished all around him.
Maybe I was too harsh back there. Anyway, why do I give a shit how many women hit on him? “Because he reminds me of Dad,” she muttered under her breath. But she’d come into contact with quite a few men like her father, and it’d never been any big deal.
No, there was something else going on.
“I’m attracted to him. There … I said it. Anyway, who cares? I won’t see him again—there are over nine thousand people who live in this town.”
Ashley turned up the radio, gripped the steering wheel, and slowly headed back to the hotel.
2
Smokey stuffed the last bite of his roast beef sandwich in his mouth as he stared at the car races on the big screen television. Several of the club girls sat on the worn green couch against the wall, whispering and giggling. Hubcap, Tiny, Cruiser, and Blade sat on the couch facing the television, chugging beer and yelling at the screen.
“How’d you make out with that sweet piece last night?” Bones asked as he pulled out the chair.
“I saw you come back inside Blue’s alone,” Animal said.
Smokey wiped his mouth and pushed the empty plate away from him. “Why the fuck are you here bothering me instead of hanging with your woman?” He leaned back in the chair and stretched his legs out in front of him.
“Olivia took Lucy to a movie at the mall.” Animal laughed. “You struck out, didn’t you, dude?”
“I can only strike out if I’m playing the fuckin’ game—which I wasn’t,” Smokey replied.
“It looked like you were into her,” Bones said. “She was pretty hot. I saw Diamond talking with her at the bar before you came in. I was thinking to chat her up but got distracted by a killer blonde who knew how to fuck. I’ll be seeing her again for sure.”
Animal laughed and patted his friend on the back. “Is this one gonna be around for a while?”
Bones shrugged. “Maybe.”
“I’m betting on two weeks max,” Smokey said.
“Sounds about right,” Animal said.
“I may surprise you both.” Bones darted his eyes from Smokey to Animal, then started laughing. “Nah … the sweet piece is good for a week tops.”
The men chuckled, then looked up when Shadow walked up to the table and plopped down on a chair.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Bones hooking up with a chick for more than a week,” Animal answered, then pointed at Smokey, “or you even hooking up for more than a night.”
“And he didn’t even do that last night—he struck out with a real hot piece of ass,” Bones said.
Smokey narrowed his eyes. “I told you I wasn’t looking for anything last night. If I wanted it, I’d still be with her instead of sitting here talking about it with you morons.”
The men busted out laughing, and Smokey had to force himself not to punch Bones and Animal in the face a few times.
“Where’s Scarlett?” he asked Shadow, trying to take the focus off of him. The fact that the chick turned him down flat and told him off was still burning a hole in his gut. No women ever turned Smokey down, so he didn’t know what to make of it.
“She’s at the country club with her girlfriends—they get together once a month and do shit like that,” Shadow replied.
“You up for working another remodel? I’m down a guy and could use the help,” Smokey said.
“For how long? I’m pretty busy with the online store, but I could spare a few days.”
“That’ll work. Wes will be back in town by the end of the week. I got that marketing person coming in tomorrow. I figure I’ll have to spend a bit of time with her to see what she’s gonna do to bring my company to the next level.”