Cherry nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Jax lost track of time, but the band was on a different song by the time the door opened. Marissa came out and stopped in front of him but didn’t meet his gaze.
He opened his mouth to speak as the song ended and a roar went up from the crowd. “Can we go outside where I don’t have to yell?” He held out his hand to guide her through the bar.
Marissa hesitated for a moment, then took his hand. He just wanted to talk to her. He didn’t want to acknowledge the little thrill that shot through him from a simple little touch.
The crush of people vying to get closer to the band made wading through a little more difficult than he expected. Eventually, he pulled Marissa in front of him, settled his hand on her hip and barked for people to move aside. A patron or two from Oak Hollow recognized him and moved a little quicker than some of the other folks.
Finally, they made it to a side door. When the door closed behind them, shutting out the ear-pulsing music, he sighed. He shifted to walk beside Marissa, keeping his hand firmly planted on her hip, all too comfortable with her beside him. She didn’t immediately pull away. Maybe she wasn’t terribly angry with him.
They walked until they got to the front of the bar where a wooden railing decorated the edge of the parking lot.
Reluctantly he released her and motioned for her to sit.
Marissa leaned her hip against the rail. “I’m sorry,” she said immediately before Jax could get a word out. “I know I overreacted in there.” She swiped her hands through her hair and pulled the long locks over her shoulder. “First I was embarrassed getting caught under the table, then hearing that old nickname…”
“I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
Her gaze snapped to his. “You didn’t say it.”
“I know, but still…”
A group of ten to twelve men came out the front door. Several of them lit up cigarettes and raised the noise level outside the bar tenfold. On heavy breezes, smoke drifted their way. Marissa swatted it away from her face but with a majority of the crowd lit up, they were almost all but engulfed in it.
Jax took Marissa by the elbow and led her back around the corner away from the men. Out of the breeze. And into the dark. A small security light over the side door cast the space into long, deep shadows. Her face was partially lit as she turned to him. For a moment she tensed under his touch. “We can go back in,” he offered.
When he expected Marissa to say yes, she moved closer to him. “It’s okay.” Their feet tangled and she swayed even closer.
Jax slid his hands up her arms to steady her. His heart pounded in his chest harder than it had when he’d done his three-mile run earlier that morning.
“Sorry. Clumsy.” A shy smile crossed her mouth. And when she righted herself, she didn’t try to pull away. She tilted her head back to catch his gaze.
Even in those incredibly high sandals, she was smaller than he’d realized. The top of her head barely came up to his chin. He would never have guessed. She always seemed big and bold. She’d never shied away from telling him off. Always seemed self-assured and confident. Except when he’d pulled her out from under the table. She’d been meek and timid. So unlike the Marissa he’d come to know in this short time. Then his friend had hurt her with that stupid name.
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, as much to comfort himself as it was to ward off any lingering reminders of a stupid high-school moniker.
“Chief, um, Jax, you could kiss me now, you know.”
* * *
Embarrassment burned across Marissa’s face and warred with the desire that burned low in her belly when Jax did little more than stare at her. She’d never been quite so bold before, but there was heat that simmered just under the surface between her and Jax. Every time they came in contact with one another. He always seemed to hold back just a little, though. When he’d brought her outside she thought he might try…something…anything. But he’d just wanted to talk.
Then he’d dragged her off in the dark. And still he held back.
Maybe she’d misread the entire situation. Jax was a nice guy. To just about everyone he crossed paths with. She hadn’t come across one person who had a bad thing to say about the new chief of police. He was a nice guy who took care of the townspeople, cared for them as if they were all his responsibility. It was an admirable quality that didn’t necessarily mean he had any feelings toward her.
The heat of desire was immediately replaced with her second wave of humiliation for the evening. One more and she’d have a mortification trifecta, an all-time record for her.
Marissa moved back half a step and tried to extricate herself from his grip, but Jax tightened his hold and leaned down into her. He settled his mouth on hers. It was soft, gentle and teasing. For the briefest moment. Then his hand snaked behind her neck and he deepened the kiss with a fierceness that weakened her knees. He backed her up to the building. The rough brick chafed her shoulders, but she didn’t care as she melted into him. He tasted spicy, like rum.
She leaned into him, tossing one arm over his shoulder as the other was pinned between them when he pulled her against him. His heart beat heavily against her palm. The rhythm warred with the pulsating beat from inside the building. She tuned out the heavy bass thumping the wall behind her as well as the rowdy men by the front door. Just let herself be in the moment with Jax—a moment she’d never thought she’d have.
Tongues mingled and breath became one. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been kissed so thoroughly. Hell, she was barely able to remember her own name as Jax pulled his month from her and trailed his lips down her neck. Goose bumps broke out across her skin and her nipples tightened painfully.
Heat pooled in her belly and lower. More… All she could think was more. She pulled her hand free and tucked it into the short, dark hair at the nape of his neck. A moan escaped before she could stop it. Then she trailed her hands over the broad expanse of his firm shoulders and down his back.
Her blood tingled as it ran through her system. Then her hip tingled. Jax nosed the collar of her dress aside to run his teeth gently across her skin. Marissa shifted and pressed her lips to his, let the kiss wipe out the bad week—hell, it might have been good enough to wipe out a bad month.
She frowned, then broke the kiss as her hip tingled again and reality dawned on her. The third time it happened, she groaned and let her head fall back to the wall with a thwack.
“Jax.” She pushed against his chest. “I think your phone is vibrating. Jax.” She shook him when he still didn’t respond.
He stood away from Marissa, breathing heavily.
“Your phone.”
He cursed softly, then snapped the phone from his belt and glanced at the screen. “I’m supposed to be off duty.” He held up a finger and dialed a number. “Chief here.”
His end of the conversation was a few “hmms” and “uh-huhs.” Then he touched something on the screen and tucked the phone back into its holder. “I have to…” He shoved his thumb in the direction of the parking lot. “I’m—”
“No. Go.” Relief, mingled with regret, washed over her. “I understand completely.”
Jax looked like he wanted to say something more, but simply gave a quick nod and turned to go. He stopped long enough to give her a quick, hot kiss. “We’re not done here.” He winked, then he hurried through the darkened lot.
She leaned back against the wall, closed her eyes and let the night air wash away any and all hints of Jax Carlisle. As if it was that easy. She’d been crazy to ask him to kiss her—not that she’d minded his response.
“There you are.”
Marissa jolted as Cherry set a hand on her arm.
“Are you okay? What did I miss? Tell me everything.” Cherry all but bounced on the balls of her feet.
“There’s nothing to tell.” Marissa leaned away from the wall. “Jax, I mean the chief, got a call and had to leave.”
&nbs
p; Cherry eyed her for a long moment, then hooked her arm with Marissa’s and tugged her toward the front of the building.
“I’ll pretend I believe that for a little while, but you’ll have to tell me later why your hair is tousled and you have the ‘thoroughly been kissed’ lips.”
Chapter Eight
Joan Barkley was standing outside her shop as Jax pulled in. She’d called in to the station—requested him by name, for which Ada had apologized profusely when she’d called him—to report a suspicious male lurking outside her store. “Chief.” A huge smile split her face but she quickly schooled it. “I didn’t expect you to get here so quickly.”
“I wasn’t that far away when your call came in.” He was still dressed in his jeans and T-shirt from the club. He hadn’t wanted to waste time running home, though the extra time would have given him a few minutes to unwind from the taste and feel of Marissa. Thankfully by the time he pulled into the lot in front of the store—it’d taken nearly the entire ride for his body to get back in check—no one would have been the wiser that he’d just been inches away from getting to second base, and third if he was really lucky. He fought back a bark of laughter. What was it about Marissa Llewellyn that made him feel like a teenager? He had trouble controlling himself, and he thought in terms of first or second base. The woman was doing some kind of number on him.
Jax gave a mental head shake. He didn’t have time to analyze whatever it was. He had to focus on work. He zeroed his gaze on Ms. Barkley. “So, tell me what’s going on.” He flipped open the spare notepad he had tucked in his truck for just such times.
Joan fiddled with a clothing rack, straightening the hangers out evenly. “I was closing up for the evening. We close at eight but I had to tidy up and fill out my reorder sheets.”
It was half-past ten when he’d gotten the call from Ada. “That’s a lot of reordering.”
She gave little smile. “We’ve been rather busy lately.” She set her hand on his forearm and crowded his personal space as he took notes. Her other hand fluttered over her chest and she batted her eyelashes, acting nervous and looking anything but. “Anyway, as I was saying, I was at the counter when I saw someone lurking outside the door.”
“Were the lights on?” Jax motioned to the store, which was lit up like it was still open for business.
“Yes sir, they were. But the closed sign was flipped.”
“And you’re sure it was a man?”
Her eyes rounded. “Oh yes, he was tall and was dressed in dark clothing.”
“Show me where you were standing exactly. When you saw him.”
Joan led Jax through several racks of clothing to the back of the store where the large counter sat that housed the register and a display case for some purses and other items. Atop the counter were several sheets of paper and a chewed-on pencil.
Joan snatched up the pencil and shoved it in a drawer under the register.
“Were you standing or sitting?” He pointed with his pen to a stool off to the side.
“I was sitting. I jumped up when I saw him. Then called you, I mean the police.”
Jax nodded and jotted down a few more notes. “Where was the stool?”
She moved it over right in front of the paperwork.
Jax sat. Most of the front windows were blocked by the clothing racks, and he was a good six or seven inches taller than Joan Barkley. There was, though, a clear view of the door through a narrow break between the racks. He jotted that down in his notes as well.
“Stay here and I will take a look around.”
“You’re going to leave me?” Her pitch went up with every word.
“I don’t think anyone is still hanging around at this point. You’ll be fine.” Jax tucked the notepad in his back pocket as he headed to the door. “Lock this behind me.”
Joan’s heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she scurried behind him.
Jax did a thorough perimeter check of the building, surrounding stores and then the parking lot where a single car—a light colored sports car—sat and didn’t see a single soul skulking about. He returned to the front door where Joan stood with her arms crossed.
She quickly unlocked it and let him in. “Did you find anyone?”
“No, but like I said, I didn’t think anyone would be hanging around at this point. Have you finished your work? I can walk you to your car.”
“Oh, yes. Sure.” Joan hurried around the store dousing lights for closure. She gathered up the sheets on the counter and stuffed them into a large purse, then met him back at the front door. “Um, hey, since you’re already out, how would you like to go grab a bite to eat?”
Jax kept his expression passive as he did a quick mental eye roll. Just as he suspected. There was most likely no man lurking about—even if there was, the chances of Joan actually seeing him were pretty slim unless she’d looked for and expected someone to show up at her store. With the lights on and the darkness outside, someone would have to practically have their face pressed to the glass to be noticed.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to go in to the office to write up this report.” He pulled the notepad from his pocket and slapped it into his hand.
“This late?”
“‘Fraid so.” Jax stood beside her as she got into her car and waited until she pulled out of the lot before he walked to his truck. He called in to the station. “False alarm, Ada. How are the other guys doing tonight?”
Ada apologized again and gave him a quick rundown of the most recent calls. Nothing that needed his attention, thankfully.
“Good. I’m heading home then.”
“Sorry to mess up your night off, Chief.”
“It’s all part of the job.” He hung up and tucked the phone back into his belt clip. He leaned against his truck and ran his hands over his face. He debated driving by Marissa’s house to see if she’d made it home. Nah, that made him feel a little too much like a stalker. Or very, very desperate.
Instead, he opted to go home. It’d been a while since he’d had a full night’s sleep. Not to mention Soldier, his German shepherd, was probably due for a visit outside. A cold beer and a little bit of TV and he’d be set for the rest of the evening.
The fates had something different in mind, however, as his headlights cut across his front porch and revealed someone sitting on the top step.
He sighed and parked his truck in front of the detached garage. “What brings you out here, Callie?”
His sister stood, then dusted off the back of her dark pants. She sniffled and crossed her arms over her chest. “Mother is driving me completely crazy.” She cringed a little as Soldier let out a fierce series of barks from inside the house. “I have the key you gave me, but I was a little afraid to go in with…” She motioned to the front door where Soldier continued to go nuts.
“Aw, he wouldn’t hurt a flea.”
Callie snorted. “Yeah, right.”
His sister followed him into the living room. “Soldier, sit.” The three-year-old dog plopped his rump on the edge of the foyer, blocking their entry into the house. “Not right there.” Jax pushed the dog’s neck. Soldier merely got up, turned in a tight circle, then sat back down. “Here, give me your hand.”
When his sister did nothing, Jax snagged her wrist and held her palm out for the dog to sniff.
Soldier gave Callie a few perfunctory sniffs and a lick, then stalked over to his dog bed in the corner behind Jax’s recliner.
“See, no fleas harmed.”
She didn’t even crack a smile.
He settled his hand at his sister’s back, then guided her to the sofa. “You want anything to drink?”
She shook her head and sniffled.
He wanted—needed—that beer, but opted to sit beside his baby sister and put his arm around her shoulders. It’d been years since she’d come to him to cry about some injustice or another. “Tell me what’s she’s done now.”
“She is trying to micromanage ever
y detail of the wedding.” Her breath shuddered. “I mean whose wedding is this anyway, hers or mine?”
“What’s Wes said about all this?”
Callie tilted her head back and growled. “He’s so busy with work right now that his pat answer is always, ‘Your mother knows what she’s doing.’” She swiped at her eyes. “He’s not trying to be an ass.”
“But he’s busy.” Jax didn’t want to point out that Wes was just like her father, his stepfather. Casper Carlisle had adopted Jax when he was four years old. Jax had never wanted to ask his biological father how Casper had talked him into relinquishing custody, but he was sure some money and possibly a threat was exchanged. All to keep up appearances. His mother couldn’t have children with two different last names. What kind of precedent did that set? He gave a mental eye roll at his mother’s pretension.
“Marlie Llewellyn is our fourth wedding planner,” his sister continued. “Do you know how embarrassing it will be if she quits? Not that I can blame her. Mother has been rude to the woman. And utterly hostile to her sister. Do you know she all but forbade me to have her cater my shower?”
“Marissa’s going to cater your shower?” The mere mention of Marissa made his pulse race. “Her cupcakes are good.”
Callie sat up straighter. “I know.” She pulled a tissue from her pocket and wiped her nose. “Still, I’d have ordered some anyway, to make up for…”
Jax frowned down at his sister. “Make up for…what?”
“It’s nothing. Never mind”
“It’s not ‘nothing.’ And you brought it up.”
She screwed up her face like she had so many times as a child when she was about to tattle—on herself. “I’m kind of the reason she got fired from Daddy’s club.”
“What do you know about that? You had to be what, ten or eleven back then?”
“I might have stuck my red dress in the washer and it might have turned all the towels I hid in there with it pink.” Callie lowered her voice. “And she got blamed for it.”
Jax stared at his sister.
“I didn’t mean to get her in trouble. Mother had dressed me like a four-year-old. My friend Mandy brought me an outfit to change into and I stashed the dress in the washer. I don’t know how it got turned on. I swear.” Callie held up her hand as if she were swearing in court. “I didn’t even find out what happened until the next day when I went back to get the dress.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Do you think I should tell her? Apologize?”
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