by J. H. Croix
I chuckled as I pressed my hand against her hip, just enough to lift it slightly so I could get a better view of where her belt loop was hitched on the hook. In a second, I sliced clean through it. She started to wiggle down, beginning to come down sideways.
Dropping the knife to the ground, I caught her in the nick of time as she stumbled to the ground when one of her cowboy boots struck the pavement. “Easy,” I murmured as I steadied her.
Jade straightened, lifting a hand and brushing a few locks of hair out of her eyes. She blew a puff of air to send the last errant lock off her forehead. Stepping back, she sighed. “Thank you. I guess I owe you twice now.”
“You don’t owe me. I did what anyone would do.”
Jade’s gaze was considering as she stared at me in the parking lot with moonlight gilding her hair in silver. “Actually, that’s not true. That asshole got going in the bar and you were the only person who even noticed. Plus, not everyone carries a pocket knife everywhere,” she said, her tone dry.
I felt my lips kick up on one side. “I suppose not. Maybe it’s none of my business, but what the hell were you doing climbing into the dumpster anyway?”
Jade rolled her eyes. “When I threw the trash bag in, one of my bracelets flew off my wrist,” she explained, gesturing to her now bare wrist.
I couldn’t say I’d considered it much, but I was aware she usually wore a wide silver bracelet on her wrist. I shouldn’t have known that detail, but then every detail about Jade appeared to be burned into my brain without any effort on my part.
“Well, then we should find it. Tell me what it looks like.” Without thinking further, I curled a hand on the side of the dumpster and jumped in.
When I glanced back to Jade, for once, her usual guarded expression had subsided. Her eyes were wide open and her mouth had fallen open. “Tell me what it looks like,” I repeated.
She snapped her mouth shut, a wondering laugh escaping. There I stood, in the fucking dumpster mind you, and the sound of her throaty laugh elicited a low pull in my gut. Much as I preferred not to want Jade, I did. As much as I needed air to breathe, my body wanted Jade. Which was why I generally avoided her.
“It’s silver,” she finally said. “About this wide.” She held up her fingers to demonstrate.
Glancing down to where my boots were planted amongst garbage bags, I scanned for a glimpse of silver. When the moon and the dim light in the far corner of the parking lot didn’t do me any favors, I slipped my phone out of my pocket and tapped the flashlight button. Once the bright light came on, I moved it in a pattern over the trash bags, my eyes stopping when the light reflected off something.
I walked a few steps over and reached down into the not-so-pleasant smelling trash. “Got it,” I called, holding the bracelet aloft.
When I straightened, Jade, who didn’t smile very often, graced me with a beauty. Her lips curled at the corners and her eyes tilted. “Wow! You found it.”
Stepping back to the edge of the dumpster, I handed it to her before resting one hand on the edge and hopping over to land on the pavement beside her. Jade spun the bracelet in a circle in her hands, still smiling. This time when her gaze met mine, it was almost shy. “That was really sweet, Walker.”
Oh hell. Sweet was not an adjective I was usually labeled with. I felt an unbidden smile tugging up the corners of my mouth.
“Well, now I owe you three times. Don’t argue the point,” she said quickly when I opened my mouth to do exactly that.
I did the craziest thing next. “Actually, if you insist, I do have a favor I could use some help with.”
“Anything.”
“I have to go to a wedding, and I could use a date.” I couldn’t believe I’d actually said that, but the words were out, so there was no going back.
For the second time in my experience, Jade’s mouth fell open. After an electrifying moment of silence, she asked, “A date?”
Maybe I hadn’t thought too much about this, or not at all, but I wasn’t one to back down. “Yep. A date.”
She rested a hand on her hip. “Is this a joke?”
I shook my head slowly, a plan materializing in my brain. “Definitely not. Next weekend. A good friend of mine is getting married, and I’d rather not go solo.” Just as I began to think that I didn’t want to have to explain why to Jade, her question sliced through the pause.
“And why not? You’re not exactly the kind of man who can’t handle a wedding on his own.”
I decided right then and there that I was going to dive into this insanity. I had an itch to scratch, a quite specific itch. She could be my date for the weekend, and we could burn this fire between us to ashes.
If I had to explain why, then so be it. “Look, it’s one of my best buds. I was going to go without a date and say fuck it all, but my ex is going to be there.”
“You have an ex?” Jade interjected, arching a brow so high, I was surprised it didn’t fly off her forehead.
“Yes. I have an ex. We broke up because she screwed around on me with my best friend’s brother. I’m not sure what’s up, but she’s been texting and calling lately. I get the idea she wants another chance. I’d rather her not get any ideas,” I said flatly. I didn’t feel much of anything about it and was more than glad to close the door on that whole mess. It was just I preferred not to have any pitying gazes cast my way during the wedding, and I definitely preferred my ex to consider me off limits. That was easier if she thought I was dating someone.
Several things flashed through Jade’s eyes, ending with her eyes narrowing in anger. “Oh, that’s not cool. I’m guessing the brother will be at the wedding.”
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s his family. I’m well over my ex, before you worry that that’s what this is about. But, I’d prefer she leave me alone.”
“I’m your girl,” Jade said, nodding vigorously.
“Okay then. Sounds like we have a plan. Can you handle a long weekend out of town—three days?”
“I’ll make sure I can. I’ll be the best date you ever had, and I’ll make her feel like the cheating bitch she is.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Tell me where to pick you up. It’s next weekend.”
“Here, let me give you my number,” Jade said. “Just text me the details. I’ll rearrange my schedule and you’ll have me. By the way, I would’ve done this even if you hadn’t saved my ass from that fool and then gotten me out of the dumpster and found my bracelet. It’s just the principle, you know?”
“Oh, I do.”
After I entered Jade’s number in my phone, I watched as she strolled back into the bar. Her cowboy boots struck on the gravel with each step and her hair swung at her waist. Electricity sizzled up my spine. Three days with Jade was going to be interesting.
Copyright © 2020 J.H. Croix; All rights reserved.
Coming June 2020!
If We Dare
If you love hot, small town romance, take a visit to Willow Brook, Alaska in my Into The Fire Series. Check out Burn For Me - a second chance romance for the ages. It’s FREE on all retailers! Don’t miss Cade & Amelia’s story!
Go here to sign up for information on new releases: http://jhcroixauthor.com/subscribe/
Find My Books
Thank you for reading Still Go Crazy! I hope you enjoyed the story. If so, you can help other readers find my books in a variety of ways.
1) Write a review!
2) Sign up for my newsletter, so you can receive information about upcoming new releases & receive a FREE copy of one of my books: http://jhcroixauthor.com/subscribe/
3) Like and follow my Amazon Author page at https://amazon.com/author/jhcroix
4) Follow me on Bookbub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-h-croix
5) Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jhcroix/
6) Like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jhcroix
Swoon Series
This Crazy Love
Wait For Me
Br
eak My Fall
Truly Madly Mine
Still Go Crazy
If We Dare - coming June 2020!
Steal My Heart - coming August 2020!
Into The Fire Series
Burn For Me
Slow Burn
Burn So Bad
Hot Mess
Burn So Good
Sweet Fire
Play With Fire
Melt With You
Burn For You
Crash & Burn
Brit Boys Sports Romance
The Play
Big Win
Out Of Bounds
Play Me
Naughty Wish
Diamond Creek Alaska Novels
When Love Comes
Follow Love
Love Unbroken
Love Untamed
Tumble Into Love
Christmas Nights
Last Frontier Lodge Novels
Take Me Home
Love at Last
Just This Once
Falling Fast
Stay With Me
When We Fall
Hold Me Close
Crazy For You
Just Us
Catamount Lion Shifters
Protected Mate
Chosen Mate
Fated Mate
Destined Mate
A Catamount Christmas
The Lion Within
Lion Lost & Found
Acknowledgments
To every reader who takes a chance on my stories. Thank you!
My editor made sure I gave Grace & Boone my best. Terri D. scours for all the details I miss.
Many thanks to the last round of readers who triple check for me - Janine, Beth P., Terri E., Heather H., & Carolyne B.
To my friends and family for being there in every way that matters. To my dogs for reminding me every single day what love is.
xoxo
J.H. Croix
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. Croix writes contemporary romance with sassy women and alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels!
Places you can find me:
jhcroixauthor.com
[email protected]