by Mandy Harbin
Roxie laughed. Shelby wiped her hands off as she stood. Anna looked around, avoiding eye contact.
“We’re going to have so much fun tonight!” Roxie exclaimed as the ladies made their way to the door. “It’s going to pull double duty as the bachelorette party.”
“This is going to be a long night,” Brody said, frowning.
Yeah, Blade agreed. Completely.
It was stupid. Anna knew it was freaking ridiculous, but she was a woman and could admit chicks as a collective group did not always land on the reasonable side of things. And as she glanced sideways at Shelby, Anna was fully aware she’d taken a trip to Crazyville.
Because it did not escape her attention that Blade had been checking out her colleague when she’d arrived at the shop this afternoon. Shelby was a beautiful woman, one who did not act as if she completely believed that, which Anna figured made her more attractive to the opposite sex. Shelby confidently working under the hood of that antique car, completely absorbed in her task, oblivious to the men in the room gaping at her, was serious single-woman goals. Being appreciated and admired for one’s skills and not just one’s body.
Though she’d recognized the look every man in that shop had sported. Attraction. Oh, Anna didn’t think any one of them would really act on it. Hell, Brody was getting married in a matter of days, but even he’d been awed by Shelby’s handiwork.
At least this was what Anna kept reminding herself every time she drifted back to the memory of Blade eyeing Shelby. She hoped as the night went on and the drinks started flowing with the girls that the flashback would happen less and less. Because deep down—like most women—she knew she was acting silly about the whole thing. When she’d stopped at the gas station, she’d been on her way to the shop. There’d been enough distance between the two of them, and she felt it was time to clear the air. Plus, she still had a job to do. Not that Blade had given anything away while they’d been together, nor had she found anything suspicious in the company paperwork. She wasn’t sure how much longer they’d get to stay on this assignment, and she needed to get in as much time as she could with him. For work, of course.
At least that was what she told herself.
Until she walked up and saw him watching Shelby through the windows before she even reached the door.
“I’m ordering a round of shots!” Xan said as she waved at the waiter who’d been by twice already. The first time, Xan said they needed to work on their drinking game plan before ordering. The second time, they’d all ordered margaritas. Anna and Roxie got theirs on the rocks, Xan and Shelby frozen. Of course, Xan’s was alcohol free.
“Girl, you don’t want us to be able to get outta bed in the morning, do ya?” Roxie asked with a chuckle.
“Well, ladies, can I get y’all something else?” the waiter—who barely looked old enough to be serving alcohol in the first place—asked when he slid up to their table. “Your drinks are almost ready.”
“Apparently, the bride-to-be wants us to get lit,” Shelby said with a wry smile.
“A round of tequila shots for my gals,” Xan said to the waiter, and then to the girls, “I mean, tequila goes with margaritas.”
“That it does,” Anna said.
“Oh, jeez, you don’t have to explain the virtues of shots,” Roxie said, and gave Xan’s hand a squeeze. She turned to the waiter. “Can you bring them out with our margaritas? Make sure hers is a virgin.”
“Been a long time since I was linked to virginity.” Xan smirked.
“You got it.” He winked at Roxie and left the table.
“Oh, did you see that?” Shelby asked, her gaze following the guy’s retreating back, leaving no question as to what she was referring.
“Pfft,” Roxie said, waving off the comment. “He’s practically Chad’s age,” she said, referring to her teenage son.
“And yet, he’s not,” Shelby said.
“Eww, close enough,” Xan said. She also had a son Chad’s age. In fact, from what Anna saw, the two guys seemed to be inseparable…even hanging together with their girlfriends.
“Gotta agree with Shelby on this,” Anna said. “There’s a big difference between a high school boy and a twenty-four-year-old man.”
“Really?” Roxie asked. “What’s that?”
“Stamina?” Anna asked, deadpan.
Xan busted out laughing, and the other girls followed.
“That’s totally a thing,” Anna said, defending her answer.
“Oh, looks like I just missed something good,” the waiter said when he appeared at their table with a tray of their drinks.
Roxie snorted. Shelby elbowed her and faced the dude placing their drinks in front of them. “Just girls being girls.”
“I like girls being girls.”
Anna wasn’t even going to comment on that. She grabbed her drink and took two big gulps.
“Can we get some cheese dip?” Xan asked. “If I can’t have liquor, I should at least get to eat carbs.”
“We can get whatever you want,” Roxie replied, and then downed her shot. “And an order of wings,” she said to the waiter.
The next round of drinks came out first, and Xan pouted when she was the only one not given a shot glass.
“How’s the morning sickness?” Anna asked before downing her shot.
“It’s awful. I forgot how bad it can be.” Xan frowned, eyes glossing over as if she was lost in thought. Anna figured she was probably remembering the first time she was pregnant. Xan had been married to a mob boss who’d abused her. She’d gotten away from him and was now living her happily ever after with Brody. It gave Anna hope that maybe things do work out in the end.
At least for some people.
“How’s the wedding planning coming?” Anna asked to pull Xan back into the present.
Roxie groaned. “She’s a bridezilla.”
Xan gasped. “I am not! I just want everything the way I want it. And I want it to happen before I get as big as a house.”
“I was wrong. She worse than a bridezilla. She’s a pregnant bridezilla.” Everyone laughed except for Xan. She feigned being offended before cracking a smile.
“At least your shotgun wedding is gonna be beautiful,” Roxie said. “Roc’s barn is going to look so good.”
“I still can’t believe he let you use it,” Shelby said. “He’s a bit of a—”
“Asshole,” Roxie said, finishing her statement. “Yes, yes, he is.”
“He’s not that bad,” Xan defended. “I mean, you definitely don’t want to cross him, but he has his sweet moments.”
“Might want to check with Heather on that,” Roxie muttered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Anna asked. She’d heard comments here and there about Hunter’s sister, Heather, and Roc.
“He was there when she was rescued, and it seems he’s a bit smitten,” Xan said.
“Well, that’s an understatement,” Roxie said, rolling her eyes.
“I thought he wasn’t seeing anybody,” Shelby said.
“They’re not together,” Xan said. “Heather is young, and Roc is—”
“Determined,” Roxie said with a raised eyebrow. “That man is freaking determined to have her.”
“Must be nice, having a guy who would stop at nothing to show you how much he wants you,” Anna said, thoughts drifting to Blade.
“Yeah, no shit,” Roxie said with an edge in her tone.
“Speaking of Bear,” Xan said, and took a sip of her virgin beverage.
“Nobody said his name,” Roxie said.
“You going to the wedding with him?” Xan continued as if she hadn’t said anything.
“He didn’t ask.”
“You could bring it up.”
“Um, no. If he wanted to go with me, he’d have said something. So he doesn’t. He doesn’t want a damn thing to do with me.” She shifted in her seat, a smile forming on her face. “Besides, I’m the maid of honor. I’ll be busy keeping you from becoming a runaway bri
de. I mean, someone has to make sure this thing goes off without a hitch.”
“Except for the two getting hitched,” Shelby said and hiccupped. “Oh, sorry.”
“Jeez, you haven’t had that much to drink,” Anna said.
“Been too busy working cases to drink.”
“Yeah, but you’re not working a case now.” Roxie raised her glass and toasted with Shelby. That was the second time her colleague had referenced being on assignment. Anna would have to talk to her about watching what she said in the future. It was true that they were working on a case, but no one here knew that. The fellow agent needed to be careful how she worded things. The guys on the Bang Shift were very sharp and could easily pick up on Shelby’s word choice. She had no doubt these women were equally as smart if not smarter.
“What about you?” she asked Anna. “You going to the wedding with Blade?”
“Oooh, nice question,” Roxie said, leaning in toward the group as if she was about to hear some big juicy secret.
“Um, no. Why would I?”
“You know you’re invited, right?” Xan asked. “I mean, even if Blade is too dumb to ask you himself. I want you there.” She looked at Shelby and said, “The both of you.”
“Technically, I was already invited,” Shelby said cryptically and grabbed her drink.
Anna felt the blood drain from her face. Was that why Blade was staring at her when Anna arrived at the shop earlier today? Because he’d asked her coworker to go with him to the wedding?
“What? Spill!” Xan said.
Shelby’s gaze darted to Anna. Jesus, she was going to be sick. Then Shelby glanced at Roxie before looking at Xan. “Doesn’t matter. I turned him down.”
“Aww, you have to tell,” Roxie said.
Shelby shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Nope. It was an innocent offer, but I didn’t want to cause any waves.” Then, below her breath, she muttered, “I don’t do that to my team members.”
“Innocent,” Anna scoffed. Blade was many things, innocent wasn’t one of them. Her little admission felt much heavier than the words themselves.
“Huh?” Shelby asked, frowning.
“Nothing,” Anna said, waving her off before picking up her drink. It wasn’t Shelby’s fault she was naturally beautiful and men couldn’t help but want her. Apparently, Blade wasn’t immune either.
“Since this is my pseudo bachelorette party, I think we need to play some games.”
“Sorry, girl, we’re saving games for the baby shower. Tonight is all about saying goodbye to the single life,” Roxie said.
“Shouldn’t there be strippers for this?” Shelby asked.
Roxie smirked.
“Oh, no, I can’t have strippers,” Xan said.
Right then a couple of guys walked into the private room they were boozing it up in.
“You didn’t,” Xan said.
“Oh, I so did,” Roxie said, raising her hands right when the music cranked in the room. “Woo-hoo!”
The guys started bumping and grinding to what sounded like the soundtrack to one of the Magic Mike movies. They danced around the girls, and each time they got near Xan, she shooed them away like they were a couple of flies, but would giggle each time. She was having fun, and that was the important thing.
“You can’t keep them at bay forever,” Anna said, smiling.
“Oh yes, I—eek.” The dark-headed dude scooped up Xan and carried her over to a chair in a clear area of a makeshift stage. She giggled, but before they could even get down and dirty, the door slammed to the area they were in.
Anna glanced to the side, thinking one of the employees had closed them off to keep other patrons from witnessing the debauchery, but she caught long blond hair zipping by her as Brody walked up to where his future wife was sitting. The man looked like a freight train barreling toward the entertainment. On instinct, Anna got up. It was her job to protect and serve, and she had a feeling one—if not both—of these men was about to meet his maker.
Someone grabbed her shoulder, and she whirled around, hand on the person’s wrist, ready to rip it off, flip him around, and shove his hand behind his back.
“Whoa, whoa,” Blade said, grabbing her hand and waist to keep her from the defensive move she was about the put on him.
“What the hell are y’all doing here?” she yelled over the music.
Rather than answer her, he turned her around, and to her great amusement, she watched as Brody did an exaggerated striptease. Well, without actually taking his clothes off. He shook his ass and lifted his shirt up a little as he danced around a laughing Xan.
“Oh.” Anna looked over her shoulder and smiled up at Blade.
“Hi.” He’d said it so softly, she could barely hear him, but the gentle greeting was sweet nonetheless.
“Hey,” she said back to him. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she couldn’t remember him ever smelling so good.
Heat flared in his eyes and, without another word, he took her hand and guided her outside.
Anna turned to him when they reached the alley, but he didn’t give her a chance to speak. Before she could open her mouth, he pushed her against the wall, slipping his hand behind her head so she didn’t bang it against the brick, and slammed his mouth over hers.
She moaned, but any sounds she made were swallowed by him as he devoured her. God, he tasted almost as good as he smelled. When he forged a path of hot, wet kisses along her neck, Anna sucked some much needed air into her starving lungs. “Brax,” she breathed.
He groaned against her skin and thrust his jeans-covered cock against her at the sound of his name. Jesus, she loved getting that kind of reaction from him.
It didn’t escape her that she was irritated with him earlier, or that she’d been avoiding him, but her body didn’t seem to care. At. All. She needed him, and no matter what, she was going to get what she wanted.
Him.
All him.
He tugged her spaghetti strap down, his mouth following the path his hand cleared. She groaned when he sucked in her nipple, and it either fueled him further or wasn’t enough because his other hand yanked her skirt up. Anna gasped when his hand dove into her panties, and she instinctively hiked her leg up around his hip, trying to get closer. They were out in public. This was so wrong on so many levels, but it only made it all the hotter.
“Fuck, you’re so wet.”
She couldn’t form a coherent sentence if she tried. Instead, she fumbled with his belt, not wanting to wait another minute to have him inside of her.
Blade leaned back, and faster than she could register, he dug out a condom, sheathed himself, and lifted her up.
“You ready for me?” Although he’d asked, he thankfully didn’t wait for a response. Blade pushed into her, and she held on tightly as he pounded her into the wall. Gone was the care he’d shown her head. Anna was sure there’d be scratches on her back.
She didn’t give a flying rat’s ass.
“Touch yourself,” he breathed.
What? No way. She shook her head and thrust her hips against him. He leaned back a little, pushing into her at a slightly different angle, hitting all the right places.
“Oh, God.”
“Do it, Anna.”
He slowed his movement, which infuriated her because she was so close already, but she wouldn’t be able to get off at this pace.
“Please, baby. I want to see you touch yourself.” He leaned closer to her, his mouth at her ear. “I’ll give it to you good if you show me.”
Jesus, this man was lethal. Of its own volition, her hand skimmed down her body and slipped into her panties.
“Fuck, yeah,” he said as he watched, his hips increasing in speed the closer she got. He groaned and fucked her like a madman. Anna had been so close already that when she slipped her finger between her legs, coupled with the intensity of Blade’s thrusts, she hurdled into orgasmic bliss. She might have screamed, but Blade’s mouth descended onto hers the moment she fell over that preci
pice.
His movements became erratic and, moments later, he groaned into her mouth, stifling his own sounds of ecstasy.
They held each other as he slowed, the harsh kiss turning tender, soft. When he pulled away, he kissed a few more times before letting her land on her feet. It took her a moment to get her wits about her, during which time Blade took care of the condom and fastened his pants. He helped her set her own clothes to rights.
“Come home with me.” It wasn’t a question. He probably was too scared of what answer she’d give him if he posed it as one.
“Yes,” she said. Because there really wasn’t any other option anyway. She’d missed him. Everything else aside, she missed him.
He smiled at her. Kissed her nose once, twice, and smiled at her again. “Let’s go.”
He took her hand and pulled her behind him.
“What about everyone else?”
“They can find their own way back.”
Who was she to argue?
Chapter Nine
The last twenty-four hours had been crazy-ass busy. The morning after the bar incident, the garage had closed for the day and all of the guys had been out at Roc’s putting the finishing touches on the barn. Around mid-afternoon Blade had thought for sure they wouldn’t get finished, but the guys pushed on. Shortly after three o’clock, Xan, Roxie, Heather, Maya, and Anna had shown up to decorate. The guys were still working on one of the walls, but since they were all working against the clock, the ladies started on the other end. Right as the men finished the last project, the women had worked their way to that end. It had been almost perfect timing.
The colors Xan had chosen were an array of purples. Not just one shade of the violet hue, but many. She even used lavender in some of the table arrangements. The colors and smell reminded him so much of his sister, but for the first time since she’d died, he welcomed her favorite color and scent. He still missed her terribly, but up until now, the reminder of her life would just throw him into memories of her death. It was an ugly cycle that never allowed him to reminisce about the good parts her of short time on this earth.
Last night, he hadn’t wanted to leave Anna’s side, but best man duties called. Brody had stayed at Blade’s place last night, and Anna had stayed with Xan. He was pretty sure Roxie had stayed over with the girls well into the night. If she ever went home at all. He’d left Brody to his slumber this morning, having left as soon as he got dressed. Blade wanted to be at the barn for last minute deliveries and to be present when the vendors arrived. He figured it was his job to do all the final stressing for the man of the hour. It wasn’t as if the man let him throw him a bachelor party. The few times he brought it up, Brody got almost violent in his refusal. Just as well. They were too balls-to-the-wall busy anyway.