Beefcake

by Jenna Jacob

  “You haven’t met Jasper yet?” Ivy shook her head. “Oh, honey. He’ll do everything in his power to keep those bastards away from you and out of Haven. It’s my turn to tell you a little story now.”

  When she was through, Ivy’s heart ached for what Gina had endured. Once again, her wimpy baby hormones had tears spilling from Ivy’s eyes. She stood and hugged her friend fiercely before they turned and walked back inside the Hangover.

  While she sat at the bar, nursing a soda as Gina called Jasper, Ivy could feel Noble’s stare raking her flesh. She couldn’t let herself even take a peek at him for fear someone might connect them somehow.

  Less than three minutes later, the sheriff strolled into the bar. He tipped his hat as Gina made introductions, then he escorted Ivy to an isolated table near the front of the bar.

  They’d no more sat down than Noble’s loud and angry voice slammed through the air. “What the fuck does she need to talk to Jasper for? What’s going on? Is someone fucking with her? Whoever it is, I’ll kill ’em…I’ll rip their fucking head off and shit down their throat.”

  Jasper arched his brows at her. “I wasn’t aware that Noble was a friend of yours?”

  “He is…sort of,” she ambiguously replied.

  “Maybe you ought to go back and try to calm him down before I’m forced to slap a set of cuffs on him and let him sleep it off in a quiet cell.”

  Ivy blanched. “I’ll be right back.”

  She ran to the back of the bar to find Nate and Sawyer wrapping Noble in a bear hug. Both men were whispering in his ear, trying to calm their irate and extremely inebriated brother down. The minute his blurry eyes fell into focus on Ivy, Noble shrugged his brothers off like a couple of annoying fleas and stormed her way.

  “What the hell are you talking to Jasper about?” Noble demanded like an overbearing caveman.

  He was so…forceful…so masculine…so fucking barbarian, a shiver of arousal sped through her. Ivy shoved her ill-timed hormonal explosion aside and narrowed her eyes.

  “Don’t piss me off, Noble. You won’t like what happens next,” she warned with all the bluster she could feign. “The sheriff and I are having a private discussion that doesn’t concern you.”

  “Everything about you concerns me, woman,” he growled.

  “Lower your voice,” she hissed. “We don’t need the whole damn town knowing we’re friends.”

  “Friends?” A bitter laugh slid from his lips. “Darlin’, we’re a whole hell of a lot more than friends. You honestly think I give a good goddamn what people think…what the fuck they say? Far as I’m concerned, every one of them can kiss my happy ass.” Noble’s slurred words carried through the air as if they were coming through a public address system, loud and resonating. “All I care about is you! Dammit, Ivy, haven’t you figured that out yet?”

  The sincerity glistening in his emerald-green eyes made her heart clutch. The gooey feelings unfurling inside made her want to wrap him in her arms and haul his happy ass across the street and straight to her bed.

  “Noble, we’ll talk about that later. Right now, I need you to chill out before Jasper hauls your drunken butt to jail. All right?”

  When Noble started shaking his head like a petulant two-year-old, Ivy bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Not until you tell me what’s going on. Is someone bothering you? If there is, you don’t need Jasper. I’ll take care of ’em permann…permer…permanently.”

  “Don’t go grabbing your shotgun and shovel, Mr. Reaper. I’ve got—”

  “My momma’s got a shotgun. And boy howdy…she’s gonna use it on me when she hears what we’ve gone and done.”

  Ivy’s mouth went dry and her heart rate tripled. “What do you mean when she hears? Noble, she’s not going to ever find out…no one can ever know about…” she said in a whisper.

  Why am I’m trying to reason with a drunk man?

  “Forget it.” Ivy shook her head. “Just keep your voice down before the whole town puts two and two together.”

  “Two and two makes four, but we made one,” he said, pressing a hand to her stomach. That and the wicked grin he flashed made her core clutch in need.

  This man was her Kryptonite in every way possible.

  I’m so fucked!

  “Shhh. We did, but we don’t want people knowing about that, so please…just let me go talk to Jasper now and I’ll talk—”

  “Tomorrow, dammit. I told you we were going to talk again tomorrow. Write that down so you don’t forget.”

  “Okay, I’ll write it down,” Ivy quickly promised before sending him a pleading stare. “Just be quiet. When I’m done talking to Jasper, I’ll come back and talk to you. All right?”

  “Only if you let me kiss you again…let me taste those plump, sweet lips of yours.” He wobbled slightly as he reached out and stroked a finger down her face. The heat of his touch sent a wall of fire converging over her.

  “We’ll talk about that tomorrow, too. Now, go on back and play pool with your brothers.”

  “You damn well better let me kiss you again, woman. ’Cause you’ve got the hottest, softest, most intoxa…intoxilicatling mouth I ever tasted. And on top of that…you’re fucking gorgeous, too.”

  If she had time, Ivy would use his alcohol-saturated brain against him. Use it like a truth serum so he’d spill his guts and tell her how he truly felt about her. But dammit, the clock was ticking and the sheriff wasn’t going to wait on her forever.

  “Okay. I’ll kiss you…someplace private.”

  “My cock’s private.” Noble’s eyes smoldered with promise and flickered in mischief. He leaned in close to her ear. His moist breath made her clit throb and her nipples draw up like pebbles. “I love the way you kiss my cock, Ivy.”

  She quickly cast a wary glance around the room. Though all eyes were on her and Noble, only Sawyer and Nate—struggling to keep from laughing—seemed privy to Noble’s salacious words.

  “Noble, if you don’t shut up, I’m never kissing you again.”

  “Aww, darlin’. Don’t go breaking my heart and sayin’ things like that. It’s not nice.”

  Losing what little patience she had left, Ivy cupped Noble’s face. “Then give me ten minutes to talk to Jasper, and I won’t have to break your heart. Got it?”

  Noble’s body grew taut and she felt a tiny shudder slide through him. His eyes and nostrils flared the way they did when she gripped his beautiful, thick cock. He gently placed his hands over hers and held her palms to his cheeks. “Okay, but if he touches you, I’m gonna have to kill him. Understood?”

  “He’s not going to touch me.”

  “That’s right. Nobody touches you but me!” Noble barked.

  A collective gasp went up around the bar. Ivy issued an inward groan. Noble might as well have tattooed his name across her damn forehead. There’d be no way to protect him or their baby now.

  Wearing identical concerned expressions, Nate and Sawyer moved in alongside their loud-mouthed brother.

  “Come on, man. It’s your turn to break so we can get our next game started,” Nate said, trying to entice Noble back to the pool table.

  “I’m already broken,” he murmured before pointing his finger at Ivy and bellowing, “She’s the one who ruined me…Ivy…her, right there. That’s my poison Ivy. She broke me wide open and is putting me back together. She’s fucking amazing. I’m a lucky sum’bitch. Ya hear me? I’m the fucking lucky one.”

  Ivy prayed a sinkhole would open beneath her feet suck her all the way to China. But no such luck. Instead, Gina sent her a wide grin as Nate and Sawyer led Noble away. When Ivy gathered enough courage to look behind her, every person in the place was grinning like a loon…even the damn sheriff. Doing her best to ignore the increasing buzz of murmurs filling the air, Ivy rushed to join Jasper at the table.

  He leaned in and arched his brows. “Fucking amazing indeed if you managed to get under Noble Grayson’s skin to the point that he’s spilling his soul in public.”
>
  Ivy closed her eyes and exhaled. “He’s drunk and…it’s…complicated.”

  “It always is, sweetheart.” Jasper chuckled. “Now what can I do for you?”

  “Gina says you and Nate are the only two men she trusts with her life.”

  A melancholy smile curled on the man’s lips. “If there’s something you need to tell me, you have my word it’ll stay between us.”

  Once again, Ivy began spilling her secrets, which, ironically, was much easier the second time around. When she informed him that the news crews were about to turn his town upside down, Jasper leaned back in his chair and grimly nodded.

  “Don’t you worry about a thing, pretty lady. I can handle the circus coming our way,” he announced confidently, then stood and held out his hand.

  Ivy thanked him profusely and shook his hand.

  He turned to leave, then paused. “I’ve noticed Emmett Hill likes to visit your bakery every morning. You mind if I park him and his 1945 Browning A5 inside your place during the day?”

  Ivy blinked, slightly confused. “No, I don’t mind. But is he able to…shoot without killing me or my customers?”

  Jasper chuckled. “He shot the shit out of Barbara Rhyme’s plate-glass window not long ago. I’ll tell him not to load it. That should be enough of a deterrent to keep the reporters back, especially once they see how badly his hands shake.”

  Ivy chuckled. The sheriff was a warmhearted man.

  “Best have Gina brew some strong coffee and start shoving it down Noble’s gullet. He’s going to want to have his wits about him come morning.”

  “I’ll let her know. Thank you again, Sheriff.”

  “No. Now that I’m keeping your secret, you have to call me Jasper.” He dropped a brief glance at her stomach and smirked. “Guess that’s the reason Noble’s back there getting his drunk on, huh?”

  Ivy felt a blush rush to her cheeks. As promised, she neither confirmed nor denied the sheriff’s probing question.

  “Don’t fret. The Grayson boys were raised right. Loyal as the day is long and a force to be reckoned with if you ever get on their bad side. Noble will figure things out…probably a lot sooner if what you say is coming arrives.”

  “Oh, they’re coming, all right,” Ivy resentfully assured.

  “Don’t fret about that, either. I’ll keep that nonsense under control.”

  There certainly wasn’t a shortage of men in Haven who liked to take control.

  Jasper shoved his hat back on his head, flashed her a supportive nod, and left as her cell phone chimed. Ivy plucked it from her pocket and read the text message.

  Mom: We’re coming to you. We’ll be in Haven tomorrow, late morning. Oh, and FYI—Daddy doesn’t know about the baby. He should hear the news from you. But don’t worry; he’ll be over the moon like I am! OMG I’M GOING TO BE A GRAMMA! LOL Love you, darling.

  Everyone was telling her not to worry, but Ivy couldn’t help it. Anxiety and dread chased through her like a cheetah after a gazelle, spiking even higher when she turned toward the pool table.

  Noble sat in a chair, sipping a cup of coffee and undressing her with his eyes.

  Sucking in a soft gasp, Ivy tried to quiet her hormones and started in his direction on shaky legs.

  “Where’s my kiss?” he asked in a low, sensual growl.

  His green eyes smoldered.

  The heat pouring off him was far more intoxicating than any liquor in the place. Goose bumps exploded over her flesh.

  “Not here.” There were too many curious stares fixed on them.

  “Fine. I’ll follow you back over to the bakery, where we can be alone.” His voice was surprisingly sober compared to twenty minutes ago. “Then after I kiss you breathless, you’re going to tell me what you and Jasper were talking about.”

  The notion of kissing his warm, firm lips again sent a rush of desire to dampen her folds.

  God help me, what do I do now?

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Noble set his coffee cup down and stood, watching as indecision played across Ivy’s face. He steeled himself for her to tell him to go to hell after the suggestion they head over to the bakery to be alone came spilling out of his mouth.

  Suggestion my ass, Nate scoffed via their private twin link. That was a fucking order if I’ve ever heard one. You’re lucky she didn’t kick you square in the nuts.

  I need to find out if she’s filed a fucking restraining order against me, asshole. Now get outta my head, Noble mentally demanded without peeling his stare off Ivy’s.

  She’d been so fucking adamant during their initial conversation at the bakery…adamant and as fucking hardheaded as he was. Noble suspected she’d never asked anyone for help in her whole life.

  So the minute Jasper had entered the bar and led her to a quiet table for two, Noble’s imagination had gone into overdrive.

  If Ivy had gotten some wild hair up her ass and wanted to block him from her life with a damn restraining order, Noble would never be able to prove that she could lean on him. The fear had reached up and grabbed him by the balls with such fury that it extinguished the alcohol buzz anesthetizing his system.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be alone again right now,” Ivy stated quietly.

  “Why not? If you’re worried I might knock you up or something…well, too late.” He smirked, hoping to break the ice and worm a little smile out of her.

  Instead, Ivy dropped her lashes as her cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink.

  Dammit. That didn’t work.

  Noble decided to go with honesty instead of humor. “Look. I need to know what that was all about between you and Jasper or I’m going to lose my damn mind.”

  “I already told you…it has nothing to do with you.”

  Son of a bitch! She is getting a restraining order. No. Fuck. No.

  Tamping down his panic, Noble sucked in a deep breath. “All right. Then that means it has something to do with you…that you’re in some kind of trouble, which makes it ten times worse. Knowing someone or something is happening to you makes me want to spill blood and mount some asshole’s head on a spike and other illegal, crazy caveman shit.”

  Ivy tensed and nervously flitted a glance around the people in the bar. The fact that she didn’t deny his claim or try to placate him set off internal warning bells and buzzers. Unwilling to take no for an answer, Noble stepped in close and cupped her elbow. Little surges of electricity marched up his arm, like they did every fucking time he touched her.

  “There’s nothing you can do to prevent it, Noble.”

  She might as well have told him to stop breathing. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to prevent whatever had upset her so badly she needed Jasper’s help.

  “Oh, yeah? Watch me, little girl.” He cinched her elbow tighter. “Come on. We’re going for a drive.”

  “I-I can’t,” she stammered, trying to pull from his grasp. He reluctantly released her but remained in her personal space. “I have a million things to do before I open for business in the morning. My family is coming up to… I’m sorry. I have to get back to the bakery.”

  “Then I’ll help you…bake stuff.”

  She blinked up at him and finally graced him with a grin that set him on fire in a whole different way.

  “You know how to bake?”

  “Well…no, but…I can learn. You can teach me.”

  “Go back and finish playing pool with your brothers. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  Noble began shaking his head even before she’d finished dismissing him. “If someone is bothering you enough to get Jasper involved, then I’m going to live up to my name and be your noble bodyguard.”

  She relaxed and softened as the tension slid from her tiny frame. A flicker of gratitude danced in her pale blue eyes. “Fine. As long as you don’t kiss me.”

  “Oh? Why’s that?”

  “Because it’s distracting and I have work to do.”

  Liar.

  “That’s
not the reason.”

  “No, but it’s the only one you’re getting from me, right now.”

  A crooked grin tugged one corner of his mouth as he leaned in close to her ear. “You’re afraid I’ll kiss you right out of those skintight pants you’re wearing, aren’t you?”

  “You’ve already done that.”

  “Oh, I know. I can’t ever forget. That’s why I’m dying to do it again,” he replied in a low, hungry growl.

  Ivy’s body trembled.

  Yeah, she wanted him as badly as he did her. Until he discovered a way to thoroughly annihilate her walls, he’d bide his time…or at least try to. She was his heroin, crack, and any other kind of addictive vice with the potential to totally destroy him, which only made him crave her even more.

  When he leaned back, Ivy’s eyes were slightly dilated. Her lush, full breasts rose and fell with every shallow breath spilling over her lips. It took all the willpower he possessed to not toss her over his shoulder, sprint across the street, strip her bare, and toss her into bed. He wanted to make every filthy, ball-churning fantasy that he’d stroked his cock to all these months finally come true, over and over again.

  He could see the indecision warring with hunger glistening in her eyes. He had to act fast and waved a hand toward the door. “Lead the way, darlin’.”

  When they stepped outside, Ivy sent a furtive glance up and down the street as if looking for someone to step from the shadows and carry her away. As they crossed the street, Emmett Hill hurried toward them, trusty Browning rifle slung over his shoulder.

  “Hunting Bigfoot again tonight, Emmett?” Noble asked while Ivy unlocked the door of the shop.

  “Nope. Jasper stopped while I was watering my azaleas and told me trouble was coming Ivy’s way. So I grabbed my gun and hurried down here fast as my old feet could take me.”

  What the hell?

  Noble narrowed his eyes, pinning her with a barely civil stare. “How come Emmett knows what’s happening, but I’m left in the dark?”

  Ignoring his question completely, Ivy turned a brittle smile on the old man. “I’m good for tonight, Emmett. Tomorrow I might need reinforcements though.”